Incorporating a Brick Patio in Your Modern Wheaton, IL, Backyard
Integrating a brick patio well suited to your Wheaton, IL, home’s modern backyard requires a lot of careful consideration when it comes to choosing materials and making design decisions. Here are the important details you’ll want to consider when designing your modern patio.
Choosing the Right Colors
Choosing the right colors for your patio pavers is the first step to making sure your patio integrates well into your home’s design. Modern patios generally favor subdued hues, predominantly in the gray to white spectrum. More importantly, the colors should match the exterior of your home to help keep the entire design consolidated. You can always add a touch of drama and contrasting colors by choosing more vivid pavers for borders and accents to help your patio stand out.
Paver Texture and Design
Choosing the right paver design and texture is as vitally important as choosing the right color. Modern landscape design is characterized by smooth surface finishes and textures, clean edges, and sharp, straight lines. You probably want to choose a paver that ticks all these boxes and stay away from more traditional paver designs. Complement your modern pavers with an equally clean and minimalist laying pattern that helps set a modern tone for the entire patio’s design.
Patio Furniture
With the important hardscaping considerations out of the way, it’s time to choose the right patio furnishings. For seating, choose minimalist patio furniture that has a clean design and feature predominantly straight lines with minimal curves in the construction. The colors should ideally comply with the same rules as the patio pavers, but you can choose more vivid colors if you feel your patio could use some brightening up. Stick with more modern construction materials such as metal and glass to complete the look.
Softscaping
No landscape design is complete without some greenery, and this holds for modern patios as well. Choose rectangular planters and pots and neat plants without too many irregularities. If you have flowerbeds and hedges surrounding the patio and the walkways leading to it, make sure they are well maintained with straight, consistent edges and well-ordered plants.
Fire and Water Features
Every patio needs a focal point, and that’s a fitting role for a fire pit or water feature. For modern patios, a square or rectangular fire pit balances the rustic appeal of a traditional fire pit while still complying with the modern design language. If you want something more modern, a fire table with a glass surface or marble surface is also an option. For water features, you’ll want to stay away from traditional water fountains and ponds, and instead choose a minimalist water feature such as a modern waterfall with a clean and consistent water flow and good lighting.
Landscape Lighting
Designing a proper lighting plan is the last step for a modern patio and is not only important from a design perspective but also to ensure the safety and security of your backyard. As a general rule, choose subtle lighting that is well-placed and unobtrusive. Recessed lighting works wonderfully in modern patios as it is inconspicuous and understated. For sconces and path lights, choose minimalist holders in subtle colors to comply with the overall landscape design.
