If you have a small garden but want to enjoy all the benefits of having a small patio, you absolutely can. You’ll just need a few small patio ideas up your sleeve.
In fact, many of the best patio ideas can be translated across to a tiny space – you’ll just need to figure out some clever ways to plant, landscape and furnish it.
Article continues below
1. Choose light colours
Colour rules apply in the garden just as they do inside the home. In fact, opting for lighter hues is one of the best ways to make a small garden feel bigger, and therefore a brilliant small patio idea.
‘Light-coloured dining chairs, tables and loungers often suit the spring vibe and create a fresh, clean look in the garden,’ says Emma Cottrell, marketing manager at luxury furniture brand BoConcept. ‘White outdoor furniture also looks especially good in contrast to the deep greens of garden plants, shrubs and trees.’
This Habitat Elara 2 Seater Metal Garden Bistro Set from Argos is perfect for small patios.
2. Make use of every inch for furniture
You can combine your favourite outdoor furniture with your small patio ideas, but if you want to include a full dining set, then take time to consider the layout.
Low garden walls can be utilised to work as ad hoc bench seating, for example. Simply add a few comfy seat cushions when needed. When the extra seating isn’t required, the table can be pushed right into the corner, saving you precious square footage.
As a bonus, it’s a great example of small patio ideas on a budget, since you won’t have to buy a full set of dining chairs.
3. Raise the beds
Building raised beds is a great way to ensure you can plant what you want to plant without taking up much space. It’s also an easy way to screen your garden, if you grow taller plants in the beds.
You’ll want to steer away from wooden structures and instead choose a sleek material that either matches or aligns with the patio paving for a cohesive and contemporary space.
4. Add a useful framework
Assembling a wooden structure over a patio, be it using beams, rafters or a pergola, not only adds substance to a small patio, but gives you a framework to suspend lighting from. Fairy lights work particularly well here, as the generous lengths of wire are perfect for threading over, through, under and around posts and beams.
When you’re hunting for fairy lights, choose warm white ones like these from Amazon over bright white bulbs, as they’ll emit more of an ethereal glow (thus enhancing the romantic feel), and plump for white or transparent wiring, which will be less visible than black.
If your small patio resides in a sunny spot, an overhead structure will provide garden shade as well as a useful frame for guiding easy climbing plants such as clematis and ivy to climb up. Even more enticingly, you could cultivate a mini orchard by planting climbing fruit plants (such as grapes and berries), adding colour, scent and fresh food!
5. Choose slim furniture
Chunky garden dining armchairs may look comfy and inviting, but position them around an equally hefty dining table, and poof! Your small patio will visually shrink. Slimmer options will not only physically take up less room, but won’t block out any light, thus maximising the feeling of a small space.
A generous clearance underneath the table and chairs will afford you a clear view from the indoors out, too.
Opt for a narrow table with a slim top and simple, streamlined legs (ones that are set at an angle rather than just straight up and down will look more modern) and team with a set of skinny dining chairs with slinky legs.
6. Refresh the space
Something as simple as differentiating the area with a fresh coat of paint can work wonders if you’re looking for patio ideas on a budget. If you don’t have time to make much more of a change, then this could be perfect for you.
Get to work with one of the best pressure washers for the pavers, too, and the area will feel even more refreshed.
7. Embrace the power of pattern
To make a small space stand out, using floor tiles that are patterned is an easy but effective patio paving idea.
‘Patterned tiles create interest and add contrast to what can otherwise be a bland space,’ agrees Colin Lincoln-Evans, buyer at Tile Mountain. ‘Plus, they don’t have to cover the entire area to be effective. For a small patio, using a large tile with a simple pattern will minimise the grout lines and ensure the space doesn’t look cluttered’.
Another benefit of using large tiles to floor a small patio is that you won’t need many of them, saving you time, money and effort. Consider choosing porcelain tiles over ceramic ones; the latter option is the cheaper one, but the manufacturing process of porcelain tiles makes them ultra resistant to staining, cracking and UV fading, arguably making them a more sensible choice in the long run.
8. Creat an immersive planting scheme
Large planters and troughs can take up masses of space on a small patio, so incorporating them into seating instead is a clever idea. Plus, a bespoke seating area will utilise all the nooks and crannies that your space has, and can be tailored to your taste. This Outsunny 37L Wooden Garden Planter & Bench from Amazon, for example, offers seating and planting space in one unit.
Plants like ferns are easy to maintain, and all that lush greenery will add colour and personality to your patio. Check which plants need full sun, shade or a bit of both, before you buy, though.
9. Form a clear walkway
Just like in a bedroom, where pushing a bed up against a wall, rather than in the middle of the room, can free up floor space, the same applies to a small patio.
To further enhance the space, choose straight-edged over curved furniture that can sit flush against a wall or fence. You want to create a clear pathway, but balance the positioning of the furniture so you have equal amounts on either side.
Soft furnishing such as cushions, throws and tablecloths will break up the straight lines, adding pattern and personality along the way.
10. Add soft pastels
A pastel colour palette will help with keeping your small patio ideas light, but with the added bonus of creating a pretty look that’s full of charm and cheer. The key is to mix and match three to four harmonious hues – this will ensure a sense of style and cohesion, and keep it from looking monotonous.
On a practical note, when it comes to patio chairs, light shades won’t absorb the sun as much as dark ones, so they’ll be cooler to the touch when those heat waves hit.
11. Use a mirror to double the space
The still-going-strong penchant for garden mirror ideas has resulted in a seemingly endless choice of styles, shapes and sizes to appease all tastes. But they’re not just pretty faces! Position them with precision, and they can double the size, light and beauty of a small patio.
Seek out one that’s long and rectangular to reflect a view that’s panoramic. It’s also important to choose one that’s plain and simple – that means no fussy features nor fancy frames – as you want to enhance the illusion of space, rather than the mirror itself.
Be mindful of where and how you hang it, too. It needs to be positioned at eye level and opposite the nicest view (because who wouldn’t want a double injection of beauty!) and somewhere that frequently catches the sun.
12. Consider a pack-away patio
If your small patio is directly outside your indoor living space, you may want to keep sightlines into the garden clear and unfussy.
Be extra savvy with your furniture choices, too – chairs that can be stacked or folded and packed away in a finger click will tick the practicality box but put equal importance on good looks – beach or director-style chairs with a canvas seat and back look and feel smart and comfy.
Team with one or two butler tray tables – they are brilliant space savers, can be stored away speedily, look chic and are budget friendly.
13. Define the space with a rug
An outdoor rug has been a ‘thing’ now for a good few seasons, and for good reason. They deliver on so many levels – from softening decking underfoot and adding pattern and colour, to anchoring furniture and defining the space. Oh, and as they are so affordable, they’re a brilliant idea for small patio ideas on a budget.
‘We have seen a huge increase in demand for garden furnishings such as cushions and rugs, ‘ says Joanne from Homescapes. ‘They are popular as they offer a quick update to upgrade your patio spaces easily, plus, they can give the illusion of a larger space.’
14. Trick the eye with a feature wall
Feature walls can be just as effective outdoors as they are indoors, but as wallpaper isn’t an option, consider a canvas or tiled mural instead. Not only will it look beautiful and turn heads, it’ll be the focus of the patio, taking the attention away from the patio (and its smallness) itself. In fact, choosing one wall that goes across the whole width of your patio will make the small garden space look bigger and wider.
Murals also get brownie points for their escapist qualities – choose a botanical scene or water feature to evoke a sense of tranquillity, a walled garden with a beguiling mirror to blur the lines between reality and fairy tale fantasy or a sun, sea and sand setting to transport you straight to a tropical island.
A small patio can easily become overcrowded, making it harder to enjoy the space, but there are a few design tricks that can make your patio feel bigger. Working in some patio ideas and focusing on what you use the area for can help create a more relaxed, enjoyable outdoor space.
A patio can easily become cluttered with furniture so choosing the right pieces is key. ‘When optimising space in (and decluttering) a small patio, a great idea is to use multipurpose furniture like a storage ottoman or daybed. Not only can you store items, but it’s easier to plan efficiently with modular furniture that has a smaller footprint,’ explains Nicolene Mausenbaum, director of Dezyna Interiors.
Planting is another small patio idea that can help make the space feel bigger. By using plants to hide fencing and create a more natural setting, a patio can feel less cramped and much more inviting.
How to make a small patio look bigger
There are lots of ways to make a small garden look bigger, and the same applies to patios. Here are our favourite ways to make a small patio look larger than it really is.
- Use garden mirrors: Mirrors are often used indoors when we want to make a room feel bigger, and it’s an idea that also works outdoors. Place them on walls or fences to create the illusion of more space on a small patio.
- Choose multipurpose furniture: To make the most of the limited space you have, choose furniture that serves more than one purpose, like storage benches or shelved outdoor coffee tables, for example. The less cluttered your garden furniture is, the bigger a small patio will feel.
- Use the same tiles in and out: Laying the same tiles inside and outside can help blur the boundaries and make your patio feel bigger. Porcelain and limestone tiles, for example, create a seamless look.
- Use planting to hide boundaries: Planting is a great way to hide ugly fences and walls, and make you feel more immersed in nature. Climbing plants and taller varieties can make a small patio feel bigger by hiding its perimeter and creating the illusion of a larger space.
- Think about the type of pavers: The direction you lay your pavers is key to how big the space will feel. Usually, longer, plank-like tiles will make a small patio feel bigger, as well as larger tiles with rectified edges and fewer grout joints, according to Colin Lincoln-Evans, buyer at Tile Mountain.
- Play with lighter colours: Keeping things light and bright is another way to make a patio feel spacious. Whites, creams and pastels can make a small patio feel airier, open and bigger than it really is. If your patio is already laid, try opting for lighter fence colours, furniture and accessories instead.
Rules to ignore when designing a small patio
We’ve covered the dos for small patio ideas, but there are a few rules out there that are best avoided. These are the ones to steer clear of…
- Everything needs to match – Garden furniture sets and furnishings don’t always need to follow a scheme. Sometimes, mixing colours and materials up can add charm to a patio, whereas matching sets can sometimes feel flat on a small patio. Ultimately, it depends on your own style and target aesthetic.
- Keep accessories minimal – Firmly on the list of outdated rules to ignore when designing a small patio is to keep everything minimalistic. Less isn’t always more, and you can rewrite this rule and go big with accessories to customise a small space. Lanterns, string lights, outdoor rugs and even small sculptures are all brilliant ways to make a small patio more eclectic.
- Use the same material – You don’t have to stick to one material if you’re laying or expanding a small patio. Mixing multiple materials can add more depth to a small space and even make it feel bigger than it really is. Porcelain with gravel is a great example.
- Avoid using vertical space – Some experts suggest that vertical features like privacy screens and trellises can make a small patio feel smaller, but it’s important to take advantage of that space when room on the ground is limited. Hanging baskets, living walls and even small pergolas are fantastic at providing small patios with more greenery.
Yougarden at QVC
Brooklyn Faux Rock Planters
John Lewis
John Lewis Salsa Garden Chair, Set of 2
Dunelm
Jaipur Indoor Outdoor Traditional Rug
Is patio or decking better for a small garden?
There are plenty of brilliant small garden decking ideas and small patio ideas out there, so the choice is largely a matter of personal preference. However, there are a few things to consider before diving into one or the other.
‘Although there is no right or wrong, a patio will likely be more space efficient as it is often a lower profile and doesn’t need to be raised like a deck,’ says Isabel Fernandez, marketing director at Quorn Stone.
However, it is also worth remembering that a patio can be a costly choice. ‘Depending on the materials you choose, the initial cost of a patio can sometimes be higher than that it would be to build a basic deck,’ warns Lee. This is especially true when it comes to considering materials and drainage options, which are essential to prevent risks of waterlogging and flooding.
If you have a sloping garden, though, or the ground is uneven, decking can be the better choice. It can look a bit softer than paving, and you won’t need all of the groundwork that patios require before installation.
However, it’s worth remembering that decking requires high maintenance to prevent common issues like rotting, staining and fading and if not cared for properly, wood decking can have a short lifespan, potentially making it a more expensive option in the long run.
There are countless small patio ideas to choose from! Which will you be trying in your garden this year?
Read the full article here