9. Delightful Dining
A leafy arbor defines this dining area in Petworth, England. Designer Claudia De Yong created planting pockets for the umbrella-style pleached plum trees that surround the dining table. The trees’ branches will continue to interweave and shade the space as they grow, with bamboo canes overhead providing additional growing support.
8. Decked Out
Folding glass doors create a natural extension between the kitchen and dining area of this London home and the deck just beyond. By stretching the deck across the home’s entire width and into the yard, Iguana Architects & Interior Design gave the homeowners a generous amount of outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining. Wide steps at the far end of the deck form a gracious passageway to the grassy area below.
7. Farmhouse Fashion
Interior designer Beth Howley extended the modern farmhouse style of this Grand Rapids, Michigan, home onto the covered patio space with stone pavers, shiplap paneling and a large stone fireplace with a wood mantel. Retractable screens along the exterior walls let in plenty of air but keep out rain and bugs.
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6. Patios Squared
The California climate is ideal for enjoying a patio year-round. Designer Courtney Thomas ran with the idea by adding a patio outside every bedroom of her remodeled ranch home in Los Angeles. She says it’s a way to bring the outside in. It also makes the bedrooms seem larger.
5. Four-Season Flex
This rustic covered patio in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is prepared for rainy weather, winter chill or even summer heat. A fireplace and overhead heaters keep the space warm in the cooler months, and a ceiling fan helps cool things down in summer. Renaissance Homes added half walls at the ends of the patio but kept the back wall open so there’s an unobstructed view of the Northwest-inspired plantings on the adjacent slope.
Landscape architect Bob Hursthouse gave this Wheaton, Illinois, house a large-scale patio that has zones for everyone. The centerpiece is an outdoor kitchen with an adjacent dining area and lounge for entertaining. A more private patio sits to one side off the primary bedroom, while a covered porch behind the kitchen offers a spot for lounging in rainy weather. The final touch is a lower-level circular patio that overlooks the pond, with a built-in fire pit. Bluestone pavers tie the different areas together.
3. Playing the Angles
The fire pit of this Milwaukee patio by Ruebl Builders takes center stage thanks to a hexagonal inset that surrounds it. The bold geometric design pairs a dark edge with lighter stones to create a focal point within the larger two-level patio. The builders repeated the detail along the top of the stairs and around the upper-level patio to help tie the two areas together.
2. Get in Line
Clean lines and contemporary furnishings define the conversation area of this Medina, Washington, patio by landscape designer Robin Parsons of Spring Greenworks. Stone pavers and a concrete fire pit set the tone, and their soft shades of gray provide a subtle backdrop to the more vibrant landscape beyond.
1. Sophisticated Sanctuary
The thoughtful combination of concrete pavers and small rocks gives this small Los Angeles patio by Koffka Phakos Design a special look. The modern-style furniture and fire pit provide the ideal backdrop for the existing lush plantings. Soft landscape lighting completes the scene.
(Article Reprinted from HOUZZ. Find out more about Houzz:
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10. Gorgeous Grays
This secluded patio off a living room is a tranquil retreat at this Melbourne, Australia, home. Interior designer Frances Cosway of White Pebble Interiors added luxe outdoor seating and stylish side tables that play off the cool gray and black tones of the home’s exterior and nearby pizza oven. A large staghorn fern, smaller plants and a circular grass mat add a subtle amount of greenery.
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