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  3. Traditional

Traditional Patio Ideas and Designs

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Modern Orangery with Loggia
Modern Orangery with Loggia
Westbury Garden RoomsWestbury Garden Rooms
Westbury Orangery and Loggia outdoor covered area
This is an example of a classic patio in Essex.
Full Home Renovation
Full Home Renovation
Artifex Homes LtdArtifex Homes Ltd
Inspiration for a classic patio in Hertfordshire.
#Markingstmarks - Residential Interior Design
#Markingstmarks - Residential Interior Design
Fab My LifeFab My Life
Photo of a traditional patio in Sussex.
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San Pasqual-Exterior
San Pasqual-Exterior
J & M Construction & DevelopmentJ & M Construction & Development
Louie Heredia
Photo of a classic back patio in Los Angeles with an outdoor kitchen, concrete slabs and a gazebo.
Privacy Fences
Privacy Fences
Dakota UnlimitedDakota Unlimited
Custom gate and fence with arbor and dog-friendly see-through design. Installed and designed by Dakota Unlimited
Inspiration for a traditional side patio in Minneapolis.
Exterior Patio Dining Under Trellis
Exterior Patio Dining Under Trellis
Hanomoco DesignHanomoco Design
Photo of a classic back patio in San Francisco with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola.
The Gaucho Grill Experience
The Gaucho Grill Experience
Hursthouse Landscape Architects and ContractorsHursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors
The proverbial 'big picture' reflects how the bluestone patio spaces relate to each other and to the home. The landscape is subdued and low-profile, allowing easy access for the family into the lawn and play space
Wilmington Court - Fire Pit
Wilmington Court - Fire Pit
Paul N. Brow, Architect, LLCPaul N. Brow, Architect, LLC
Built-in custom polished concrete fire -pit with surrounding brick bench with a bluestone cap. Bluestone patio paving with slot of gray beach pebbles. Fire-pit has natural gas with an electric spark starter. Bench seating has a wood screen wall that includes lighting & supports vine growth.
Los Altos Covered Patio
Los Altos Covered Patio
Kikuchi + Kankel Design GroupKikuchi + Kankel Design Group
The homeowners desired an outdoor space that felt more rustic than their refined interior spaces, but still related architecturally to their house. Cement plaster support arbor columns provide enough of visual tie to the existing house exterior. Oversized wood beams and rafter members provide a unique outdoor atmosphere. Structural bolts and hardware were minimized for a cleaner appearance. Structural connections and supports were engineered to meet California's stringent earthquake standards. Ali Atri Photography
Port Streets 10
Port Streets 10
Garden StudioGarden Studio
Design ideas for a traditional back patio in Orange County with a fireplace and a pergola.
Sammamish Outdoor Living and Backyard Makeover
Sammamish Outdoor Living and Backyard Makeover
Urban Oasis Design & Construction LLCUrban Oasis Design & Construction LLC
Photo of a large traditional back patio in Seattle with a fire feature, concrete slabs and no cover.
Mechanicsville Hillside Makeover
Mechanicsville Hillside Makeover
Outdoor DreamsOutdoor Dreams
Design ideas for a medium sized classic back patio in Richmond with a fire feature, concrete paving and no cover.
Empress Avenue, Pasadena, CA
Empress Avenue, Pasadena, CA
LAND BY DESIGNLAND BY DESIGN
mparchphoto, Richard Grenier Builder
Design ideas for a classic patio in Denver with a fire feature and no cover.
Professional photos
Professional photos
Power Concrete Construction & Design CenterPower Concrete Construction & Design Center
Design ideas for a large classic back patio in Cedar Rapids with a fire feature, stamped concrete and a roof extension.
Carman Bay Cottage (Lake Minnetonka)
Carman Bay Cottage (Lake Minnetonka)
John Kraemer & SonsJohn Kraemer & Sons
Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Architect: Swan Architecture | Interiors: Katie Redpath Constable | Landscaping: Bechler Landscapes | Photography: Landmark Photography
Romantic Tarrytown Terrace
Romantic Tarrytown Terrace
Westover Landscape DesignWestover Landscape Design
Often, less is more. Take this landscape design composed of climbing roses, hydrangeas, and lilies surrounding a bluestone terrace. This small, suburban garden feels both expansive and intimate. Japanese forest grass softens the edge of the terrace and adds just enough of a modern look to make the garden’s owners, urban transplants, happy. “My husband and I were looking for an outdoor space that had a secret-garden feeling,” says homeowner Anne Lillis-Ruth. “We’ve had fun adding furniture, antique planters, and a stone fountain to [landscape designer] Robert Welsch’s beautiful landscape. The white and green plantings provide the perfect backdrop to my collection of colorful table linens, glassware, and china. We love our garden!” Dean Fisher loved it, too. “The setting is so lovely and relaxed. It evokes the south of France, with its intimate scale and the integration of house and patio through the use of the vines and other plantings.”
Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor Kitchen
Alair Homes DFW | Capital Renovations GroupAlair Homes DFW | Capital Renovations Group
Photography by Ken Vaughan
Inspiration for a large classic back patio in Dallas with an outdoor kitchen, a roof extension and natural stone paving.
Houston Residence and Poolhouse
Houston Residence and Poolhouse
Wettling ArchitectsWettling Architects
Classic back patio in New York with a fire feature.
Beautiful Townhouse Design
Beautiful Townhouse Design
paper+whitepaper+white
Classic patio in London.

Traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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.
Transitional Patio
Transitional Patio
This is an example of a large classic back patio in Miami with an outdoor kitchen, tiled flooring and a roof extension.
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