• Brick pavers anchor this lakeside patio.table with a view image by Cathy Kovarik from Fotolia.com
  
  Patios serve a variety of functions like out door kitchen and dining room, fresh air living room and even meditation area. However, its main purpose is to be an outdoor space where you can relax, entertain and enjoy nature in the privacy of your own yard.
  
  

Location

• The size of your yard in part determines the size of your patio. Study your yard. Become familiar with how the sun moves over it. Think about how you want your patio situated. If you have mature trees, locate the patio so that they contribute to shading. Look at your yard's topography. Situate your patio on a level spot. If privacy is an issue, consider planting a hedge or putting up a privacy fence.
  
  

Materials

• If you are planning a rustic space, consider large fieldstones with ground cover planted between them. Herbs, like creeping thyme, work well fand release a pleasant scent when walk on. If your taste runs to the traditional, go with brick pavers. Price the materials. If you want a brick patio but your budget won't stretch that far, consider a less expensive option like stamped concrete, which will give you the same basic style for less money.
  
  

Coverings

• If you decide to cover your patio, you have a variety of choices. A pergola filters the sunlight through the climbing plants that grow up its support columns and across the lattice top. Trumpet vines, wisteria, grapevine and climbing roses are good choices. Awnings protect you from the sun's rays and heat. They come in variety of materials and colors from traditional canvas to durable aluminum. You may choose to cover your entire patio or leave past of it exposed to the elements.