Home Outdoors
Rachel BroughamUpdated: Sep. 12, 2023
From entertaining spaces to cooking stations to areas designed for lounging, patios can add value and comfort to your home. Whether you're looking to design a patio with pavers, brick or poured concrete, here are 15 perfect patio designs to inspire you.
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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.
Photo: Courtesy of Goodmanson Construction
Here’s our list of luxurious multi level decks with sweeping views and multiple seating areas.
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Poolside Patio with Pergola
Build a pergola to add some shade to your backyard patio. This poolside patio design from Reynolds-Sebastiani Design Services offers plenty of space to relax, along with a separate area for dining.
Photo: Courtesy of Reynolds-Sebastiani Design Services
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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.
Photo: Courtesy of Design Builders
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Asian-Inspired Patio
This Asian-inspired patio design from Second Chance Design features a relaxing sitting area with comfortable patio furniture. Selecting your furniture to match your patio’s overall design helps create a cohesive, fully-realized setting. Psst! Also check out the Element outdoor TV to turn your deck into the entertainment area of your dreams, that too on a budget.
Photo: Courtesy of Second Chance Design
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Multi-Level Patio Designs with Brick Fire Pit
Build a stone or brick patio that you can easily adapt to your own yard. This patio from Landscape East & West features a multi-level design with separate areas for eating and relaxing around the fire pit.
Photo: Courtesy of Landscape East & West
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Patio with Modern Landscaping
For those with small yards, this moderns mall backyard patio design from Austin Outdoor Design features a cooking/dining area and some minimalist landscaping. Get to know these ornamental grasses if you’d like a similar look in your yard.
Photo: Courtesy of Austin Outdoor Design
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Paver Patio
Decorative brick or stone is DIY-friendly and results in a classic, tidy-looking patio paver. If you already have a concrete patio, you can cover it with pavers to get a different look.
Photo: Courtesy of Brookstein Services
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Large, Open Patio
This large, open, raised patio from Treesdale Landscape Company is built with retaining wall blocks. A raised patio planter would make a great addition to a large, open patio and helps add a splash of color.
Photo: Courtesy of The Treesdale Landscape Company
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Sun-Soaked Small Backyard Patio
Here’s a great alternative to a grass lawn. This small backyard patio from Sacred Space Gardens is surrounded by some ornamental grass and large stepping stones.
Photo: Courtesy of Sacred Space Gardens
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Concrete Patio with Fire Pit
A metal fire pit is at the center of this concrete patio from Cedar Creek Landscaping. The curved edges of the small backyard patio help it blend right in to the backyard.
Photo: Courtesy of Cedar Creek Landscaping
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Patio with Grilling Station
This brick patio includes the ultimate grilling station, along with an outdoor sink for easy cleanup. If you’re designing an outdoor kitchen, laying down a wide, open brick patio is a great place to start.
Photo: Courtesy of Teacup Gardener
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Enclosed Patio
An enclosed patio lets you use the space even on rainy days. Turn your backyard into a space as comfortable as any other room in your home by building a screened-in patio.
Photo: Courtesy of Dayton Deck Builder
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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.
Photo: Courtesy of Stone Age Landscaping
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Courtesy merchant
Fire Pit Centerpiece
The fire pit is the centerpiece of this stone patio from Ageless Concrete. If you’re looking to build a place in your yard perfect for long conversations, a rounded patio with plenty of seating will absolutely do the trick.
Photo: Courtesy of Ageless Concrete
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Patio with Retaining Wall
This patio, built on a slope, offers an area for entertaining, relaxing or enjoying the fire. It’s surrounded by a strong retaining wall that can double as additional seating.
Photo: Courtesy of Roots Landscaping
Originally Published: July 08, 2021
Rachel Brougham
Rachel Brougham lived through a major home renovation in 2019, knows the ups and downs of home improvement, and loves sharing tips with readers. A veteran journalist of both print and television, she’s won several awards for her writing and has covered everything from the environment and education to health care, politics and food. She’s written for several publications beyond newspapers including Bob Vila, Taste of Home and Minnesota Parent, and she currently writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Her memoir, Widowland, about the sudden loss of her husband, was published in 2022. She specializes in everything from home decor and design to lawn and garden, product reviews and pet care. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her tending to her garden (both vegetables and native plants), playing with her dog, watching sports with her family or getting some exercise. A native of Michigan, she currently lives in Minneapolis. An avid user of Instagram, you can follow her @RachBrougham.
