We’re almost closing in on peak summer, and for most Arizona residents, this may mean excessive heat warnings and notifications to stay indoors. However, if you’re in Carefree, you might be in luck. Most of the time, Carefree, thanks to its higher elevation, experiences slightly cooler temperatures than most other towns in the South. This essentially means you get to spend a lot of summer afternoons lounging on your patio!
Generally, a well-designed patio adds a lot of value to a property, but more importantly, it adds value to your lifestyle. Spending time in outdoor spaces like a patio can do wonders for your physical and mental health—so redesigning the patio could be your first step toward better health and wellness.
You can turn it into a space where you can relax, spend quality time with your family, and entertain friends.
Here are some brilliant ideas to get you started on the mood board for your patio.
1. Cover the Space with A Pergola
If your patio isn’t covered, but you think it might be a good idea to at least partially cover it, a pergola might work. Topping the space with a pergola is both a practical and aesthetic approach. You’d be turning it into a sort of room without actually closing up the entire space, so, in a way, you’d create a more livable space while still retaining the patio’s outdoorsy vibe.
Alternatively, if you’ve got a larger patio, you can install a pergola to cover a specific part. The space under the patio can be finished with poured concrete or patterned tiles as opposed to pavers. Also, you can add some string lights and patio furniture under it to create a lovely outdoor living room.
2. Turn the Patio into An Outdoor Kitchen
Most of us use our patios for summer barbeques, especially when entertaining larger crowds. In this case, it might be a good idea to transform the patio into an outdoor kitchen, especially if the patio is connected to the backyard.
You can have the patio raised with masonry work and have small block walls built to create a more room-like structure. All you need then to complete the kitchen is a barbeque grill, some shelves, and a counter. Also, if you’ve got the space, consider building a brick or stone oven it’ll be wonderful for your pizza parties!
3. Divide A Larger Patio into Zones
Another thing you can do with a larger patio is you can divide it into zones. For instance, you could have a seating area, outdoor dining set up, a cooking station, and a relaxing zone maybe.
And while you can easily separate the spaces with furniture placements, we suggest you also use some other elements to create the zones. For instance, you can use paver installations to create borders for each zone. Also, between the pavers, you can use titles or artificial turf to highlight each zone.
4. Add Some Cinder Block Benches
While most of the previous ideas are geared toward transforming larger patios, this is a tip for smaller ones. If you’re trying to maximize space on a patio, then built-in seating is a great idea. It’s compact, aesthetic, and when designed well, it’s also comfortable.
And if you’re really into aesthetics, you must consider cinder block benches. They have the perfect outdoorsy vibe you’d want on your patio. Moreover, they’re a versatile style and work with various other patio elements. You can even paint them the color you prefer for the patio!
5. Add Quirky and Comfortable Lounging Options
Of course, you need other seating options besides the cinder block benches. Since patios are primarily for relaxing and unwinding, we suggest choosing the most comfortable options you can find.
If you’re not sure what, we suggest a mix-and-match approach. Choose some lounge chairs, bean bags, bamboo chairs, and hanging swing chairs, and you can even put up some hammocks! Also, add lots of oversized, fluffy cushions and throws to complete the laid-back look. This can become your ultimate self-care spot where you lounge with your favorite book on warm summer afternoons.
6. Squeeze in An Outdoor Breakfast Table
Having a breakfast table on the patio is one of the best things you can do for yourself health-wise. It’ll encourage you to spend some time outdoors every morning, breathing in some fresh air while soaking up the morning sun.
It’ll also be a stunning addition to the patio, which will look homey and welcoming. You can pair the breakfast table with a cinder block bench on one side and a few mismatched chairs on the other to give it an overall rustic appearance. It’s the perfect way to create a space that feels comfortable for everyday use without being too over-the-top.
7. Use Bi-Fold Doors or Sliding Doors To Save Space
If you’re transforming the patio, you have to get rid of those French doors you love. While they look beautiful and charming, they can be infinitely inconvenient, especially for smaller patios. This is because they usually swing outwards and need swing space, which takes up precious floor space on the patio.
So, we suggest you replace the French doors with sliding or bi-fold ones. Bi-fold doors are a better idea because you can slide and fold them completely out of the way and create an indoor-outdoor space—they’re perfect for patios! Also, they look way more modern and minimalistic than old-school French doors.
8. Consider the Patio Floor and Its Aesthetics
When remodeling a patio, there’s a lot of emphasis on the patio furniture and other more prominent elements, but you can’t forget the patio floor. The patio floor usually has understated importance in the overall look—you mostly won’t realize the difference unless it’s completely transformed.
Nowadays, patterned tiles are all the rage, so you can go with those. Or you can choose concrete tiles with gravel in between, purely for the aesthetics—these look pretty modern too. Also, you can just go with a classic paver patio. It’s a timeless design and a great investment, especially if you plan on selling the house sometime in the future.
9. Make A Fire Pit or Fireplace the Focal Point
A patio design isn’t just about practicality, usage, or aesthetics; it’s about all of these. Also, it’s about creating experiences. And we can’t think of a better experience than all our loved ones gathered around a fire pit, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories, on a cool summer night.
So, if the patio is a space you hope to enjoy with friends and family, you need to make it welcoming with a fireplace or firepit as the focal point. The rest of your patio furniture can be arranged around it!
10. Give the Patio A Fresh Look With Paint
If you’re not looking at major transformations but just small changes for better vibes, you can consider painting your patio this summer. It doesn’t need to be a pop of color; you can choose a color palette that resonates with your tastes and makes you feel at your home.
Also, if the plan is to keep the rest of the patio as is, then you need to choose paint colors that would work with the existing design. If you’re unsure what you want, just go with pastels—they’re all you need to survive Arizona’s hot summers.
11. Make Sure There Is Lots of Greenery
A patio is primarily an outdoor space, so it needs to feel like one. This means having lots of greenery, not just around the patio but also on it. Here’s what we suggest:
- Line the patio edges with beautiful flower beds—you can use paver installation to design these;
- Place lots of planters on the patio;
- If you’ve got a pergola, have some vines intertwining its pillars;
- If you think the patio gets enough sunlight, incorporate small patches of grass as part of the patio floor design;
- If the patio is connected to the backyard, grow a tree near it to arrange a natural shade for the patio.
12. Create the Perfect Ambiance With Outdoor Lighting
A patio is all about the right vibes and ambiance, and nothing works better on ambiance than proper lighting. While, of course, during the day, you’ll have the sun shining down on your patio in all its summer glory, you need something for the night too.
Ideally, it’s best to layer your lighting using different types of lights in different spaces. Also, try to ensure there are no dark corners. You can choose all kinds of lights like string lights lighting up the pergola, lanterns placed on tables or in corners, path lighting and other LED options for the patio floor, spotlights and scones, and so on.
13. Keep It Simple with Stucco Walls And Shabby-Chic Furniture
We have the perfect idea for you if you want to transform your patio on a budget. It’s modern, very Insta-worthy, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Instead of going with over-the-top perfectionism, choose imperfect elements like old-school rustic walls and patio furniture that look shabby but have a subtle chic vibe. These are modern aesthetics and may not work for everyone’s taste, but they sure are a great way to design a new, comfortable space on a budget you can afford. You can also think of this as a bohemian style—ultra creative and comfortable.
14. Add Pops of Color
Adding color to the space is another patio transformation that doesn’t take too much work. Most patios are designed with a subtle, minimalistic color palette. If you have a similar patio, it’s actually great because it works as the perfect base for you to build on.
You can add color with artwork, statues, decoration pieces, and of course, cushions and throws. By adding the pops of colors, you’d actually be personalizing the space according to your taste!
15. Add A Water Feature
Living and spending summers in Arizona is no joke, the heat can be brutal at times, but that shouldn’t stop you from spending time outdoors, at least on your patio.
What we suggest is that you add a water feature or two on the patio. It can be something out-of-the-ordinary like a mini waterfall designed aesthetically in one corner—if you’ve got the space for it. Or it can be something minimal, like a small fountain in the center or a bird bath near one of the edges.
The water feature will make the space feel cooler and refreshing on a hot summer day, especially if you have the waterfall splashing in the background.
16. Install Some Artificial Turf to Make the Space Visually Refreshing
Besides the water feature, you can also make the space feel visually refreshing with some artificial turf. This is especially useful if you think the patio doesn’t get enough sunlight for natural grass to grow.
Moreover, artificial turf is much greener and visually more stunning than actual grass. It’s also easier to maintain and work with since you can have patches installed wherever you want on the patio.
Of course, most of these ideas aren’t DIYs, and you’ll need experts like professional masonry service providers like the ones at CF VICE Construction to help you with the transformation.
The block wall contractors can help you with cinder block installations and painting services for your patio in Carefree and surrounding areas. They also offer concrete construction and paver installation services if your patio requires that.
Give them a call to learn more and ask for quotes.