Patio Trends and Tips!

"--Defining it. Today's patio is an outdoor surface used for lounging, eating, playing and entertaining. It is usually located adjacent to a major access point of a home, such as the kitchen, or perhaps off the master bedroom, and could include a hot tub as well as a table and chairs. Also, says Bob Dahm of Villa Landscapes, a division of Patio Town, "front-entry patios are becoming very big people are striving for that front-porch feeling."

--Natural look. "The trends are going more toward the natural products, seeking more of an English garden look that stone provides," says Craig Primoli of Yardmasters Landscapes of Stillwater, Minn. "

--Stone products. Among natural stone products, shoppers at Rivard Stone Inc. in Somerset, Wis., like the Chilton stone, which comes in shades of gray, buff and lavender. New York bluestone also is popular, says co-owner Mike Rivard. In addition, Gino Pitera of Gertens says consumers also like the goldish-blond Kasota stone and the grayish to reddish granite from Cold Spring, Minn.

--Stone and clay. "People today want more choice in colors, patterns and styles" for their patio surfaces, says Pitera. "Stone and clay brick are emerging from that." Primoli favors natural stone and clay brick pavers for the more natural look that holds its color through time. "Concrete pavers have had their heydey in the last 10 years, but they will fade over time and are susceptible to salt damage," he says.

--Uneven surfaces? "The natural look is coming back, but the risk in using them in patios is trying to get a good, usable, flat surface. It's very hard to get real stone flat and smooth," says Dahm. He recommends using natural stone as accent pieces in the yard and patio.

--Concrete trends. Concrete pavers are an entrenched trend but still popular, says Dahm. "In the past five years, it's become super strong. I think more people feel secure in spending money on it as they become more familiar with the product and see that it is a good product to use with our freeze-thaw cycle." Pavers that have been tumbled to look weathered are the hottest trend today in concrete.

--Pricing patios. Roughly, including materials and labor, the traditional poured concrete patio might cost $5 to $8 per square foot; concrete pavers might cost $15 to $25 a square foot, depending on site conditions; clay pavers about $17 to $20 a square foot; and fine stone about $30 to $35 a square foot or more. To put those numbers in perspective, a good-size patio might run about 400 square feet.

--Decorate it. Homeowners want to decorate their patios, too. Dahm says that "I suggest they use large containers around the patio for plants instead of leaving holes to plant in, which can become maintenance headaches." He says homeowners often like simple, low-maintenance plants such as petunias for the sun and impatiens for the shade. Also, "in maybe half of the patios we do, clients want arbors and trellises," says Primoli.

--New books. Books to read: "Courtyards & Patios: Designing and Landscaping Elegant Outdoor Spaces" by Chuck Crandall and Barbara Crandall (Friedman/Fairfax Publishers); "Courtyard Gardens" by Toby Musgrave (Hearst Books); "Patio Roofs & Gazebos" edited by Don Vandervort (Sunset).

- Molly Millett
Knight Ridder Newspapers