As the saying goes, there’s no place like home and the Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York region of Pennsylvania with the Dutch country’s pastoral fields, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves, and fiery sunsets is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. One way to do that is with a new or refurbished patio. Today, your local landscape design/build company can give you many options to choose from when considering a new outdoor living space. Patios can be anything from a small nook for one or two people to a space accommodating a large gathering for dinner. It can be transformed into an outdoor living room, complete with comfortable outdoor furniture, a fire pit, and a TV. The possibilities are limitless and you’re in control of your patio’s design, functionality and look.
Here are 10 considerations when thinking about your new patio and how to add pizzazz to your outdoor living space:
1. Sky’s the limit: Patios come in all varieties and can be custom built to your dreams, desires, and needs. They come with many options of bringing your indoors (think kitchens and living rooms) outside so you can spend most of the spring, summer and fall outdoors in your new living area.
2. Customized to your needs and desires: First thing to do is decide how your patio will be used. Will you cook on a grill, in a pizza oven, or cook the food indoors to bring outdoors? Do you want to gather around a fire on cool evenings? Will you be entertaining guests? Do need spaces for young children? Patios designed with multiple uses expand the functionality of your outdoor space.
3. Decide how big your patio should be: Some people want a patio that’s big enough to host a large group while others want their patios to be cozy and small for just the family to eat dinner outside. Maybe you just want a space to curl up with a book and a cup of tea. Your family, friends, and your entertainment needs all determine the size of your patio.
4. Determine your style: Are you looking for a formal, elegant layout or do you desire a more casual atmosphere? Do you want a bistro-style patio—that includes two chairs and a table enclosed by lots of plants and wind chimes? Do you want a more open concept near your pool that allows you to host dinner parties under the stars? Think about your style and tastes or the overall feel you want to achieve and tailor your space accordingly.
5. Think about shape: You can choose from a traditional square patio, to a relaxed circle, to a unique freeform patio flow. Shape in some cases can influence style. Square and rectangular shapes tend to imply a more formal feel while curvilinear shapes lean more toward informal. However a rectangular patio can be made informal with the choice of materials and layout of plantings. Before you start building, make sure that you’ve left enough room in your design for people to comfortably sit and walk throughout your new outdoor room.
6. Choose your location: Think about the ideal location to place your patio. In most cases this would be immediately off the rear of the house but don’t overlook other areas of your property. Perhaps a small patio in the front of the house would make an ideal area to visit with passing neighbors or a patio in a secluded back corner of the yard would be an ideal location for privacy. A comfortable outdoor space can be created almost anywhere so don’t be afraid to think “outside the box”.
7. Adding amenities: You may also want to consider adding a pergola, an arbor, a water feature, or lighting to go with your patio. These extra amenities provide shade, relaxation, and ambiance to enhance the overall feel and mood of your space.
8. Turn to the professionals: Once you’ve given some thought to the patio’s size, functionality, shape, and location, you need to hire a trusted landscape designer to bring it all together. A good designer can translate your ideas, desires and needs and help guide you towards a design that works best for you. He will know what questions to ask and depending on the answers, bring new ideas to the table. He will also be able to suggest the best materials to build your new patio and make the addition look seamless with the rest of your home in color and design.
9. Personalize it: Once your new patio is built, you can decorate it with various plants, furniture, pillows, birdfeeders, etc. Maybe adding a walkway will be the final touch to complete your project. With the products on the market today there really is no limit to creating an outdoor space that is truly unique to you.
10. Renovate instead of replace: Perhaps you have an existing patio space that just needs a little T.L.C or a face lift to make it feel new again. Many of the ideas above can easily be incorporated into an existing patio without going to the expense of building an entire new one. A good cleaning and sealing can go a long way to revitalizing a older patio. Resurfacing is also an option for creating a new look to your outdoor space.
So, are you ready for a new outdoor living space? Give River Valley Landscapes and Pools a call today at 1-800-455-8666 or fill out their contact form at https://www.rivervalleylandscapes.com/contact-us/.