7 Key Elements for a Restful Patio
Craving a space where you can enjoy being outdoors in peace and comfort? Try incorporating these features
Spending time in the fresh air amid plants and wildlife is famously beneficial for both mental and physical health, so if you’re lucky enough to have a patio, how can you turn it into a spot where you can sit and properly unwind whenever possible?
Take a look at these ideas for creating a relaxing haven, from thinking about comfort and shade to bringing in sounds and scents that will transport you to a calmer place.
More in this series: 7 Key Elements for a Well-functioning Bedroom l 8 Key Elements for a Calming, Indulgent Bathroom l 7 Key Elements for a Relaxing Living Room
Take a look at these ideas for creating a relaxing haven, from thinking about comfort and shade to bringing in sounds and scents that will transport you to a calmer place.
More in this series: 7 Key Elements for a Well-functioning Bedroom l 8 Key Elements for a Calming, Indulgent Bathroom l 7 Key Elements for a Relaxing Living Room
2. Comfy and flexible furniture
How would you like to use your patio? For lounging, dining, gathering with friends – or all of the above?
The key is to find furniture that covers all your needs and is handily in place, so you don’t have to spend time and effort setting everything up each time there’s a warm morning before work or a sunny lunch break when you could pop out.
Water-resistant cushions can generally be left out if the weather is set fair, or invest in a waterproof cover that can be thrown over the whole chair or sofa and is quick to remove. A waterproof box in the garden is a good option for rainy periods, still allowing you to set up comfy seating with minimum effort.
When you have more time to spend in the garden or friends are coming over, consider other textiles to make the patio as comfy as possible. Think outdoor rugs, cushions, and throws for cooler days, as in this inviting spot by Seasons in Colour.
How would you like to use your patio? For lounging, dining, gathering with friends – or all of the above?
The key is to find furniture that covers all your needs and is handily in place, so you don’t have to spend time and effort setting everything up each time there’s a warm morning before work or a sunny lunch break when you could pop out.
Water-resistant cushions can generally be left out if the weather is set fair, or invest in a waterproof cover that can be thrown over the whole chair or sofa and is quick to remove. A waterproof box in the garden is a good option for rainy periods, still allowing you to set up comfy seating with minimum effort.
When you have more time to spend in the garden or friends are coming over, consider other textiles to make the patio as comfy as possible. Think outdoor rugs, cushions, and throws for cooler days, as in this inviting spot by Seasons in Colour.
3. Shade
With summers getting hotter, having the means to create shade has become essential for keeping a patio comfortable throughout the day. Fortunately, there are numerous options.
Sail shades, which are thick material pulled taut and usually fixed to three or four points, are an excellent quick fix for a patio. They have the advantage of holding off the odd shower of rain, too. Similarly, a large parasol can do a good job, although it will probably need to be moved around with the sun.
With an eye on the summer after next, you could consider a pergola covered in climbers, or plant a couple of trees for the reward of lovely dappled shade in years to come.
Find and hire a reviewed garden designer on Houzz today.
With summers getting hotter, having the means to create shade has become essential for keeping a patio comfortable throughout the day. Fortunately, there are numerous options.
Sail shades, which are thick material pulled taut and usually fixed to three or four points, are an excellent quick fix for a patio. They have the advantage of holding off the odd shower of rain, too. Similarly, a large parasol can do a good job, although it will probably need to be moved around with the sun.
With an eye on the summer after next, you could consider a pergola covered in climbers, or plant a couple of trees for the reward of lovely dappled shade in years to come.
Find and hire a reviewed garden designer on Houzz today.
4. Privacy
To really switch off in our gardens, most of us would prefer not to be overlooked and instead enjoy a little seclusion. So if neighbouring windows are in view, ask your garden designer to take privacy into consideration.
Well-placed trees can go a long way towards screening your patio. An arch or arbour can also be placed strategically to interrupt a sightline.
To extend a fence or wall upwards to block out views, consider pleached trees or add trellis to the top and grow climbers up it.
If greenery isn’t an option, or while you’re waiting for plants to grow, you could add a decorative screen or two, as in this garden by Adolfo Harrison Gardens. Or build a pergola with a solid roof or spreading foliage positioned over the patio, perhaps with fittings in place to easily hang a sheer curtain on the most overlooked side.
To really switch off in our gardens, most of us would prefer not to be overlooked and instead enjoy a little seclusion. So if neighbouring windows are in view, ask your garden designer to take privacy into consideration.
Well-placed trees can go a long way towards screening your patio. An arch or arbour can also be placed strategically to interrupt a sightline.
To extend a fence or wall upwards to block out views, consider pleached trees or add trellis to the top and grow climbers up it.
If greenery isn’t an option, or while you’re waiting for plants to grow, you could add a decorative screen or two, as in this garden by Adolfo Harrison Gardens. Or build a pergola with a solid roof or spreading foliage positioned over the patio, perhaps with fittings in place to easily hang a sheer curtain on the most overlooked side.
5. Glittering water
A simple water feature can add so much to a patio and help to create a calming atmosphere. The sound of flowing water should go some way towards masking environmental noise, while watching the sparkling movement can be meditative. You’ll also find it attracts birds and insects, which will further add to the serenity.
There’s a huge range of options, from a simple bubble fountain to a vintage piece like this, or, if you’d prefer more of a pond containing aquatic plants, try a small patio bowl or barrel pond, which can be relatively inexpensive.
A simple water feature can add so much to a patio and help to create a calming atmosphere. The sound of flowing water should go some way towards masking environmental noise, while watching the sparkling movement can be meditative. You’ll also find it attracts birds and insects, which will further add to the serenity.
There’s a huge range of options, from a simple bubble fountain to a vintage piece like this, or, if you’d prefer more of a pond containing aquatic plants, try a small patio bowl or barrel pond, which can be relatively inexpensive.
6. Inviting scents
Surrounding a patio with delicately scented plants is a wonderful way to create a relaxing mood. Some, such as lavender, seen here in a design by Garden Club London, are famously calming, but scents in general can promote mindfulness, helping you to switch off.
Other perfumed plants to try include star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), rosemary, honeysuckle, scented roses, sweet peas, and Philadelphus caucasicus ‘Aureus’.
If you can’t bring flowerbeds near enough to your seating, group planters around the area instead.
More: How to Create a Spirit-lifting Sensory Garden
Surrounding a patio with delicately scented plants is a wonderful way to create a relaxing mood. Some, such as lavender, seen here in a design by Garden Club London, are famously calming, but scents in general can promote mindfulness, helping you to switch off.
Other perfumed plants to try include star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), rosemary, honeysuckle, scented roses, sweet peas, and Philadelphus caucasicus ‘Aureus’.
If you can’t bring flowerbeds near enough to your seating, group planters around the area instead.
More: How to Create a Spirit-lifting Sensory Garden
7. Wildlife-friendly lighting
For many of us, evenings are the main time we get to enjoy our patios, so some form of lighting is key. Luckily, it’s possible to have both pretty and effective lighting while being mindful of wildlife.
Nature-friendly, low-level lighting, flickering candlelight, and fixtures that direct the beam downwards, as opposed to bright lights, will create a relaxing, intimate mood, especially if you concentrate your lights around the patio rather than illuminating the whole garden. This patio by Nilsen Landscape Design is a good example.
Aim to choose lighting that can be switched off when you go inside at the end of the evening, so nocturnal creatures get to enjoy their time in the garden, too.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
Tell us…
What takes a patio from standard to relaxing for you? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments.
For many of us, evenings are the main time we get to enjoy our patios, so some form of lighting is key. Luckily, it’s possible to have both pretty and effective lighting while being mindful of wildlife.
Nature-friendly, low-level lighting, flickering candlelight, and fixtures that direct the beam downwards, as opposed to bright lights, will create a relaxing, intimate mood, especially if you concentrate your lights around the patio rather than illuminating the whole garden. This patio by Nilsen Landscape Design is a good example.
Aim to choose lighting that can be switched off when you go inside at the end of the evening, so nocturnal creatures get to enjoy their time in the garden, too.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
Tell us…
What takes a patio from standard to relaxing for you? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments.
While many of us are aiming to keep hard landscaping to a minimum in our gardens, a patio surface is a must if you want somewhere to set up a stable dining table or outdoor sofa. Luckily, it’s possible to create a paved area that’s both sustainable and perfect for a well-functioning patio.
Consider asking your builder or landscaper to use reclaimed materials, such as stone flags, cobbles or bricks. Not only will they have a smaller carbon footprint, they’ll have a timeless feel that will contribute to the relaxed mood, evident in this patio outside an extension by DHV Architects.
Responsibly sourced wood decking or composite decking made from recycled materials are good options, too.
Also think about creating pockets of greenery amid the paving to soften the feel and aid drainage. As long as you have a large enough area to hold furniture legs, some paving stones, bricks or decking boards could be skipped in favour of low-growing plants, such as Soleirolia soleirolii (mind-your-own-business), micro clover, or small succulents set into gravel, to bring greenery up close.