Ready to Expand Your Fort Worth, TX Outdoor Living Options? A Stone or Brick Patio is a Great Start
Patios transform Fort Worth, TX outdoor spaces into entertainment-worthy, cozy areas, making them an extension of the interior rooms of your home. A custom layout and plan give you space for outdoor cooking, dining beneath the stars, and warming by the fire. Start with a stone or brick patio design and take it from there for elevated outdoor living.
Related: Expanding Your Outdoor Living Area: The Increase in Home Value
The Custom Patio Design
Like the foundation of your house, a patio is an integral space that sets the tone for how you plan to use this outdoor space, the captivating aesthetic, and the immense comfort it brings to your backyard. One of the initial decisions is the style of patio you prefer.
Formal Patios
A formal patio is typically symmetrical, has a geometric design, and is often made with large, uniform stones with features such as fountains, sculptures, and pergolas. The patio itself is often surrounded by "green walls", for instance, stone retaining walls covered in blooming perennial vines, living fences, or clipped hedges. Incorporating boxwood hedges, espaliers, and trellises adds privacy while maintaining the view and cooling breezes.
Informal Patios
An informal patio is typically less structured than a formal patio, may have a more organic, free-form design, and is often composed of smaller, irregularly shaped stones. Features such as fire pits, built-in seating, and planters filled with perennials and annuals add color and vibrancy to the space. While formal patios are comfortable, the focus on cushioned outdoor seating and ambient spaces is more pronounced in an informal patio design.
Modern Patios
A modern patio typically has a clean, minimalist design and is characterized by materials such as concrete, metal, and glass. It may have features such as built-in seating, fire pits, and water features. Modern patio designs often aim to create a seamless integration of indoor-outdoor living by using similar materials and finishes for both the indoor and outdoor spaces, creating transitions that make it easy to move between the two areas, and using neutral colors, such as white, black, and gray.
Outdoor Living Features for Enhancement
Expand the enjoyment and use of your patio area with outdoor living features intended to add amenities that let you cook, dine, and relax.
Outdoor Kitchens
One of the most popular additions to a stone or brick patio is an outdoor kitchen and for good reason! A well-designed outdoor kitchen can add a touch of luxury and sophistication to your outdoor space.
Cooking in an outdoor kitchen can be more enjoyable than cooking in an indoor kitchen, especially during the months of pleasant weather. The fresh air and sunshine can make the meal an experience since you can often cook with ingredients that you've grown in your own garden. An outdoor kitchen makes it easy to entertain guests, cook and serve food, and clean up without having to leave your guests.
A Pergola or Pavilion Covering
Integrating a pergola or pavilion into the patio design makes hot days more comfortable and inclement weather a non-factor in your outdoor plans. A covering over your patio or even part of the space truly turns this area into an outdoor room where you can catch up with friends, relax and read a book, or sip your morning coffee with a stellar view.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Kitchens; A Homeowner’s Dream
About the Author
Michael Hillman started Hillman Outdoor Living as a high schooler over two decades ago. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to mow lawns for extra cash, which he did throughout college. After college graduation, Hillman transitioned his business into a commercial property management company and pivoted again when he began offering primarily landscape design and build services. Today, Hillman operates with a team of dedicated and talented professionals providing exceptional service.
