Beyond Contemporary Garden Furniture: Creating the Perfect Patio

A patio area to create a dedicated seating, entertaining and social space can completely transform your garden. Great garden design uses the entire space, sectioning off areas to be used for specific purposes. This is the best way to create both a beautiful and versatile back yard. In taking this approach, you’ll find yourself actively drawn to your outside space, choosing to host al fresco dinner parties, BBQs, family gatherings and relaxing outdoors, over indoor living.

A patio is the first step in creating this useable and versatile space. Here’s how to create the perfect patio… 

Starting From Scratch

If you don’t have a patio space in your garden at present, this guide will take you through the steps to create the perfect patio, as well as creating the ideal layout and accessorising for a stylish and useable space.

The first step is to decide exactly where your patio will go in your garden. The best way to work this out is to consider what time of day you are most likely to be using your patio, and where the sun stays the longest in your garden.

If the sun sits at the bottom of your garden in the morning, but you’re more likely to use your patio in the afternoon, placing it at the bottom of the garden might not be the best bet. Patios can be a great extension of the home, so if you have bi-fold doors or wide french doors onto your garden, consider placing your patio here to extend the inside out. Placing your patio near your house is also helpful if you might be bringing food and drinks in and out for guests, saving you from walking all the way down the garden and back again. Carefully selecting where you place your patio will make all the difference when it comes to how you use the space.

The next decision to make is how big your patio area should be. Generally, patios are low maintenance, so choosing a large patio will ensure your garden will be easy to look after. Think about how you will use it – will you host family gatherings or parties, and if so how many people might attend? Considering how many people you might like to seat on your patio will help you determine the size.

Once you have decided where to place your patio and how big you’d like it to be, consider what kind of stone you might like to use. This is where you need to think of the bigger picture – considering how you might dress the space and the colour scheme. Generally, grey patio slabs are a great choice as the neutral colour is easy to work with and the finish won’t date.

Hire a professional to create your patio to ensure it’s of a premium finish and made to last. A professional fitter will ensure drainage is considered, as well as creating a level area that’s safe and enjoyable to use.

Creating the Ideal Layout

Once your patio has been laid, you can start to consider patio furniture. Revert back to how you will use the space – if you plan on hosting al fresco dinner parties, an outdoor dining table and chairs would work well. If you might have more casual gatherings, such as BBQs or drinks with friends, an outdoor sofa and outdoor armchairs are great options. Finally, if you plan on using your patio mostly for relaxing, sun loungers are ideal.

Consider the layout too – which way would you like to be facing, does your garden furniture need into the centre around an outdoor coffee table to create a social space, and how much floor space do you have to make use of? All of these elements will help you determine what will work best for your space.

When it comes to choosing your ideal garden furniture set, invest in luxury and high quality pieces that will last for years to come, as well as creating a stylish outdoor space. Cane-line, Unopiu, and Vondom all come highly recommended and are well worth considering.

Choosing to install and invest in a patio, alongside stylish and premium patio furniture will enhance your garden and completely change how you use your outside space. Adding value to the home and creating somewhere that you can make lasting memories, creating a patio area will go a long way to enhance your home.