Room Design
Outdoor Spaces
By
Lisa Hallett Taylor
Lisa Hallett Taylor
Lisa Hallett Taylor is an expert in architecture and landscape design who has written more than 1,000 articles about pool, patio, garden, and home improvement over 12 years. She has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Design and is certified in fine and decorative arts appraisal.
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Updated on 03/08/23
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It's a big step out the back door: you've decided to build or remodel a patio. If it won't be the traditional concrete slab–or will be covering up an existing one–you'll need to choose patio materials that go beyond just looking good. A patio that's made to last must be built with materials that are strong and durable.
Whether working solo or with a landscape architect or contractor, the budget, size of the space, color, and architectural style of your home are going to influence the choice of materials. So is availability: local stones blend in with the surrounding environment and don't cost as much as harder-to-find materials that have to be shipped.
Safety and Surface Texture
Think about what the patio will be used for and who will use it when looking at materials. Flat, smooth, even surfaces are necessary for dining areas, living rooms, and for accessibility. Rough cobblestones and bumpy aggregate concrete pavers could cause someone to trip or impede themobility of a person who uses a cane, walker, or wheelchair. Conversely, ultra-smooth surfaces like concrete or polished granite can become slippery when wet. Apply slip-resistant coatings to high-traffic surfaces that have the potential for becoming slick.
Consider Concrete
An attractive, cost-saving option is to use concrete pavers, which can be cast into a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Different textures and finishes can be applied to concrete, like rock salt, aggregate, faux finishes, etchings,stamping, and hand carving. Even objects as simple as brooms or rakes can create attractive textural surfaces.
Stone Options
Visit a local stone yard or supplier to discover what's available in your area; this is one of those things you need to see and touch up close to make a smart decision. Popular types of stone include:
- Flagstone
- Cobblestones
- Veneer Stone
- Cut Stone
Both stone and concrete pavers are often spaced apart, with loose materials like pea gravel or sand or ground covers like thyme or Irish moss to fill the gaps.
Take a look at our favorite 25 stunning and very different examples of patio pavers.
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Pathway to Pavers
San Francisco-based Envision Landscape Studio designed a stairway on a slope withgraceful curves that create a sense of intrigue and mystery rather than a straight up-and-down path. Concrete steps are aligned with a low retaining wall to create a clean line before the steps take a curve and switch materials to ipe wood risers. The pavers are simple concrete squares, evenly spaced for a modern look and placed evenly into a bed of pea gravel.The ipe is finished with a mahogany wood stain for a rich warm hue.
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Grid Pattern
A Philadelphia area backyard patio isset on a grid of 2 x 3-foot full-color flagstone in a bond pattern, which keeps the installation and looks simple, according to landscape designerDonald Pell.
"I love the simplicity of a grid in a juxtaposition of sweeping drifts of perennials," explains Pell. "I prefer simple paving details and the timelessness of using regional stone. I also always try to push patios and terraces out into the landscape so we can immerse the space in the romantic experience of a garden. The last thing I want is apatioset right up against the architecture of a house."
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Contemporary Cement Patio Pavers
This sleek patio from Mindy Gayer Design Co. has cement pavers that create a nearly seamless look, keeping the focus on the minimal lines and organic shapes of the planters.
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Seattle Zen
Seattle-based landscape design/build firm Avalon Northwest excavated 6 inches, then installed and compacted a crushed rock subbase. From there, they added a sand setting bed, into which they laid the pavers and finished with concrete edging. The pavers that form the circle pattern are Old Dominion and the path is Roman Dominion from Mutual Materials. Blue star creeper edges the path and circular patio.
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Patio With a View of the Pacific
What once was an unkemptlawn in the hills of Malibu overlooking the Pacific was transformed into a lounge and entertaining space by Gregory Davis & Associates by layingChocolate Flagstone with pea gravel to fill in the gaps.
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Mixed Materials
The rust-colored pavers on this outdoor patio from Urbanology Designs adds contrast with the whitewashed stone chimney and taupe-colored brick facade of the home.
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Memories of a Beautiful Design
A peaceful, exquisite patio and yard in the wine country city of Glen Ellen, California, featured select bluestone rectangles mortared over a concrete base. Heuttl Landscape Architecture designed the entire landscape, including the formed concrete water feature, low walls, and garden. Tragically, this property was destroyed in the devastating wildfires that struck the region in October of 2017.
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Bluestone Bands
The unique shape of this San Francisco area patio was created by Shades of Green Landscape Architecture using bands of bluestone with black pebbles. Grasses, succulents, and drought-tolerant perennialswere plantedaroundthe perimeter foryear-round beauty intheCalifornia climate.
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Portland Modern
Charcoal-hued pavers calledVancouver Bay are tightly laid to form a clean, modern surface for a Tudor-style house in Portland, Oregon. Architect Risa Boyer designed the 2 x 4.5-foot fire pit herself, which is connected to an underground gas line. A vintage Mid-Century Modern child's chair and two butterfly chairs help modernize the outdoor space, along with a neutral grey-white-black color palette.
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Sandy Desert Patio Pavers
The sandy tone of the patio pavers in this outdoor space in Paradise Valley, AZ from Living With Lolo perfectly reflects the desert landscape.
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Petite Plot in Minneapolis
A yard in Minneapolis is on a corner lot with limited space, creating a challenge for Southview Designs to maximize its potential. The solution: concrete pavers in walnut by Anchor, which are no longer available but similar to their current Charleston line. In additionto agarden, and dining set, there's also room for a mobile fire pit.
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Two-Tone Patio Pavers
This outdoor patio from Calimia Home features a mix of pale-toned patio pavers that create subtle variation in the transition between the inside and the outdoor dining area.
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Bluestone in Blue Ridge
A front yard entry garden in Seattle's Blue Ridge neighborhood features bluestone pavers with granite cobble accents laid over a concrete base. Designer Kate Martin randomly inserted 4 x 4-inch granite cobblestones with 24-inch square variegated bluestones, set over a rough slab of concrete.
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Add Contrast
Vintage-style table and French bistro chairs in shades of white, black, and wicker add contrast with interlocking pavers on this cottage patio from Kate Marker Interiors.
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Vancouver Retreat
That bright green ground cover growing between the square concrete pavers of this patio designed by Paul Sangha Landscape Architecture is a blend of Leptinella Gruveri and mossy Saxifraga.
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Modern Zen
Ipe wood decking and accent walls, a raked stone garden, a brass sheer-descent water feature, and concrete stepping pads transform an Irvine, Californiabackyard into a peaceful space that designer Studio H dubs Zen Modern. That bright green grass growing between the Stepstone Inc. pavers is artificialturf.
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Warm Bricks
Closely laid brick pavers in different sizes create a smooth, even surface for a patio that doesn't compete with the rest of the landscape.
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Vary the Proportions
Gray patio pavers in a range of sizes adds interest to this modern backyard patio floor from Mary Patton Design that is decorated with contemporary outdoor furnishings and equipped with modern comforts like a flat screen TV and outdoor kitchen.
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Corner Patio
The corner of a new yard in Portland, Oregon is accessible from the main patio via flagstone pavers placed across the lawn. The fire pit patio surface is also flagstone, which is available in colors ranging from white sandstone to Southwest pink/orange to black slate.
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Rustic Stone Pavers
Bright yellow folding metal garden chairs add contrast with this rustic stone paver patio from Mary Patton Design.
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Tucson Saltillo
The small patio of a Tucson, Arizona,condo blends in with the surrounding landscape. Designed by Kathryn Prideaux, the surface is Saltillo, which is fired clay that is sealed for protection and longevity.
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Terracotta Pavers
Terracotta pavers preserve the authentic look of this Spanish style home in Coral Gables, FL from Calimia Home. A neutral toned rug anchoring the dining table adds a modern touch.
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Flagstone Patio
Widely space flagstone is interspersed with smaller stones to create an intriguing effect for an outdoor living room in Montecito, California, designed by Jodi G Designs.
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Southwest Stone
Cut stone with a slightly rough texture complements the architectural style of this Southwestern patio dining room designed by Forte Homes in Phoenix, Arizona.
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Interlocking Pavers
Interlocking pavers are becoming increasingly more popular because they are non-slip, easy to remove for repairs, and permeable, which allows the release of rainfall. They are made to resemble brick, stone, and other paving materials.
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Barbecue and Dining Patio
Stone tile, or cut stone in different sizes and colors coordinateswith the custom-built barbecue and fireplace designed by B&B Pools and Spas in Eastern Michigan.
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In the Round
A round3-foot fire pit fits perfectly on a circular 7-foot-diameter patio in Minneapolis designed byNor-Sun.
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Private Patio
A Seattle backyard designed by Scot Eckley features an ashlar-pattern bluestone paver patio. The fireplace wall is covered with Boston ivy.
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Aggregate Pavers
Round aggregate pavers were popular and readily available at hardware stores and nurseries in the 1950s and have been rediscovered by fans of midcentury modern architecture and design. This Venice, CA patio features mixed sizes of circular pavers embedded in a sea of pea gravel.
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Modern Mix
The architectural firm Coates Design oversaw the interior and exterior remodel of a modern Washington home that features square concrete pavers with a trowel skim coat finish. Coates also made the cast-in-place concrete fire pit. The filler between the pavers is colored crushed marble.
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Pavers and Pergola
Chicago-basedRolling Landscapes used patterned bluestone in a range of sizes for this Illinois patio. The patio is dry-set on compacted gravel and sand and replaced an old "builder's special" deck that was long and narrow.
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Bluestone Paver Circle
A circular conversation patio created by Heffernan Landscape Design is made using bluestone pavers, which are repeated throughout the landscape in paths and other areas that require hardscape.
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Flagstone Patio and Wall Seating
Kate Martin Design used flagstone in various colors on this patio surface, steps, and on top of the low wall, which also serves as extra seating.
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Brick Patio Pavers
Brick pavers with a weathered look add rustic charm to this backyard patio and indoor outdoor bar from Mindy Gayer Design Co.
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Patio Pavers With a Grass Border
This Florida stone paver patio from Calimia Home has a contemporary feel, with strips of grass adding an energizing shot of greenery to the outdoor seating area.
FAQ
Which are the most popular pavers?
Flagstone or fieldstone are the most common pavers. Flagstone is quarried from underground, while fieldstone is surface rock. Rock is pricier than bricks or concrete.
What is the strongest paver pattern?
A herringbone pattern is the strongest pattern used for laying pavers. This pattern has the best interlocking to prevent the pavers from shifting. It is also one of the most common patterns.
What is the most durable paver?
Cobblestones are the most durable pavers, lasting up to 100 years. They are followed by interlocking pavers and concrete, lasting up to 40 or 50 years with proper maintenance.