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There’s an abundance of beautiful backyard patio designs to choose from. If you are using pavers or blocks there are some classic patterns you can use like: parquet, herringbone, runner, block repeats. But if you want a bit different look you can design your own combination.

It's a good idea to do some research at the library or online and find the right pattern for your patio. You’ll find lots of easy backyard patio plans online, or you can design one yourself using patio design software, or just pencils and paper and a little creativity.

There are a number of basic patio materials to choose from, which will have an impact on the backyard patio design you choose:

Bricks

Brick patios are probably the least expensive, and the simplest to design and build. You’ll basically need a reasonable head for geometry, and enough muscle to cart the bricks around and lay them.

Pavers

Patio pavers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors and materials. Designing and building a backyard patio using pavers is also very simple and inexpensive.

Decorative Stone

Natural stone is a very beautiful and versatile landscape design material. Slate and flagstone are very popular for backyard patios, but the choices you have may depend on what’s available in your local area.

Concrete

Concrete patios are very economical, and much more resistant to chipping, breaking, cracking and erosion than bricks or pavers. New patio building techniques mean that the concrete can be acid etched, colored, stamped, stenciled or polished to create a variety of textures which look fantastic.

Three important patio design points to consider:

1. The architectural style of your home, and the types of materials it is constructed from. The style, texture and feel of the patio should be in harmony with the house.

2. What you plan to use your backyard patio for, whether for entertaining large groups of people, or just relaxing with the family. You should decide whether you want the patio to be accessible from the kitchen or the living room, or perhaps the pool, or if you’d prefer it in a secluded spot in the garden, away from the house and everything else.

3. Your local climate may determine your choice of materials. For example, light colored surfaces may give off a lot of glare, which may be very uncomfortable on the eyes if you live in a sunny climate. Some tiles and natural stone patio materials can buckle if exposed to frequent dramatic changes in temperature, and some become very slippery when wet.

For more information on patio design, please read this article on what to consider when designing your patio.