With an average of 297 sunny days in El Paso, it’s almost sinful to neglect the possibilities of outdoor living available to us here in the Sun City. Our breathtaking sunsets and cool summer nights are there for the taking. So will you experience them in style? With a small fire pit, people can even enjoy an outdoor meal in the middle of winter. And yet, a patio is another room of your home; it requires planning and a design that fits your needs, square footage, and style. When you work with Padilla Homes, you get qualified designers and architects, but you get the ability to experience your design with our 3-D models and really search for the perfect and modern outdoor living space design that complements your luxury home. The outside of your home is an extension and part of the final product, so we don’t take it lightly. So let’s talk about outdoor living.

From Pastures to Living Outdoors

The word ‘patio’ comes from the Spanish and originates from pati or patu, which means pasture, or the land behind a house. In more rural times and areas, patios were used to keep the animals safe. As cities sprouted, however, the word came to mean the space behind the house and it adopted a function of an outdoor living room, entertainment space, and a blank slate for beautiful landscaping, vegetations, pools, and other amenities.

The Best Patio Design is Created With Function in Mind

As a custom home builder, we work and design based on the homeowner’s needs. This is how we make the decisions about the best floor plans, the size of the rooms, living spaces, and even the materials. The patio is no different. Quality patio design is not just the leftover space outside of the home, it can be designed with function and beauty in mind.

Space. – Many homeowners take their outdoor living space very seriously. Other not so much. So first you want to think about just how much outdoor living you might be engaging in and some of your individual considerations like the age of your children, pets, whether you intend to put in a pool, and the frequency with which you entertain. Many homeowners will find that they never entertained outdoors before because their outside spaces were not particularly considered and thus seemed bland and boring. Not to worry! We can remedy this.

When thinking about a patio, consider the amount of space that you would like to see paved vs the space you want for garden, grass, or landscaping. Modern patio design does a lot to balance these design concepts. This also depends on your square footage and the layout of your home. We can help you with this. Whether you are looking for comfort for 2 or 20, if properly considered, the space will be an inviting paradise. You might even want to sleep outside on those hot summer evenings!

Harmony and Cohesion. – As home designers, we think of things in terms of the big picture. There is no isolated area of the home; everything is interconnected and speaks to the beauty and performance of the whole house. When thinking about your patio, you want it to complement the design of your home, use similar materials, and even maintain similar design principles or characteristics. This will keep the entire design cohesive.

Design and Materials. – A key to the design is thinking about lines and edges, as well as creating contrast and balance with other features of your home. This might depend on the materials and colors used throughout your custom build. There are many ways to go about it. Some of the most popular materials used in outside spaces include:

• Natural stone in mosaic or natural patterns
• Brick
• Slate
• Wood panels

In terms of features, your patio can be covered or uncovered. You might choose to create a half-covered area or add some cooking amenities. Popular features in patio design include:

• Pergola
• Outdoor lighting fixtures and design
• Built-in barbeque
• Outdoor kitchen
• An outdoor fireplace or custom fireplace
• Water features
• Sitting walls or benches
• Pathways and cobblestones

What Are Some Common Questions When It Comes to Patio Design?

The possibilities are truly endless. Sometimes this makes it harder for people to decide how to finalize a design. Doing too much can be detrimental and underbuilding can undermine the space. Some of the questions we see often include:

Will you consider the orientation of the patio?

For builders and architects, the orientation of the home is a big deal. It might not get talked about much, but it really has an effect on your home. We ensure that your patio has a good orientation to the sun, so that we make full use of natural light cycles and highlight the surrounding landscape.

Can you build additional features of the patio?

We can build anything. This will be up to you and the design that we come up with together. We have built everything from paved open patios to half-enclosed patios with ceiling fans and a beach-resort feel.

Get Beauty and Transcendence in Your Outdoor Living

A patio is a place for community gatherings or quiet solitude. It bends to your needs and lifestyle. A solid plan will ensure that the furnishing or any additions you make will all be cohesive with the rest of your home. If you’re ready to talk about custom building, call a builder that will guide you through the process, provide real-time 3-D models, and has more than thirty years of experience. Call Padilla Homes and see what’s possible when design meets experience.