The patio is a very important part of any home. It’s the place where you can have parties, small get-togethers, or just have some fun by yourself outdoors. Like any other area of your home though, the way it is designed will have a big impact on how much you and your guests will enjoy spending time there. Since there’s no point having a patio that no one likes, here are a few tips to help you get the perfect design that’ll delight your family and friends to no end:

Try a Different Approach – Many people design their patios the same way they designed the interiors of their homes; with the same colors, patterns and fabric types. That might be easier, but it’s not necessarily the best way.

One way to do it is to make your patio a whole other world by taking a completely different approach to the design. That will instill some sense of adventure and fun into the space, since it’ll be so different from everywhere else.

Consider the Climate - Although professional patio design companies such as Patio Productions take this as a top priority when designing a patio, many people skip it, resulting in a patio that might look good but is often not very comfortable.

The reason is that different materials react to sunlight and moisture in varying ways, and if you do not consider how exposed your patio will be to the elements, you might end up with a patio that’s too hot or unable to resist rainfall. This applies to everything from the tiles and the canopy (if you have one) to the furniture you’ll be placing there.

Watch the Patterns – Patterns are great ways to bring color and personality into any space, but you will need to take care with your patio to ensure that you don’t overload the design. The reason why patios are different from interior spaces when it comes to patterns is that while interior walls, floors and ceilings are largely bare and can be made to look however you want, there are naturally occurring patterns in the surroundings of your patio.

The foliage, trees and even the other buildings could form some patterns and have some colors that could make the whole design appear confused if you don’t factor them into the arrangements. You can do this by attempting to change what you can of the surroundings or just modify your design to take advantage of what’s already there.

Maximize its Purpose - While it might seem like a good idea to tailor your design solely to a particular kind of activity, you should consider varying some elements in the design so you’ll be able to use the space for family dining as well as hosting small cocktails, for instance.

This will involve using multi-purpose furniture or ones that can be rearranged to suit other functions. Alternatively, you could have two or more sets, depending on the size of the patio and what you intend to use it for.