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It’s that time of the year where everyone wants to have a patio makeover. It’s no surprise, as the heatwaves across the world are bringing people out of their air-conditioned homes to enjoy the sun. If you can’t travel to your chosen holiday destination, then the least you can do is sunbathe at home. For this and more, the patio has become our sanctuary. It’s an ideal place in the home to relax because you are never too far from the kitchen where you can go and make a snack and you aren’t too enclosed where you can’t hear the birds singing. However, patio designs are forever changing, they always present a challenge to those that find it difficult to style outdoor areas. We have to approach this area, with one eye on practical sense and the other on charming decor.
Romantic English
If you go to the south of the UK, mainly in England, you will find so many quaint little patios. These are on par with the French when it comes to simple beauty. Vines and large plants surround the patio bench, where you can sit in comfort. The plants around the benches keep you cool, as they absorb carbon dioxide and pump out soothing oxygen. Not to mention, the benches have cute cushions on them, usually made out of a mixture of cotton and wool. All local of course, as the British patio styles all, originated from local rural residential areas like villages and towns.
Consider placing some bamboo chairs around a bamboo side table, where you can place your tea and snacks. The stereotypical red and white chequered tea towels of the English countryside should make an appearance. Remember to add a stone sculpture as this is a very common feature in many rural patios. They go for something that is more or less British rococo, something like bathing ladies or tall warriors. It’s a great style which you should try and see in person next time you visit England.
The all-white Nordic
Perhaps out of all of the patios, the Scandanavian one is the most neutral. It’s very white, but you can have lots of patterns and stripes in your seating area. For example, you can have strong wooden chairs with deep seating positions, but have plenty of cushions to keep you comfortable. If you find that you live in an area where it rains or you have lots of wind to cope with and you don’t want to clean your cushions for hours on end, here is how to clean outdoor cushions with relative ease. All-weather covers are an absolute must, they will prevent your foam or sponge from getting too wet and too dry.
Your white dining table should be made out of a lighter wood such as cedar or a lightweight oak which you find in some parts of the Nordic nations. Pine is also a wood that is great for patios because it is so light and easy to style. Placing some flower pots around your patio is a great idea to break up some of that heavy neutral look.
Modern hangout
If you want something modern, contemporary, and practical, go with the minimalist patio design. This is something that everyone can get on board with as it’s also the cheapest. All you need is a pergola or perhaps if you already have a shelter of some kind over the patio, that will do too. Hang some hammocks from one pillar to the other, making sure you set the right height so it’s not dangerous to fall out of. Then you can nail a wooden board to the pillars so you have somewhere to place your drink without knocking it over. Perhaps a windshield would be good too, in the form of a small wooden piece along the side.
Now all you need is some LED lights that you can hang or fit around the patio. You can control these types of lights with your phone making it super convenient when you want to turn on the lights or change their color while relaxing in the hammock.
Placing some plants around the edges of the patio not only defines the space boundaries but also, gives you a little bit of a separation from the lawn. A glass coffee table surrounded by some chairs would be a great addition, but make sure that it’s a roundtable instead of rectangular. The latter will prevent movement around the patio as no one wants to be hit by sharp edges.
The rustic option
When you go to Greece or Rome, you will never forget how wonderful their patios are. They are made completely out of stone. There isn’t a single brick to be found and they use very old but strong wood such as oak, walnut, and others. Funnily enough, these usually grow in northern Europe, so they ship them in just to make their chairs and tables for the patios.
The rustic style means that the tables won’t be painted usually, but they will be smoothed down and given a nice coating of oil. This prevents them from drying and cracking but also gives them that wonderful orange and red color that you see so much in travel ads.
Consider seating that is basic, such as a wooden bar stool or perhaps a rattan rocking chair. You will also see footstools and ottomans in the rustic patio styles, as many of the old men in Italy used to use them to play cards and put their feet up in their villages. Some candle lamps would be brilliant too. Make sure they are made out of clay or wood that has been treated with fire-resistant oils.
Mid-century style
These patios came out of the 1950s but they started to become popular in the 40s. The mid-century style was very popular because it used very lightweight materials, used very large seating arrangements such as the large wicker sofas and big open vineyard seats. This style was taken on by America and they took it to the next stage.
They introduced a large fire pit in the center where you can sit and swap stories, roast some vegetables or meat, and heat up your coffee in the snow. The lightweight seating and cushions were affordable so you didn’t mind if they sang once in a while.
You can also go for what the Americans did, which is replace the lighter wood choices of Europeans, with the heavier teak wood. This is wood that you might find in sofas for your living room, so it’s sturdy and won’t be moved around by gusts. In more recent times, modern composite chairs made of steel and wood have been found in American patios. The steel is painted black and the armrests are wooden, so this is comfortable on the arm and you don’t burn yourself if the seats have been out in the sun all day. The powder-coated steel chairs and tables are also an option.
Which of these patio styles do you think has the best approach for your lifestyle? The classic English country patio is great if you have a small garden and patio. If you want something that is more modern, go for the American style. If you would like something with a bit more history, more of a mature feel, then go for the rustic patio. All of these will bring a great deal of style to any home.
