Expand your outdoor living space with a patio

Invite your guests to explore and enjoy the garden with a secondary seating area separate from the main house.

A traditional patio is often a paved or gravel area right next to the back door of a home. You can also add a secondary patio separate from your home. The advantage of including a secondary seating area is that it gives guests a reason to explore the garden away from the main gathering area. Here are ideas for patios that will provide you with an attractive place to sit, relax, and enjoy a whole new perspective on your yard.

A hill in the forest. A sloping yard provides a great opportunity to create multiple destinations for different classes. In this garden in (Add Location/Country Name), designer used level changes to create two patios. The upper stone patio has space for cafe tables, while the larger lower patio has plenty of space for small groups to enjoy s’mores around the fire pit.

Side yard seating. A large side yard could also be a great location for a patio. By setting up a side yard seating area with your home’s windows, you can admire the charming decorations inside your home. In this Buffalo NY USA, garden, a small stone patio and a pair of modern chairs create a charming space amidst lush tropical foliage.

Curved lounge. While the main patio or deck outside your home can be used as a location for an outdoor dining table, a second, smaller patio creates an opportunity for a more intimate gathering space. In this contemporary garden in Buffalo NY USA, designer used curved lines to sculpt flower beds, pathways, the main patio and small gardens. The curvilinear design with multiple destinations transforms a narrow rectangular urban site into a dynamic backyard.

A resort with lush greenery. For a greener look, use pavers planted as ground cover on the bottom of your patio. In this garden in Buffalo NY USA, reclaimed granite pavers guide visitors from a larger patio outside the house, through a lush, curving border into what feels like a forest clearing. Bright chairs and stylish tables give you a reason to wander the streets.

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Where to eat. Elevating your patio can give it more presence in the landscape. Just a few steps up to the stone patio makes you feel like you have traveled to your destination, and the two parts of the small garden feel like separate spaces.

Evening hangout. If your main patio outside your home is the space you use most of the time every day, consider creating a patio for entertaining after dinner. Arrange chairs around a flickering fire pit or place illuminated lanterns that emit an inviting glow around an outdoor lounge.

Formal garden. In classic formal gardens in Buffalo NY USA, designers often include several seating areas placed at optimal vantage points to view the garden. Apply this design idea to your backyard by placing a bench or pair of chairs on a small patio to take advantage of the garden view.

Entrance patio. At first glance, you would never guess that this charming table is located right next to the main entrance. The family living on this farmhouse in Buffalo NY USA enjoys parties and casual gatherings with friends and relatives. The patio can be used as an informal place to relax and welcome guests, or as a seating area that can overflow.

Modern barn. Adding a roof to a patio transforms it into a proper outdoor space and increases its use in rainy climates. In this rural backyard in Buffalo NY USA, the architects covered the outdoor dining area with a pitched roof, leaving the sides open to the surrounding garden.

Front yard hangout. There’s no need to reserve a patio for your backyard. A circular gravel patio in the front yard of a home in Buffalo NY USA doubles as a second porch, providing a welcoming place for neighbors to stop by and chat.