Patio Design: Top 5 Patio Design Ideas You’ll Regret Not Knowing

large-paver-patio-design-in-Phoenixville-to-accomodate-all-sized-gatherings

Large paver patio design in Phoenixville to accommodate all size gatherings

You’ve seen some of our custom patio design work in Montgomery, Berks and Chester Counties. You’ve driven past our awesome patio designs in Phoenixville, our natural stone and paver patio design ideas in Collegeville, our pool patio designs in Malvern, and our outdoor patio paver designs in Douglassville.

But have you ever wondered, do our patio design customers ever have any regrets?  Yes.

But it’s not on the work we do; it’s on the custom patio design choices they omitted from their project.

We begin every project with proper patio design planning. This means we listen to your wants and needs. We listen to your hardscaping ideas. Then we transform them into a stunning patio design that fits your taste and your property.  So, if you’re in the market to upgrade your outdoor living space, read this before getting started

Patio Design Regret #1: Size Matters

Your patio is an outdoor space that will naturally bring families together for all types of celebrations. It’s important to right-size your patio. Ideally, you want your patio to work on three fronts: it’s got to be big enough for your loved ones but not so big that it doesn’t fit the profile of your backyard. And it’s got to be within your budget.

The problem with this trifecta is that when you decrease the square footage of the patio, you’ll trim down costs. However, you’re also diminishing how much square footage you’ll have for your friends and family to gather.

Size and shape matter in a patio. It’s important to have enough seating and eating areas to accommodate all sized gatherings.  That’s a major regret for some customers. They wished they would have gone bigger the first time.

You might want to forgo all the bells and whistles up front when you’re designing your patio. First, make sure your patio is big enough to accommodate your family’s needs and lifestyle.

Patio Design in Phoenixville, PA
Large paver patio design in Phoenixville to accommodate all sized gatherings

Patio Design Regret #2: I Wish We Would Have Installed Landscape Lighting

Many clients wished they had included outdoor lighting in their bids.  Lighting extends the outdoor living area well into the night.  It also increases your landscape’s safety and it makes it feel more secure.

Lighting also highlights areas in your yard. When you choose to add lighting to your distant beds with uplights and downlights, it automatically makes the space seem larger and pushes the boundary of your home back. This means you can stand at your kitchen window in the evening and look at the most beautiful garden in the world–yours. And you can even see it at night.

Best of all, you’ll save money in the long run by having lighting installed at the time of your patio installation versus installing it at a later. See Outdoor Lighting Makes a Big Difference.

Patio Design Regret #3: Fire Pits and Fire Places

Fire features have a major impact on patio design. You’d be stunned at the choices.

Some of our customers in Montgomery, Berks and Chester counties later wished that they would have seized the opportunity to enjoy three out of four seasons a year outdoors when they first designed their patios.

Patio Design with Custom Fireplace in Phoenixville, PA

Patio Design with Custom Fireplace in Phoenixville, PA

Why?  When the weather in the spring and fall dips down into the 50’s, a fire pit or fireplace is the perfect solution. It keeps you warm.  When our clients choose to install a fire feature not only are they staying warm on chilly nights but they’re also telling Mother Nature that she can’t control the fun.

Most importantly, fire pits are more affordable than you think and perfectly compliment any patio style.

Patio Design Regret #4: Why Didn’t We Install Sitting Walls

Patio Design with sitting wall in Malvern, PA

Sitting wall surrounding fire pit installed in Malvern, PA

You can’t beat the durability and style of built-in seating. Unfortunately, some people don’t realize having a low retaining wall that’s capped on top will provide a wonderful backdrop and overflow seating around a fire pit until it’s too late.

Attractive patio furniture is great, but the right sitting wall, designed to fit your space, can make your patio feel larger and more welcoming.

Patio Design Regret #5: Walkways Aren’t Just for Meandering

Walkways naturally connect different parts of your home. The front walkway connects you from the driveway to the front door and adds curb appeal. But a walkway leading to your patio is just as important. The right walkway will give your outdoor backyard space that extra special finishing touch.

Patio Design and Walkway in Phoenixville, PA

Walkway installed in Phoenixville, PA connects front yard to patio

Some of our clients just didn’t think about that right away because they’re busy pinching pennies.  It’s important not to be penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to hardscape designs and patio designs.  Perhaps you think it’s not realistic to do this with your budget. That’s just not so. Tell us up front and when we’re planning your patio design we can make accommodations.  As people trained in patio design, it’s important to us that we provide an honest picture of how far your budget will stretch.  We can advise you on what’s worth the splurge and what’s worth postponing.  We can even prioritize and plan in phases to meet your needs.

In the end, if you’re wondering which Montgomery County landscaping company to choose to do your patio design, think about us.  In fact, we invite you to browse our portfolio of some of our recent projects.

Whitehouse Landscaping has been designing, building and maintaining beautiful landscapes for more than 15 years. We believe that good landscape design is the foundation of all great outdoor living spaces. Our Landscape Design Process will ensure the perfect patio design to fit your needs. To start creating your perfect outdoor space, contact Whitehouse Landscaping for a free consultation and get your project off the ground.