Contemporary Patio with a Water Feature Ideas and Designs

A Backyard Transformation: This yard went from an unused grassy area during the height of a drought, to a drought tolerant oasis. Small backyards with close adjacent neighbors, it's nice to create some privacy. I like to use plant material and trellis' for overhead privacy. In this yard I used the fast growing Tecomaria capensis to hide the slump-stone wall by attaching guide wires to the wall and securing the shrubby vine to the wires. Along the back wrought iron fence I used espaliered Grewia occidentalis. Both shubby vines will be maintained as a clipped hedge for the green backdrop of the yard. The trellis structure frames the patio and provides a focal point and overhead privacy. Roses and star jasmine will soften the structure. Hidden down-lights in the trellis illuminate the patio at night. A pot fountain surrounded by succulents is the focal point of the patio area. A sweeping colored concrete walkway transforms into stone as it passes through the patio. The patio itself is constructed of 18 x 18 precast pavers spaced with sunburst pebbles between the pads. Natural boulders create a retaining wall and are planted with succulents in the natural pockets the boulders create. A softset stone walkway meanders through the succulent garden from the existing pergola entertaining area. Photo: Wendy Harper Master Builder: Bill Davis

Room for Reflection

Plantenance Landscape Group

Design ideas for a small contemporary back patio in Montreal with a water feature, brick paving and a pergola.

Architects residence, Content Studio

™ PHOTO

Tanja Milbourne, TM PHOTO
This is an example of a small contemporary patio in Melbourne with a water feature, natural stone paving and no cover.

Hardscape

Outer Image Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary back patio in Houston with a water feature, decking and a pergola.

Tiered Contemporary Urban Garden

Dayspring Landscape Design

This tiered garden drops 5' in elevation over its 40' depth. To provide a large outdoor entertaining space, tiered patio spaces were created, and surrounded with glass railings to maintain a wide open appeal. The antique brick of the house was matched in the planter walls and then steel beams and cladding were added to create a contemporary industrial feel. A small green space in the bottom of the garden is surrounded by a Beech hedge and features a water weir. Artificial sod was used to surface this heavily shaded space under a canopy of century oaks.

Hillside Decks

LA-Decks Backyard and Pool Remodeling

Contemporary patio in Los Angeles with a water feature and decking.

Harbor Oaks Historic Home Remodel

Nelson Construction & Renovations, Inc.

Outdoor living area built by Nelson Construction and Renovations. The patio features a bead-board ceiling and brass light fixtures. The perfect place to enjoy the Florida weather.

Outdoor Areas and Pools

Italics Tile & Stone

Italics Valmalenco Anthracite STRUT porcelain tile
Design ideas for a large contemporary back patio in San Francisco with a water feature, tiled flooring and a roof extension.

North Shore

Cranberry Design

LightCo, Astra Walker, Mamagreen, sounds like home, mokum kismet, Christopher Farr
This is an example of a contemporary back patio in Sydney with a water feature, natural stone paving and a roof extension.

B. Residency

Through The Garden, Inc.

Design ideas for a medium sized contemporary back patio in DC Metro with a water feature, natural stone paving and no cover.

Claremont

Mondo Exclusive Homes

All Rights Reserved © Mondo Exclusive Homes (mondoexclusive.com)
Large contemporary back patio in Perth with a water feature, natural stone paving and a roof extension.

MOUNT HAWTHORN COURTYARDS

Cultivart Landscape Design

Peta North
This is an example of a small contemporary courtyard patio in Perth with a water feature and natural stone paving.

Rettangalore

Bianchi Design

Kirk Bianchi created this resort like setting for a couple from Mexico City. They were looking for a contemporary twist on traditional themes, and Luis Barragán was the inspiration. The outer walls were painted a darker color to recede, while floating panels of color and varying heights provided sculptural interest and opportunities for lighting and shadow.

East Ivanhoe

Modern Outdoor Living

Inspiration for a large contemporary back patio in Melbourne with a water feature, decking and no cover.

Lawrence Park Residence - Toronto, ON.

Sander Design Landscape Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary back patio in Toronto with a water feature and concrete slabs.

The Boston

ecodesign Pty Ltd

In this Hamptons styled landscape we used herringbone tiling to connect and draw people to the supersized alfresco space. The interwoven cooking, dining, lounge & occasional spaces are linked by three overflowing urn water features. The space features an off form polished BBQ bench with sink. The bench is faced with white cladding. Batten screens provide privacy whilst also framing views. The same battens in the pergola to provide a linear shadow feature. The greenwall to the kitchen splashback window was created by planting of Lady palm begins an interplay of linear and layered planting of green featuring Buxus, Viburnum, Ornamental Pears, Lily Pily, Magnolias, Murrayas and Helichrysum. Photography Peter Brennan

Huettl

Huettl Landscape Architecture

Design ideas for a contemporary patio in San Francisco with a water feature.

Laguna Altura

Lee Ann Marienthal Gardens

Medium sized contemporary back patio in Orange County with a water feature, concrete paving and no cover.

Unilock Richcliff patio with Estate Wall water feature

Unilock

The modern, yet elegant, look of Richcliff will add a touch of class to any landscaping project. Its realistic embossed surface texture is cast from hundreds of natural stone surface textures to ensure a random natural appearance and it is up to four times stronger than ordinary poured concrete, making it an ideal choice for any application.

SoCal Model 3

BLACKHAūS Design

Hardscape connection to guest suite from sunken patio.
Design ideas for a large contemporary courtyard patio in Phoenix with a water feature, natural stone paving and no cover.

Contemporary Patio with a Water Feature Ideas and Designs

Patios are the go-to solution for turning your garden, or part of it, into an outdoor living area. A well-laid patio will integrate your home seamlessly into your garden, providing a solid and level surface for garden furniture and potted plants. Well designed patios are about more than just paving slabs – its positioning and layout are crucial to how much you enjoy this space. Before you start picking out patio ideas for materials and laying your contemporary patio, ask yourself important questions such as what will you use it for? How many people should it accommodate? Which part of your garden has the best aspect and sunlight? Will the patio have enough privacy?

How should I position my patio?

If you are designing your contemporary patio as a space for entertaining then make sure it’s wide enough for the garden furniture you want so you haven’t got guests tipping over into the flowerbeds. Don’t be wedded to the idea of having your contemporary patio attached to the house; think about positioning yours elsewhere in the garden if that space doesn’t offer the best aspect or lighting position. Consider the position of the sun through the course of the day and depending on whether you are most likely to want to dine outside at breakfast, have lunch on your patio or host dinner outside, you may want to position your patio differently. You can connect patios to your house with a footpath or stepping stones to allow easy transportation of food and drink.

How should I design and lay my contemporary patio?

Rectangles are the classic shape for patios, not least because they make the most efficient use of space and can be softened with garden edging. However, a rounded patio or a paving circle can perfectly complement a garden which isn’t linear in design. Paving slabs come in an extensive range of materials and are the most practical surface for patios. Yorkstone has the most traditional appeal, whereas concrete blocks, granite and slate patio slabs have a great texture and colour for modern gardens. Natural stones such as limestone, travertine and Indian sandstone vary in colour and finish and are a great way to add shade and texture to your patio. For some patio ideas that offer an alternative to block paving, loose material such as crushed stone and wood chippings have a rustic and more casual feel; if there are specific materials that re-occur elsewhere in the garden, you could repeat this in your choice of patio materials for consistency. Finally, it’s not a British summer without the great British barbeque, so look at patio ideas that incorporate barbeques and think about how you could accommodate one on your patio.

What garden furniture does my patio need?

Rattan garden furniture is a patio favourite, offering a durable, attractive finish that blends well into natural surroundings. Metal garden furniture and wooden garden furniture are sturdy alternatives available in many styles. Weight is a good feature in garden furniture to stop it from being blown away, but if you want to be able to move your furniture around the patio and garden to follow the sun you won’t want to go too heavy. Browse the various contemporary patio ideas that include garden furniture to see what styles of furniture go with different types of patios. If you find a particular patio set you like, you may be able to ask the designer where the furniture is from so you can look at buying the same set for your patio. Good, outdoor patio furniture crafted in high-quality materials should withstand bad weather, but cold, wet British winters followed by strong sun in the summer will be enough to weather even the best furniture, so it’s important to have somewhere, such as a shed, to store it when not in use for long periods of time. If you don’t have the space to store patio furniture, make sure that at least the cushions and umbrellas are stowed away out of the elements, and consider investing in a waterproof cover. One piece of furniture that might be able to stay out for a bit longer is a patio heater; it will warm any brave patio users and most modern designs are built to survive the cold weather. If you prefer something a bit more rustic than a patio heater, look at fire pits instead which will add warmth and an attractive centrepiece to your patio. If privacy or shade is an issue, then covering patio furniture with a parasol or sheltering patios with a gazebo or pergola are both smart patio ideas – these can be covered in climbing flowers or even wound with outdoor fairy lights for romantic evening lighting.

United Kingdom

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