Landscaping Ideas: How Patios Lead to More Useable Backyards in Dublin, OH

Spending time outside in the backyard is one of the great joys of owning a home. No matter what you and your family love to do the most, the base for all of your outdoor activities is the patio. When you’re putting together the plan for your landscape renovation this year, put your focus on building the best possible patio that meets your functional and aesthetic needs. Before you get started, consider these fantastic and useful landscaping ideas: how patios lead to more usable backyards in Dublin, OH.

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The Location of Your Patio

The patio is the hub of your outdoor living space and should be situated close to the back door that’s closest to the kitchen and main living room to optimize traffic flow. This high-energy area (usually centered around outdoor cooking) is central. The spaces further toward the edge of the property are more relaxed - seating areas, a fire pit space, etc. This layout - with a central hub of relatively high activity close to the home and more relaxed outlying areas ensure both excitement and serenity.

The Best Use of Space

The lawn is a useful landscape feature that improves the beauty of the home, especially in the front yard. However, unless you actively use the backyard lawn for pets and kids, the lawn doesn’t make the best use of the available space, especially in smaller backyards. Downsizing your backyard lawn can lead to a better improved patio and outdoor lifestyle. In your next landscape design, prioritize outdoor living - in other words, what you love to do outside - and reduce the size of your lawn as necessary. This doesn’t mean your backyard will be transformed into a paved space. You can still create a lush, naturalistic feel by prioritizing shrubs and trees rather than a sea of grass.  

Defined Spaces of Use

Since many activities take place on the patio, it’s important to define spaces by what should take place there. You can define spaces with different types of pavers, or physical barriers such as a pergola, fountain, or even changes of elevation. One step up or down sends a clear signal that you’re entering a different space.

Interconnected Mini-Patios

Some of the most interesting outdoor living spaces have a series of interconnected patios spread over a larger area. In effect, you’re creating a series of individual outdoor “rooms” that are each surrounded by greenery. This makes for a more serene feel in the outlying patios. For example, the main patio - the hub of activity - could contain the outdoor kitchen/dining space. A separate patio could be dedicated to a pergola-covered seating area, and a third could be the spot where you put a fire pit surrounded by comfortable Adirondack chairs. On sloped landscapes, these mini-patios can even be separated by changes in elevation. These mini-patios could contain smaller gathering areas such as a breakfast nook or a stone bench that overlooks a view. These mini-patios could be connected to the main patio with paver walkways or they can be separated by an elevation change, and feature different paving materials.

Creature Comforts

A patio is so much more than a paved surface. It needs to contain the amenities that make you want to spend time outdoors: an outdoor kitchen; a fire feature; and a shelter structure such as a pergola or pavilion.

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