A cut stone patio is a patio constructed out of stones cut into recognizable geometric shapes.
Depending on the style of hardscape design, these stones may or may be equal in size, or they may vary greatly from small to large.  There is always some kind of recognizable pattern, regardless.

This is the strength of this particular type of patio design. 
It is as if the theme of the hardscape itself is latent in the stones themselves, and comes to life when they are carefully arranged together.

Cut stone is made by using saws with special blades to slice out large pieces of rock, which are then cut again in the desired geometric shape.
Stones are flat on the bottom so they can be laid over the patio foundation like bricks.  The tops of stone may either look unfinished or highly polished, depending on the style of hardscape design being aimed for. 

Because cut stone patios can look very close to nature, or highly contemporary and chic, they can be adapted to any style of home architecture and fit well into any landscape master plan.
Cut stone patios are popular ways to extend the look and feel of the home into outdoor space.  Some homeowners will often have a patio built just outside the side entrance to the master bedroom or guest room so they can step directly from the floor of their house onto an outdoor flooring that brings the refinements of their indoor custom home into their own back yard.

These small patios, though not much in size, are superb as vantage points because we build them in places that allow residents to take in the fullness of their surroundings.
Some people particularly enjoy watching a sunrise or a sunset from such a location as they enjoy coffee and conversation together.  Other people find such a seating arrangement ideal for contemplation in front of a small custom fountain.   Environments like these are highly private and made for either homeowners or much honored guests.

Larger cut stone patios are often built around swimming pools.
Pool design depends just as much on how the patio looks as it does the size and shape of the pool itself.  This is due to the fact that not everyone who gathers around the pool really does so to swim.  The patio is a much needed living surface that must accommodate everyone comfortably.  It must also link the landscape proper to the home itself in a way that suggests a fluid continuity between architecture, hardscape, and garden design.

Cut stone patios are also used as luxury flooring in summer kitchens and outdoor living rooms.
A highly polished surface makes residents and guests feel as though they have all the freedom and expansiveness of outdoor living combined with the comfort and amenities of interior space. 

Stone color can vary from white, to off white, to jet black with a reflective sheen that catches the light and radiates it outward in all directions.
This makes it highly adaptive to virtually any landscaping design plan, although purely natural and tropical designs tend to benefit from it less than traditional, Old World, or contemporary styles tend to gain.