There are many patio ideas you can explore
There are many patio ideas you can explore. Some deal with beautifying the surface of the patio itself. Others involve structures built into the patio. Still others involve the use of vegetation and ornamentation that adds drama and interest to the area. You can gather many such ideas with a simple web search, and then share then with your Houston landscaping professional.
Some patio ideas involve making decorative designs in the patio itself. With stone patios, patterns can be created by both symmetrical and asymmetrical blocks of stone. Stones like flagstones measuring different dimensions can create patterns that look much like outcroppings of rocks found in nature. Blue stone can be cut to exact proportions to create linear runs or square patterns.
Similar patterns can be made with bricks. Not only can linear and quadrilateral designs be created, but circular designs can be developed as well. Bricks come in many different colors that allow them to compliment both traditional and modern landscape themes.
There are also many things you can do with concrete that represent some of the most creative patio ideas. Concrete can be stained to create colored hardscapes that stand out with a powerful visual impact. Concrete can also be etched with patterns that range from the symbolic to the abstract. There are even Houston concrete patios that are stamped and stained to resemble wood or stone.
Other patio ideas involve adding amenities to patio surfaces. This can be done on courtyard patios and free standing patios with equal success. People who enjoy outdoor cooking can have a smoker or grill built into the patio. If they really want to go all out with outdoor dining, they can even have outdoor kitchen equipment placed under a covered patio.
Others may prefer amenities that stimulate conversation. Fire pits make excellent center points for circular patios. They do not burn as hot as fireplaces, and the warm, decorative glow they generate creates a powerful area of interest. A patio like this with courtyard walls around it can be an excellent place for a small cocktail party on any night of the year.
By the same token, outdoor fireplaces make it possible to enjoy a patio during those times of year when people normally stay inside their homes. Many Houstonians now celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas outside in their yards rather than inside their living rooms. A fully furnished outdoor kitchen gives them everything they need to cook a holiday meal. After dinner, everyone can gather around the patio to enjoy the outdoor architecture and glowing radiance of a tall outdoor fireplace rising up into the stars.
You can also come up with a near infinite number of patio ideas that involve statuary and fountains. Depending on your style of landscaping, these forms lend vertical impact to your patio surface that creates the feeling of an outdoor room. A fountain can be built into the middle of the patio to create a focal point for people to gather around. If a patio is surrounded by masonry walls, a fountain can also be built into the side of the wall.
Patio ideas involve plant life are a very important element to patio design. Vegetation links the hardscape to the surrounding yard. Everything from ornamental grasses to trees can be used to decorate a patio.
In many contemporary landscaping projects, for example, a portion of the patio flooring is removed to create a small planter in which a small tree is placed. Other patios are built with planter walls and raised surfaces where plants can grow. Other shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants are used to enclose the surface with an organic border. This creates a garden like feeling that softens the hardscape with a warm, inviting presence.
All patio ideas depend on lighting to work. Because people spend so much time outdoor in the evening, we have to make certain that the designs we create are clearly visible. Specialists are brought in under our invoice to conceal lighting fixtures in key locations that create multiple layers of general lighting and accent lighting.
This allows you to enjoy the richness of texture, color, and form so you can enjoy your patio regardless of time or natural lighting conditions.
