50 Breathtaking Patio Designs to Get You Thinking About Summer
Updated: Feb. 10, 2023You won't want to go back inside after seeing these patios.
Multi-Level Patio with Water Feature
A backyard waterfall and stream will add beauty and peaceful sounds to your patio. In addition to a water feature, this multi-level poured-concrete patio designs from Goodmanson Construction has plenty of low-maintenance landscaping to add splashes of color.
Poolside Patio with Pergola
Build a pergola to add some shade to your backyard patio. This poolside patio designs from Reynolds-Sebastiani Design Services offers plenty of space to relax, along with a separate area for dining.
Patio Kitchen with Pergola
This outdoor kitchen by Design Builders will inspire any home cook to ditch their indoor kitchen when the weather’s nice.
Asian-Inspired Patio
Asian-inspired patio designs from Second Chance Design features a relaxing sitting area with comfortable patio furniture. With simple designs, you can even build your own outdoor furniture.
Multi-Level Patio Designs with Brick Fire Pit
Build a stone or brick patio that you can easily adapt to your yard. This patio from Landscape East & West features a multi-level design with separate areas for eating and relaxing around the fire pit. No room for a permanent fire pit? Opt for a portable fire pit instead.
Patio with Modern Landscaping
For those with small yards, this modern patio design from Austin Outdoor Design features a cooking/dining area and some minimalist landscaping. The ornamental grasses provide texture and define the space.
Paver Patio
Decorative brick or stone pavers are DIY-friendly and result in a classic, tidy-looking patio. If you already have a concrete patio, you can cover it with pavers to get a different look.
Large, Open Patio
This large, open, raised patio from Treesdale Landscape Company is built with retaining wall blocks. A raised patio planter makes a great addition to a large, open patio and helps add a splash of color.
Sun-Soaked Patio
Here’s a great alternative to a grass lawn. This small patio from Sacred Space Gardens is surrounded by some ornamental grass and large stepping stones. It’s not too difficult to make your own stepping stones.
Enclosed Patio
An enclosed patio lets you use the space even on rainy days. Incorporate a screened-in patio to make it just as comfy as your indoor spaces.
Stone Patio with Pond
Consider building a low-maintenance pond next to a small patio. This design from Stone Age Landscaping offers a small sitting area, just big enough for two patio chairs.
Fire Pit Centerpiece
The fire pit is the centerpiece of this stone patio from Ageless Concrete.
Patio with Retaining Wall
This patio, built on a slope, offers an area for entertainment, relaxing or enjoying the fire. It’s surrounded by a strong retaining wall that can double as additional seating.
Pretty Pergola for a Hint of Shade
Build a vine-covered pergola in your backyard to shade a stone patio or wood deck using wood beams and lattice set on precast, classical-style columns. The dappled sunlight created by the overhead latticework creates a cool, relaxing environment perfect for backyard entertaining.
Natural Stone Patio
Add a welcoming feature to your backyard with this attractive, long-lasting brick and stone patio. Our design easily adapts to fit your yard. Choose from a variety of stone types and brick styles. The result will be permanent and maintenance-free.
Patio Pleasure
Patio tile can be an attractive solution to spruce up the patio. As tile has improved, so has the ability to use it outside.
Stunning Stone Garden
Retaining walls were built to bring the stone patio up to the height of a deck. Pea gravel was spread over fabric, tilestone used for the wall and flagstone for the steps and patio area.
Flagstone and Pea Gravel Patio
Bridge Patio
Gray Flagstone Patio
Bluestone Patio
Brick and Grass Courtyard Patio
Limestone Patio
Cobblestone Brick Patio
Stone Paver Patio
Stamped Concrete
Terracotta Patio
Ceramic Tile Patio
Circular Patio and Retaining Wall
The free-floating circular patio is built from specially designed pavers that fit together like a simple puzzle. The surrounding wall is made from modular concrete blocks.
Patio with a Cowboy Cauldron
The Cowboy Cauldron Co. has some of the biggest and coolest fire pits and cast iron works available on the market. The company offers three styles of fire pits made from steel. They run expensive, so unless you’re in the habit of hosting large parties in your backyard on a regular basis, it might not be the fit for you.
Flagstone and Stone Block Patio
You can’t beat stone as a building material for a backyard terrace. It blends well with any backyard and garden, it’s always in style and it will last almost maintenance free for generations. We built the walls in this project from blue ledge stone and the flagstone patio from cut and squared bluestone.
Living Room Outdoors
Convenient Outdoor Kitchen
Easy Indoor Access
Hangout Zones
Cozy DIY Fire Pit
Relaxing Ambiance
Indoor Comforts Outdoors
Stone Path Patio
You don’t have to let the hills and slopes in your yard stop you from enjoying your outdoor space. With a little imagination (and a good bit of sweat!), you can change those negatives into striking features.
The heart of this project is a practical path and steps that give you convenient yard access — no tromping through the mud. And the bonus is a series of new terraces, garden beds and sitting areas that will turn that largely wasted space into your favorite hangout.
Fire Pit Patio
Patios are generally safer and more suitable for fire pits than a wooden deck, so take advantage of your materials and look into an easy above-ground fire pit for added beauty and warmth (as long as you have the room).
Keep in mind that it cannot be too close to your house because of smoke damage and fire hazards. If you want a non-wood option and have access to natural gas, consider installing a gas patio fireplace instead.
Indoor Outdoor
This bar is tucked in a corner and of the patio, and can be accessed from the inside through French doors. When the weather’s good, this bar is an extension of the living space.
With a ceiling overhead, these homeowners opted to included an outdoor ceiling fan.
Patio Featuring Open-Fire Brick Barbecue Bar
John Kubicki had never laid a single brick before tackling this open-fire barbecue. As with any self-taught skill, John learned how to do it right by first doing it wrong. (Early on, he had to dismantle and redo a few courses.)
Here’s his best advice for aspiring bricklayers: Take the time to make sure each course is perfect. A course that isn’t plumb or level will throw off the next course. Problems compound as you go, and you end up with sloppy, slanted work. John topped off his barbecue counter with patio blocks and low-voltage lights inside glass blocks. Then he was ready for another brick project, so he built the planter bench combo alongside the patio.
“Laying brick was the hardest thing I’d ever done — until I got the hang of it.” — John Kubicki.
Low Profile
This backyard kitchen is tucked along a wall so it doesn’t take up a lot of valuable space. The window over the sink breaks up the long wall and allows you to keep an eye on what’s going on in the yard!
Light and Bright
The choice of light-colored bricks makes this backyard kitchen appear less clunky than it would if darker bricks had been used. Laying the floor paver bricks diagonally to the kitchen gives the area a more casual feel, whereas if the pavers ran the same way as the bricks, it would’ve look stuffy.
The Whole Package
This full feature outdoor kitchen with split-level bar is smartly located between the garden entrance and patio doors of the main house. It efficiently includes café seating, food prep area, large under mount sink/dishwasher and an under-counter refrigerator.
Seeking Shade
If you don’t have shade in your yard, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a backyard kitchen. Multiple umbrellas keep the sun from beating down on guests seated along the countertop of this lovely kitchen. Look for ones that can tilt and put them in umbrella stands so you can get the most out of them.
