When you’re thinking about how to design your patio, and whether or not (and how) to cover your patio, it’s important to think of your garden environment in a holistic way. Your patio, magnificent though it is, doesn’t exist in splendid isolation – it has to complement all of the other features of your garden as well, if it is to truly have the desired effect of improving your home.

You can see how this conservatory in Stockwood park has aged, but still maintained its usefulness.

Many homes have not just a patio, but a conservatory as well. And, quite often, the patio is placed right outside of the conservatory, surrounding it. In this case, it’s vital to make sure that you plan each sensitively to make sure that they work together, and that they don’t clash.

This means things like choosing your patio tiles to match the color of the frame of your conservatory. If you’ve got a wooden conservatory, light colors often work well, to counter the darkness of the wood. Likewise, if you have a white PVC conservatory, then a darker, richer shade of tile can show off both to their best.

However, contrasts don’t work quite so well when you are planning a patio cover or a patio roof to sit next to your conservatory. A wooden patio cover next to a white PVC conservatory frame is a garden style disaster waiting to happen. So is an aluminum frame next to a classic wooden conservatory – a disaster so hideous, in fact, that you’ll probably spend your time hiding behind your conservatory blinds, rather than venturing out to actually enjoy your garden.

One of the best ways is to construct the patio frame from the same wood as the conservatory frame. If possible, buy the wood for both at the same time. That way you can be assured of a good match that will leave your garden looking effortlessly beautiful.

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How would you know if you had taken all of the factors into account?  This is where a professional designer could help.  Your patio cover designs will take on several different characteristics of both your home and your personal style and preferences.  We’ll get to a few of the options below, rest assured, there are many more than you will see here.  These just reflect a representative sampling of basic designs.  The way that you can improve or enhance these is almost infinite (and budgetless it seems at times).  In other words, imagining what you would like your patio cover to look like and be is up to your imagination and budget, because literally almost anything is possible with the type of building materials and equipment available to today’s builder.

General Covered Patio Plans

Before we go any further, let’s briefly describe the covered patio types you might encounter or want to have designed, they fall into some broad general categories.  First of all, there is the category of open or closed patio roof styles.  This is simply a reference to the fact that some allow you to see the sky and allow rain to get through, others allow partial light and/or rain and others would block all light and water or other elements from Mother Nature.  Then, you need to consider the type of building material:  wood, metal, vinyl, fabric or some combination of all of these.   Another choice concerns free standing versus attached structures.  Finally, you would need to decide if you wanted to have shades or awnings as part of your cover as well.

This is a lot to consider.  So, in order to make the process simpler, you can simply view the pictures below and read the captions.  In most cases, the picture represented is a good reflection of the type of patio cover you can expect to see or have built within that style.  Patio covers are like any type of home remodeling project in this way; what you see for your use and taste can be reflected in your home.

Following Are Some Patio Cover Ideas

An attached pergola style patio cover.

Here is an example of an attached – with posts – pergola type patio cover.  That is a mouth-full.  See how the beam on one end is mounted to the house?  This adds strength as well as making it look tied into the home.  This type of cover is also open as you can see.  Wood patio covers like this would also include styles that would have more slats across the top and then even plants and vines growing atop it.  This provides more shade and a softer appearance, all while adding a splash of color or aroma from any flowering plants.  Photo at right

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This is an example of an open patio cover - pergola, with vines.

Here is an example of a patio cover kit. It is extremely durable, long-lasting and simpler to install than a traditional wood patio structure. You might find it easier to construct as a DIYer and this is one of its main attractions. Photo courtesy of http://austinpatio.com

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If this is your first time, you should consider that the patio decor is as important as your interior decoration. The beginnings are sometimes hard, as you can doubt whether you are doing it correctly or not. But as soon as you start researching for patio ideas and growing flowers and various plants around the patio, your uncertainty will be rewarded. To begin with, we choose plants and flowers we would put in our backyard, so consider the type of weather in your area and the plants that easily adapt to it.

Even small patios can benefit from big patio ideas.

Two good outdoor patio ideas easy to implement would be to combine elements of traditional garden furniture and use this outdoor patio room as an extension of your house. This way you can create a very cozy atmosphere. Add a few paintings to the walls and enhance the “salon extended” look.

One common option is to pursue a country style. It is such a classic theme that can be easily achieved with shabby wooden furniture, rocking chairs, flower pots, hammocks and other elements that are characteristic of the rustic decor such as barrels of wood, baskets, straw, a gourd and even a pottery wheel wagon displayed on your wall.

Another popular idea for decorating your patio is the marine theme. It can be easily achieved with wicker or rattan furniture and decorative objects that we can take from the beach ourselves, like pebbles and seashells that look beautiful when displayed on the flower pots. Add a patio umbrella if the sun falls directly around the area and scatter around a few patio heaters for the evenings to create a really warm atmosphere.

It usually works very well to have some element of contrast like a sculpture displayed in your patio; something that breaks the look and is also attractive to watch from inside the house. If your patio is small, try to have only one or two focal elements.

One of the best patio ideas I have come across is to provide a rest area with wrought iron chairs and tables. Use chair cushions to make the metal furniture comfortable. It embellishes your patio and also has the advantage of not having to worry about the furniture sitting outside. This is most certainly a plus!

When decorating your patio think of allergy sufferers in terms of the plants and flowers that grow in these rest areas. Moreover, abuse of vegetation in the rest areas can fall into the error of integrating them into the garden itself. Not a bad idea, providing that both areas should display separate and distinct personalities.

Other great patio decorating ideas you may want to implement:

- Build a swing arbor and cover it with ivy or other vines. If you already have a swing, build a pergola and put a bench underneath it.

- Place large potted plants in groups to enhance certain areas of your patio. The pots can be moved around every time you “feel like” having a change. Visit gardening stores to find the best garden decor ideas for both your garden and patio in terms of a variety of elements. In these stores you will find a great selection of decorative pots.

- Build a shelter “teepee” and cover it with a creeper with flowers. Your kids will have a place to hide and play in the garden and it will also serve as a nice pass for your under-flowers.  This is a take on the garden trellis idea.

- Choose one or two colors and use them throughout your patio. Use decorative edging to define the separation between the seedlings of the same color, or make beds with seedlings of two colors mixed. Light up the beds with low-voltage decorative lighting.

- Install a water waterfall or fountain. Use torches and lanterns to illuminate the area around the water, so you can enjoy your patio in the evenings and night time.

- Use decorative tiles, try the “ibizenco” style which is very traditional in countries like Spain. Slate gray tiles are elegant, stylish and practical in that they are very easy to clean.

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This downside to building new is more about cost and convenience.  It will take longer and will cost you much more, generally speaking, to build from the ground up or with no existing structure from which to build off from.  But, as mentioned, there are also limitations that come into play from a construction stand point if you have to modify an existing structure to create the new patio design.

There are many covered patio plans available online as well.  You can do a simple search to find pictures and descriptions of some of the more popular options.  You will also quickly find that there are many ways to describe a patio cover, so this may require a bit more homework on your part.

If what you are looking for is truly a covered patio, then you will need to further clarify what type of cover or roof you are looking for.  An open patio roof style can still be considered a “covered patio”, even though the cover will allow you to see the stars through it or have vines growing all over it like is the case with the classic pergola.  A semi-closed or closed patio roof style would be something more along the lines of a gazebo or even an extended patio common with a ranch-style home.  Since you found our site here, let’s discuss what we feel a covered patio to be.

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Covered patios, in our mind, conjure up the image of that old Ranch-style home.  Here, you typically have a single-story layout, with the patio being created by extending the roof line out and often having posts as support.  The floor of the patio area can consist of a variety of materials from concrete to tile to outdoor carpeting.  Many times, these types of patios are finished into additional rooms for the home.  Depending upon how they are positioned, they may be ideally suited as a sunroom or even a modified greenhouse type room for the avid gardener.

Other Covered Patio Designs

Having said this about these types of covered patio plans, it is also quite feasible to be talking about something else when referring to a covered patio.  We would be remiss if we didn’t include the more traditional types of patio covers and patio cover descriptions.  Brief mention was made to them above, but they are the pergola and gazebo.  Variations of these themes could also be included under this larger umbrella category – no pun intended.

Pergolas, because of their flexibility can provide much needed shade and added ambiance and character to your outdoor space.  In fact, more and more outdoor living rooms and spaces take advantage of the pergola’s unique features.  Some of these features include handsome and simple design, lending themselves to a variety of installations and home styles.  Additionally, they can be built to accommodate larger more grand structures or be more simple with craftsmanship details.

Pergolas, more than gazebos, can be finished in a variety of ways.  Finished, in this case, is referring to the type of patio roof that you may choose to have.  Classic pergolas have a post and beam design.  More contemporary styles have a roof more typical of a Mediterranean cabana or villa.  In these cases, they could be tiled.  In other instances, a metal patio cover is called for in the design phase.  These can be made of metals such as steel and copper.  Metal roof materials come in a variety of applications including sheeting, “standing seam” and even tiles or shingles.

Some other possible places to check for ideas other than where you are right now in front of your keyboard would include fine home magazines and trade journals.  Occasionally, taking one of those home tours in your areas where designer homes are showcased can give you some ideas regarding your patio.  You can also see samples or portfolios from contractors that you may contact to see what type of experience and ideas they may have.  What ever your covered patio plans call for, there is a design style that can suit your needs.

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The key to the whole party planning thing is having timelines and project to-dos.  That way, you can just look up on your calendar and see what needs to be done that day to ultimately be ready for the big day.  Plus, there is always some cleaning and preparation of your space to be done.  This is where we can talk about how your patio covers vine covered seating area will be the talk of the party.  But, not now, we’ll get to that.  First things first, we have to decide who is coming to the party.  This is among the first steps. You’ll need to come up with a guest list.  This helps to not only get a head count, but also to plan for special seating or food choices.  Hey, who knows, maybe even additional wine, beer or other spirits planning as well depending on the type of crowd you hang around with.  This can all be done about two weeks ahead of the party date.

Your Patio Cover Will Come Into Play, Just Wait

At the one to two week mark, you’ll want to start thinking about hardware.  In other words, do the grills or other appliances work, or do they need some repairs?  Do you need to buy charcoal or gas?  Are all the tablecloths where you think they are?  Have you got the plates and any special order food items taken care of?  This is where you can also do a first stage of cleaning of your patio.  You can start high and work your way down – just like a window washer.  This could mean knocking down any cobwebs that have found their way into or around your patio cover.  Maybe your hanging pergola vine garden is in need of some trimming.  This would be a good time to fix and broken bricks or misplaced pavers and such.  You can also ensure that all your outdoor lighting is working properly.  Check to see if your garden lights or strung patio lights all work.

At about the two to three day mark, you can start shopping for your everything but the perishable food items.  Make sure you know what food you’ll be cooking and when to avoid the frantic serving at the last minute to starving guests phenomenon.  You can clean your grill (again) if you haven’t done this step.  Finish the lighting do another cleaning of your outdoor patio furniture.  Get those patio furniture covers off and make sure the chair cushions are in good shape.  You probably could have done this at the week ago mark.  In any event, do another sweeping of your covered patio and you can hose down any areas that are particularly dusty.

One More Day and the Patio Covers Ultimate Purpose Will Be Revealed

Finally, your guests can enjoy your patio covers presence.

You’re almost there!  On the day just before your big party arrange the furniture and pick up any items that you are borrowing or buying as far as seating, tables, umbrellas, patio heaters and lighting goes.  This is when you can shop for the perishable items that you want to be as fresh and crispy as possible for your guests.  You’ll probably want to do another re-cleaning of your house and the patio area.  It might just require some quick spot or attention cleaning.

After you (or a teenage child) gets the cleaning done, you can prepare as many of your recipes and ingredients as possible.  Thaw what needs to be thawed in the refrigerator.  On the morning of the party, buy the ice, fill the coolers, decorate the tables and lay the table cloths.  Prepare your foods as you have scheduled and make sure your patio is not going to be too hot or wet from your sprinklers turning on in the middle of the whole thing.  You can invest in some patio shades for the areas that your patio cover just doesn’t help you with for shade.  Just before guests begin arriving, you can turn on the music (if you haven’t already been jamming this morning in excitement), set the lighting and get the appropriate drinks open.  Now, sit back relax and enjoy the party with the rest of your guests out on your patio.  You can take the time to enjoy all the hard work and planning that went into your party as well as your patio cover designs that helped create this wonderful setting.

Photo Credit

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Patio covering materials can include fabrics, metal and wood to awnings and canopies.  Before you get to that point, figure out how your structure is going to look and where it will be in relation to your home.  Taking another step back – if you are going to be building this patio, you’ll need to check not only with your home owners association (if you have one) but, quite possibly, your city for proper codes and permits to pull.  If it’s a simple patio structure that you are after, it will likely need no permits, just HOA approval in most cases.

Types of Metal Patio Covers

Corrugated metal roofs can create great patio covers.

Aluminum patio covers are probably the most common type of metal cover.  This is because of their light weight and ease of assembly.  All they would require to install are simple tools that most do-it-your-selfers have at home – a drill, hammer,  jig saw, caulking gun, metal snips (possibly) and some standard tools that would be required like a ladder, tape measure, etc.  Sometimes, in areas where a more rustic feel is desired, steel sheeting can be used.  This ages to have a nice rusty patina to it.  Like an old barn or some similar look.  These roofs can still be seen on structures many decades old, so you know they hold up.

Other Patio Cover Ideas

Wooden patio covers can take many different styles.  Sometimes, the patio is simply covered like one would with an extension on a home being used as a sunroom.  The walls are either open between the posts, mesh netting could be framed between the posts to allow air to flow but bugs out or even retractable awnings could be used to provide shade.  Patios are versatile structures.  It could be covered with a post and beam type layout and be called a pergola or even a gazebo with enough attention to the roof detail in the structure.  Typically, pergolas have flatter patio roofs, whereas a gazebo has a more angled appearance and can even have an actual wooden roof.    Again, pergola and gazebo covers could have patio awnings that serve to provide more shade when necessary. Finally, we realize that some people feel that they lack the skill to design and install an aluminum or canvas patio cover that is custom made to the patio space that needs to be covered. For those who are not inclined to install a fixed patio covering, there is always the option of buying one of the many Retractable Motorized Awnings that are available on the market. However, even retractable awnings that can be opened and rolled up either with an awning motor or with a hand crank will require installation. If you are not handy enough to make your own canvas or aluminum patio cover, then you would probably be better off, if you paid someone to install your retractable motorized awning for you, as well.

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