Great Design Aesthetics For Your Outdoor Patio

A patio is a great place to entertain, relax, and connect with nature. Whether your outdoor patio is designed for vibrant social gatherings or meditative solitude, great design aesthetics are essential.

Use these decorating ideas to add your own style to your patio. From a sleek backdrop to colorful seating, these patio ideas will help your backyard space feel welcoming.

Colorful Blooms

Colorful blooms add a sense of summer to any patio. Many plants require little more than frequent watering, although hydrangeas need regular pruning and some need periodic feeding with an all-purpose garden fertilizer.

Flowering annuals like million bells are often used in deck railing garden boxes and hanging baskets to cover the area with color all season long. Other popular options include lobelia (Lobelia spp.), which tolerates shade well, and tuberous begonias (Begonia x tuberculosa) in the Nonstop or Roseform Red varieties.

For sunny patios or porch stoop gardens, try the fast-growing climbing mandevilla (Mandevilla x cylindrica). Look for thorn-free varieties such as Brother Cadfael and Kew Gardens. Fan flowers (Tetranthus) also make a lovely addition to the sunny garden with their delicate, fan-shaped petals and heat tolerance.

Seasonal Plantings

Adding seasonal plantings to your patio can bring color, texture and scent to the area. If you have a sunny, open patio, consider the long green fronds of Majesty palm or Kentia palm (Chamaedorea elegans).

Citrus plants add fragrant summer fragrance to the outdoors. Choose a variety that will grow well in your climate.

Ornamental grasses offer a unique look to a container, and crotons can inspire a rainbow of colors with their patterned leaves. Pair them with blooming annuals and foliage plants like begonia, New Guinea impatiens and geranium.

Versatility

A patio shouldn’t be confined to a rectangular area or an enclosed nook. Instead, it should look as if it’s an extension of the living room.

To make a narrow patio feel spacious, use furniture pieces that can be easily moved around to accommodate different needs. For example, a modular seating setup can be reconfigured into a dining or lounge area.

Walls and fences offer privacy, but they can also make a small patio feel claustrophobic. Use plants to disguise the walls and make the patio feel like a natural extension of the home. You can even add a wall nook for a cozy, casual bar.

Lighting

Whether your patio is designed for vibrant social gatherings or meditative solitude, great lighting is an essential element. It can illuminate a space for safety and draw the eye to key design features.

Choose wall lighting for a sleek look or opt for fixtures that are part of the architectural framework overhead. These options are unobtrusive, but still allow the space to be lit for an alfresco dinner party.

Lanterns also provide a lovely addition to your lighting scheme. Opt for battery-powered lanterns that don’t require an electrical connection to avoid fire hazards or melting wax. Use these to add a romantic glow around the table.

Wall Planters

Plants that thrive in the shade are great for patios, especially when they’re tucked into attractive wall planters. Add some greenery with these metal planters, which make it easy to grow a small garden in a tight space.

For a more rustic look, try this wood wall planter that’s perfect for growing plants like cacti or succulents that thrive in dry soil. It’s also safe to leave outside year round.

Add a bit of Scandinavian style to your outdoor decor with this wall-mounted planter that’s perfect for flowers or herbs. You can even grow creeping vines, such as devil’s ivy, in this beautiful planter.

Furniture

Top quality patio furniture brands offer the pieces to turn a patio into a relaxing retreat. Lounge chairs and sofas come in a variety of shapes and materials, including wicker, aluminum and teak wood. Dining tables provide the perfect spot to enjoy outdoor meals. Ottomans double as extra seating, some angled to fit in corners and others with tops that open for storage. Hammocks and gliders add a classic calming touch to your patio, some featuring built-in headrests.

Timing can play a key role in purchasing outdoor furniture. Keep an eye out for sales, especially in the fall and winter when stores may discount furniture to clear out inventory.

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