When you're ready to have a new patio built, you want to incorporate many features into the patio as it's being built, rather than assuming you can add them later; you may not adequately plan for the space needed for certain features and find they're cumbersome to add once the patio is completed. Your builder will no doubt have some suggestions for making your patio space comfortable and welcoming, but note a few here so you can discuss these with him and her while plans are still being drawn up.
1. Fire
It's good to incorporate an outdoor fire pit, fireplace, or other such feature into your patio design before it's built, to ensure that nothing is built around that area that may be combustible and a fire risk, and to ensure the fire area has good ventilation. You also want to place the fire feature in an area where you'll enjoy the view and the warmth; putting it in the back of the patio may mean an obscured view or not having the heat reach you on cool autumn nights. Whatever your preference for a fire area, discuss it with your builder before work begins.
2. Recycling center
If you and your family recycle, you may not want the bins in the home, taking up space in the kitchen. But just putting plastic bins on the patio can be very unsightly, so discuss how to build them into a wall or other such area with your builder. He or she may construct a separate, enclosed recycling center that doesn't detract from the look of your patio while still keeping the bins handy and convenient to use.
3. Music
If you enjoy listening to music when on the patio, have your builder wire speakers and the stereo system into the patio itself. This will keep the wires from being exposed and allow you to place the speakers somewhere that is out of the way of foot traffic and that keeps them unobtrusive as well.
4. Built-in cooler
Unless you're having an outdoor kitchen built with your patio, you might consider a built-in cooler. This allows you to fill the cooler with ice and keep drinks handy. A built-in cooler usually has a drain that directs onto your lawn, keeping you from having to manually empty the cooler once the ice melts. Very often a built-in cooler can even act as a bench seat, allowing it to do double duty.
For more ideas, talk to a patio builder about your needs for your yard.
Share13 May 2016
My yard is in the shade of both of my neighbour's homes for most of the day which makes it quite hard to grow some of my favourite plants. Even though the yard is shady I still want it to have some nice look ground cover and be a cool place to entertain people. I have used a combination of shade resistant plants and pavers to create a lovely space that is good for entertaining all year round. This blog has some tips on creating a pleasant atmosphere in your shady backyard, particularly if you have a yard that is too shady to grow many kinds of plants.