Summer Heat Retreat in Your Backyard: Patio Design Ideas 2014 Home Improvement by Hannah Whittenly - April 9, 2014April 23, 2014 The summer will here before you know it, and it’s never too soon to start thinking about creating a more comfortable patio space. Whether you have a wood deck or an elegant flagstone patio, you want to keep it cool and welcoming when the temperature starts to rise. Here are a few design ideas for creating a great patio that you’ll enjoy throughout the summer. Start With Food When I think summer, I think about barbecue and lemonade. So bring this element to your patio with a food prep area. Get a propane grill for basic outdoor cooking, a range grill installed with outdoor counter tops for a more luxury look, or a smoker to fill your patio will the delicious aroma of true southern barbecue. Outdoor refrigerators built to withstand the elements are becoming popular as well. Image Credit : https://www.flickr.com Fire Pit As the Center of Focus The patio of your home is where you’ll want to relax during the day, but at night you might prefer to gather around a nice campfire. Even when it’s hot, the fire is nice for ambience and keeping mosquitos away. Flagstone is a beautiful compliment to an outdoor fireplace, but you could also easily make your own DIY firepit with a shovel, sand, and cheap edging from home depot. Image Credit : https://www.flickr.com/ Levels and Layers If you’re building and designing your dream patio, consider different levels. You can have a dining area closer to the house with a lower section for the fire pit. Put an outdoor kitchen off to the side in another level. Using different levels with connecting stairs allows you to clearly define areas for different purposes. It also adds visual appeal and ensures that your guests will be impressed. If you’re going with stone or concrete, you’ll need to grade your soil accordingly. You can incorporate wood structures to add different levels of your patio, benches and steps. Image Credit : http://www.glinorcal.com Cover Your Patio A good canopy or awning adds shade from the sun and shelter from the rain. Make sure that you match the right style cover with your patio and that you get one that won’t fall apart on you after a few summers. You can find the right style cover for your home at U.S. Canvas and Awning. This is a great addition to the food prep area because it protects those more complex appliances from the wear and tear of the weather and sun. If a patio is properly done, it enhances the relaxed atmosphere. Image Credit : http://www.ahoegee.com Whether you go with a canopy or decide to have a sprawling patio with different layers, you can design a patio retreat that you’ll enjoy throughout the summer months. The right patio will suit your purposes as a family and be a welcoming area that you’ll never grow weary of. In addition to making your own retreat, you might also increase the value of your home.