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  1. Garden & Outdoor
  2. Patio
  3. Size: Compact

Small Patio Ideas and Designs

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Patio Covers
Patio Covers
Sunset Construction & DesignSunset Construction & Design
Today, almost any activity you enjoy inside your home you can bring to the outside. Depending on your budget, your outdoor room can be simple, with a stamped concrete patio, a grill and a table for dining, or more elaborate with a fully functional outdoor kitchen complete with concrete countertops for preparing and serving food, a sink and a refrigerator. You can take the concept even further by adding such amenities as a concrete pizza oven, a fireplace or fire-pit, a concrete bar-top for serving cocktails, an architectural concrete fountain, landscape lighting and concrete statuary. Sunset Construction and Design specializes in creating residential patio retreats, outdoor kitchens with fireplaces and luxurious outdoor living rooms. Our design-build service can turn an ordinary back yard into a natural extension of your home giving you a whole new dimension for entertaining or simply unwinding at the end of the day. If you’re interested in converting a boring back yard or starting from scratch in a new home, give us a call today! A great patio and outdoor living area can easily be yours. Greg, Sunset Construction & Design in Fresno, CA.
The Grgich Family Wood Fired Brick Pizza Oven in California
The Grgich Family Wood Fired Brick Pizza Oven in California
BrickWood OvensBrickWood Ovens
This Bay Area Wood Fired Pizza Oven is the Pride of San Francisco! A Beautiful Oven with a clean stucco finish and nice, tight corners. Excellent Job!!! To see more pictures of this oven (and many more ovens), please visit – BrickWoodOvens.com
Fire Pit Patio
Fire Pit Patio
Elan Landscape Development Inc.Elan Landscape Development Inc.
This patio uses 'one of a kind' pavers. They were salvaged from a Lake Bluff street demolition and probably date back to the 1930's. Dan Wells
Small traditional back patio in Chicago with a fire feature, brick paving and no cover.
Backyard
Backyard
Krystina Hollenbeck for HiLuXeLifestyleKrystina Hollenbeck for HiLuXeLifestyle
Small classic back patio in Las Vegas with concrete paving and a pergola.
Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver
Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver
Design to SellDesign to Sell
This is an example of a small modern back patio in Los Angeles with concrete paving and a roof extension.
Los Gatos Courtyard Escape
Los Gatos Courtyard Escape
Confidence Landscaping, Inc.Confidence Landscaping, Inc.
Contained in a small courtyard, this intimate garden includes a full sized lounge chair along with an outdoor shower and full bath. The Herbert S. Frank Special Award recognizes exceptional design, unique use of materials and quality of construction in a residential landscape. Granted at the discretion of the California Landscape Contractors Association judges, this award is not necessarily given each year at the Trophy Awards event. In 2014, Confidence Landscaping, Inc. earned this important honor that carries the highly respected name of one of the founding members of the CLCA - San Francisco Bay Area chapter.
Seward Park patio garden
Seward Park patio garden
Scott Mantz Associates, IncScott Mantz Associates, Inc
This is an example of a small contemporary patio in Seattle with concrete paving and a fire feature.
Patio, Bench, & Fire Feature at Alexandria Townhouse
Patio, Bench, & Fire Feature at Alexandria Townhouse
Pristine AcresPristine Acres
Pristine Acres (www.pristineacres.com) installed this Techo-Bloc Aberdeen patio with a custom Cedar bench and planter. We also installed a custom gas firepit, landscaping, and LED lighting.
Mediterranean Patio
Mediterranean Patio
Skyline design studioSkyline design studio
This patio is nestled in a garden rather than pasted up against the house. Plants with colorful and interesting foliage and texture create year-round interest. photo: Diane Hayford
Bryan Avenue Residence
Bryan Avenue Residence
UserUser
Dwight Yee
This is an example of a small classic back patio in Salt Lake City with concrete slabs and a pergola.
Outdoor Modern Two-Sided Fireplace
Outdoor Modern Two-Sided Fireplace
Poolside Gardens, Inc.Poolside Gardens, Inc.
Small world-inspired back patio in Los Angeles with a fire feature, a roof extension and concrete slabs.
Turtle Ridge Remodel
Turtle Ridge Remodel
Studio H Landscape ArchitectureStudio H Landscape Architecture
Studio H Landscape Architecture, Inc.
Design ideas for a small modern patio in Orange County.
Small space, Big Impact
Small space, Big Impact
Wildflower Landscape Design at K&D LandscapingWildflower Landscape Design at K&D Landscaping
A flagstone patio with raised planting beds veneered in natural stone create a big impact in this small backyard. An arbor with supporting a wisteria vine and accessorized with heating units creates an ideal sitting area. A spill pot fountain adds ambiance. Wildflower Landscape Design-Liz Ryan
Villanova Residence
Villanova Residence
B.DeMichele Inc.B.DeMichele Inc.
A pergola covers a flagstone outdoor living room with comfortably coordinated furniture
Photo of a small traditional side patio in Philadelphia with an outdoor kitchen, natural stone paving and a pergola.
Spring & Summer Containers
Spring & Summer Containers
Smalls LandscapingSmalls Landscaping
Residential Landscape Containers. Add a hanging basket to your pergola to make your area a bit more exotic. You need to look closely to see the irrigation line that keeps the plants happy all summer.
Balboa fire pit tables
Balboa fire pit tables
Cooke FurnitureCooke Furniture
Copper Canyon granite top acid washed copper base this COOKE fire pit table combo is one of our favorites!
This is an example of a small bohemian back patio in Orange County.
Current Outdoor Living Trends
Current Outdoor Living Trends
Choice DesignsChoice Designs
Photo of a small traditional back patio in Other with tiled flooring and a roof extension.
Brick with traditional plantings for shade
Brick with traditional plantings for shade
Natalie DeNormandieNatalie DeNormandie
Photography by Natalie DeNormandie, SegoDesign.
Small traditional courtyard patio in Boston with brick paving.
Cathy Carr, APLD
Cathy Carr, APLD
GreenHeart, LLCGreenHeart, LLC
@ Garden Gate Landscaping, Inc.
Design ideas for a small classic back patio in DC Metro with no cover and natural stone paving.
Pacific Heights
Pacific Heights
Randy Thueme Design Inc. - Landscape ArchitectureRandy Thueme Design Inc. - Landscape Architecture
This is an example of a small contemporary courtyard patio in San Francisco with no cover.

Small Patio 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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