A patio can be your year-round connection to the outdoors. You can grill hamburgers in the summer, watch the leaves change in fall, sip cocoa in winter, and enjoy a warm breeze when spring comes. The key to enjoying all the seasons in your own backyard is to create a space you love.
Everyone has different tastes and uses their patios for different things, but there are a few designs that we expect to see across the board in 2022. In this blog, we’ll talk about a few overall design ideas that can help you fit your patio to your personality, as well as patio trends and why people love them.
3 Patio Ideas to Fit Your Personality
The best patio design will vary from person to person depending on their taste and what they plan to use their patio for. Let’s look at a few examples of how your space can reflect its purpose.
Cozy Lounge Space
You might be a “curl up with a cup of coffee and a book on the back patio” kind of person. If you enjoy spending time outside, alone or with a small group, then a cozy lounge space might be your perfect patio.
This type of patio usually features comfortable seating and a nice view. You could add a fireplace or fire pit to keep the area warm and enjoyable even in the winter months and a TV or outdoor games for convenient entertainment. The size of this space often depends on how many people you plan to entertain here. Keeping it small can retain the cozy feeling, but opening it up can encourage more people to join you.
Outdoor Entertaining
This is great for people who enjoy entertaining friends and family in their outdoor space. Ideas for a patio include an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, smoker or island with ample seating. These spaces tend to be larger to accommodate more people and a functioning kitchen.
Covered areas that house a large grill, sink, and even an outdoor refrigerator are common for this style patio. You can turn your backyard into the go-to place for home cooked food and quality time with the people you care about.
Calming Getaway
Some people want a patio where they can get away from it all. Instead of a space you can share with others, you might want somewhere you can enjoy some quiet alone time. These patios are often not connected to the house, so you can enjoy a degree of separation from your normal life.
Designing your calming patio usually includes natural materials, like stone and wood, and maybe even a calming water feature. You might opt for your favorite flowers in the surrounding landscaping or soft lights set in the ground so you can enjoy your space at night too.
Major Trends in Patio Design
Each of the three types of patios we just mentioned can be designed in a number of different ways. They can be tailored specifically to your preferences or built based on what other people are doing. There are a few major patio trends that will carry over from 2021, both due to their aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Design
Grays, blues, and blacks are still the go-to colors for patio design, and the rustic flagstone look is making more appearances than ever before. When it comes to overall design and materials, most people are opting for clean lines and a modern feel.
Pavers have been a big part of design trends, too. The biggest change is that people are starting to mix and match their pavers, using more than just one kind. We’re also seeing larger pavers being combined instead of small sections, as is traditional. Around the paved areas, there’s more double-banding borders or double accent pieces as well.
Technology
The outdoors can be just as comfortable as the indoors with all the latest technology being added to patios. For example, landscape lighting is becoming more unique with the use of lighting inlights, recessed paver lights, tape lights, and even WiFi controlled lights that can change colors.
Aside from setting the mood lighting through an app, people are also opting for unique outdoor heating systems. Heat lamps, heating under pavers, and infrared heaters are common alternatives to fireplaces and fire pits.
Finally, adding a patio sound system isn’t out of the norm. Plenty of people are adding speakers and bluetooth capabilities to their patios to make entertaining easy.
Equipment
Aside from speakers and advanced lighting or heating mechanisms, the most patio equipment is typically found in the kitchen. Smokers and grills are common additions along with pizza ovens or large islands for outdoor entertaining. The countertops in outdoor kitchens are typically made of granite or stained cement because of their weather resistance.
Landscaping
Overall there’s a move away from excess flowers and plant clutter in landscaping. Instead, people are opting for cleaner, more minimal spaces where specific flowers can stand out. Hydrangeas, in particular, are a go-to for many homeowners, frequently paired with ornamental grasses in the yard or around the patio.
Design Your Perfect Patio
A patio can be the perfect outdoor space to bring people together or find some peace during your busy day. Designing a patio you love can take some time, so if you have questions or need some help, consider partnering with an expert. We’d be happy to help you create your new patio in 2022. Call for a quote today!
