Top Garden Patio Ideas

Creating the perfect patio not only gives you a beautiful space for relaxing and entertaining in the warmer months, but it’s also pleasing to look at all year round. After all, a patio is an extension of your home and a well-designed one is almost like a bonus room!

Whether you are looking for small patio ideas or you’re lucky enough to be spoilt for space, our top garden patio ideas will help inspire you to make your outdoors outstanding. 

Before we take a step outside, think about what you want from your patio. Do you need an area to relax or a space for children and pets to run wild? If you’re a keen gardener, decide where any beds will go. If you’re pressed for time in life, then keep it simple with a low-maintenance patio. And if you want maximum durability or excellent value for money, then it’s definitely worth considering imprinted concrete for your patio. 

Turn steps into a feature 

Steps are often a practical necessity to bridge a gap between levels in your garden, but there’s no reason why they can’t take centre stage. You can keep your steps the same colour as the rest of your patio, or you can turn them into a feature using a different design or a completely different shade. Feature steps can add character and style to your garden and really draw the eye to an otherwise run-of-the-mill design aspect.  

Use a variety of styles and colours 

There’s no hard and fast rule that says your patio needs to all be the same colour. Using contrasting shades breaks the space up nicely into separate zones, giving the impression of a larger surface area. 

Think of it as producing your own personal patchwork made up of a variety of styles and colours that you adore, which could include multiple levels and a wonderful juxtaposition of natural and modern or light and dark. 

You could surround your slabs with a border, create a focal point or even incorporate a mosaic design.

Plus this option is always handy if you’re torn between two (or more!) designs. 

Geometric Design 

Instead of squares and rectangles, why not use geometric shapes in your patio design? The diagonal placement in the example below still gives the practicality of steps but in a super stylish way – adding interest and character to the patio. 

As well as opting for geometric shapes in the layout of your patio, you can also include them within the design. Why not try imprinted concrete with different designs?

Curved edges

A strong interior design trend for the last few years has been curved edges, and this style inspiration is now making its way outside. Curved edges bring a softness to your patio, and can be a pleasing alternative to straight lines. 

They are a great idea if you need to work around an existing curved area, but you can start from scratch and incorporate curves into your design where you want them. 

You can even take the curves one step further with a curved sofa or an egg chair.

Wood effect patios

Ever on-trend inside and outside of the home, wood gives your patio a natural yet contemporary feel. Due to the long, thin planks, wood can also give the impression of your space appearing larger than it is. 

However, real timber is not only expensive to use, but it needs extensive maintenance and can be susceptible to rotting, warping, discolouring and eventually disintegrating. 

That’s when wood effect surfaces come to the rescue, such as our boardwalk wood effect imprinted concrete. This finish gives you the beauty of timber, including grooves and whorls for an authentic appearance, without the high maintenance and price tag. 

Go round in circles 

Circles are a wonderful addition to any patio and draw the eye as a focal point. Strategically place a circle as a centrepiece, rockery or vegetable/flower patch, or use it to showcase your barbeque, chiminea or firepit. 

A circular area in your patio is great if you also have a round garden table for a unified look. You don’t have to go completely circular in your garden – you can combine circles with straight lines with stunning results. 

Flow into a path 

Garden paths and walkways create movement and boundaries whilst also providing the garden landscape with some structure. Garden paths can help to organise your space, make it easier to harvest, prune and weed, and prevent damage to grass or delicate plants from foot traffic. 

Choosing the same materials and design for your path and patio gives a sense of flow from one zone to another, but don’t be afraid to opt for a path in a completely different design to turn it into a feature. 

Natural Patios 

Keep it classic with the look of natural stone, which is easy to achieve with imprinted concrete. 

Using a natural stone effect is ideal for blending in with brickwork and stone walls. Light shades will bring warmth and elongate the space, whereas darker colours can act as a striking feature. 

Let it grow 

Plants and foliage bring a lovely splash of colour to the garden and are also beneficial to nature and wildlife. 

Even if you’re a complete gardening novice, a few carefully chosen shrubs, plants or bushes with the right amount of sun and shade can be surprisingly easy to maintain. Incorporating raised beds into your patio is a great idea to keep your fingers green and your garden in bloom! It’s definitely worth planning any planting early on in the design stage of your patio.

Cobblestones 

Classic cobblestones are ideal for rural and period properties to create a  traditional stone surface. You can choose from large or small patterns and thin or deep grooves. 

Authentic cobblestones can be expensive, so a cost-effective alternative is imprinted concrete with realistic designs that include pronounced variation between each ‘stone’ as if they were placed individually.  

European Fan 

Why not consider a European Fan design if you want to give your patio a continental feel? This intricate shell-like design looks fantastic next to both contemporary and traditional properties and is ideal for a feature area of your patio. 

Create a raised section

A bespoke zone in your garden that is at a different height not only makes a great feature, but it’s very practical to have a dedicated area for relaxing, dining or entertaining. You can either use a completely different pattern for this section, keep it uniform or meet these options in the middle with a different design as the ‘step’ in between. 

A raised section works really well as a platform for a hot tub, as well as a dining area or a suntrap for your loungers. 

Basket Weave 

If you’ve decided on a decorative pattern for your patio, basketweave is an ideal choice with its recognisable repeating pattern of two horizontal bricks next to two vertical bricks. This iconic design complements any existing brickwork perfectly. 

For patios where you want to stand out from the crowd, basketweave is a fantastic option. This is yet another of the designs we can produce in imprinted concrete for a speedy, durable and lower-cost option.

Small patio ideas

When it comes to small patios, you don’t need to be small on ideas. With some careful planning, you can completely maximise even the tiniest of outdoor spaces. A key tip is to think vertically – you can add plenty of interest in the form of a trellis, gazebo, artwork, planters or lighting. Wooden structures also give you the opportunity to festoon twinkly fairy lights. 

On the ground, why not make the most of a small space with a raised section to create a different zone? Think through your furniture choices – a sofa with a table that can be raised and lowered doubles up as a seating and dining area and slimmer furniture will also save space. 

Keep things light when you’re choosing colours, as it makes your patio space feel larger. A mixture of paving sizes will also give the impression of more room, and add interest at the same time. 

Why choose imprinted concrete for your patio? 

If you’re looking for a new patio we highly recommend imprinted concrete. Budget-friendly, hardwearing and durable, it’s quick to install and the designs accurately mimic traditional materials like brick, cobblestones, slate and wood.

Standard concrete is poured over carefully prepared ground, then colour treated and stamped with a stencil. It stays completely free from weeds as it’s a single surface, is not susceptible to sinkage and the colours will not fade as it’s 100% UV stable. 

Imprinted concrete is also available in a huge range of colours and designs – and if you can’t see what you like, we can create a bespoke pattern and shade for you. 

Why use Avon Cobblestone? 

Avon Cobblestone is a family-run business with over 30 years of experience in installing imprinted concrete patios, paths and driveways. Our products perfectly balance aesthetics, cost, durability and maintenance levels, and installation is carried out by qualified professionals from our friendly team to guarantee the highest level of care and attention.

If you’re looking for a new patio ready for the summer, please contact us ASAP as we are getting booked up very quickly! 

For a no-obligation chat about our services please get in touch with us on 01454 633394 or use our contact form for a free quote.