The approach of summer is the perfect opportunity to spend more time outdoors, and if you're lucky enough to have your own outdoor space, then you will no doubt want to make the most of it during the warmer months.
Patios are the perfect place to relax, socialize, and entertain friends and family in the sweet summer air. If you're not already in love with your patio, maybe it needs a makeover. After all, just because your patio is small, that doesn't mean it can't make a big statement! In this article, we're sharing 30 gorgeous small patio ideas to inspire you and help you create the perfect outdoor space to relax this summer.
Small Landscaped Patio
This beautifully landscaped patio area is the perfect place to retreat to on a summer evening. With two stylish wooden chairs and a stone bench seating area built into the wall, there is plenty of seating to entertain a group of friends or family.
Adding cushions and throws is a great way to add personality to your patio area, making the area feel more homely and comfortable.
Sunny Courtyard Patio
This sunny courtyard patio features a simple yet stylish design, which balances a mixture of curves and clean lines with a simple gray and neutral color palette. A water feature takes center stage here, as the cool running water creates a relaxing feeling and the illusion of dining by the waterside---perfect for summer!
Water features are the perfect way to add a little life to a small courtyard or patio, so if you feel your space needs a little something extra, a water feature can make a huge difference.
Stylish Seating Area
This stylish seating area creates the perfect space to relax during the day in the warmer summer months. A large white parasol provides ample shade where it's needed, while the addition of cushions and an outdoor rug make this space almost feel like a second living room. Potted palms in baskets finish off the look perfectly, adding a beachy feel to this patio area.
A Harbour View
This beautiful harbourside balcony has a simple, chic design which allows the beautiful view to take center stage here.
If you're lucky enough to live by the water, make the most of it by using a clear glass balustrade around your patio or balcony. This will help to shelter you from the wind while providing a seamless view of the water below.
Sociable Seating
This small patio area uses an eclectic mix of furniture, which gives it a fun, contemporary feel. The addition of a hanging chair adds a bohemian look to this patio, making it the perfect place to relax and socialize with friends.
The use of smaller lightweight coffee tables makes it easy to change the layout of this area, depending on whether you are entertaining guests or not.
Two-Tiered Outdoor Seating Area
A two-tiered patio area provides two distinct seating areas: one area to dine and a second to relax and socialize. Both areas are fairly small, but this unusual layout makes it feel a lot more interesting. A two-tiered layout is a great solution if your garden is an awkward shape.
Cozy Firepit
This small patio area is the perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine on a summer evening. Two comfortable chairs and a stone wall provide plenty of seating to gather around the fire pit.
Fire pits are a great option if you like to stay out later in the evening. Not only do they create warmth and a cozy glow as it starts to get cooler in the evening, but they also create a focal point within the patio for everyone to gather around.
An Area to Relax
A neutral palette gives this small patio area a warm, welcoming feeling, inviting guests to sit back and relax on a warm summer's evening. With a marble table and stylish pillar candles in lanterns, this patio area just oozes sophistication.
If you're looking for a stylish but low-maintenance option for your patio, gravel stones are a great option. They are easy to install, and with the addition of a landscape barrier, will discourage any weed growth. This will ensure that your patio looks beautiful all year round with very little maintenance.
Elegant Patio Dining Area
This elegant patio area features a stylish wooden dining table and chairs, along with a classic white parasol for shade during the day. Potted plants and trees add life and color to this wonderful outdoor space.
Adding potted plants and trees is the perfect way to create a garden feeling on your patio, even if you don't actually have access to your own garden.
Whimsical Victorian Inspired Patio
This Victorian-inspired patio area showcases furniture, and accessories from the era, along with some fun patterns and textures which give this patio a whimsical, dreamy feel. The addition of a framed oil painting on the wall along with ivy trailing up the wall blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors beautifully.
You can recreate this look in your own patio by bringing objects and furniture that would typically belong inside the home, outside---just remember to bring them in again if they are not weatherproof.
A Tropical Escape
A tropical retreat has been created in this small patio, providing the perfect place to relax outdoors. A wooden pergola provides shade for the hottest part of the day, and a bamboo fence shields the patio from the rest of the world, creating a peaceful haven.
A Desert Retreat
This simple patio design is the perfect place to watch the sunset in the evenings. A classic iron table provides space for dining and socializing in this stunning setting.
If you live in a warmer climate, cactuses are the perfect low-maintenance plant for a patio. They require very little water, and many will provide beautiful, colorful flowers that will brighten up your terrace as they bloom.
Charming Outdoor Seating Area
A patio heater provides the perfect focal point for this outdoor seating area, providing warmth in the evenings, as well as a cozy glow. A beautiful outdoor rug adds color and pattern, making this space feel inviting and homely.
Outdoor rugs area a great option for anywhere you spend a lot of time outdoors. They help to anchor the space, as well as making the area feel more comfortable and soft underfoot.
Colorful Contemporary Patio
Bright blue Moroccan-style tiles give this small patio area a splash of color and show just how easy it is to add personality and life to any outdoor space, no matter the size.
Cushions are the perfect way to add color to your patio area. They make the space more comfortable and can easily be changed with the season or your mood!
Small Courtyard Patio
This gorgeous little patio shows that small certainly doesn't have to be boring. An abundance of plants and trees turn this small city patio into an oasis away from the world, creating a beautiful space to spend time outdoors. A built-in barbeque area and a fitted bench provide all the equipment you need to enjoy spending time outdoors in the summer.
Using artificial grass is an easy and low-maintenance way for city dwellers to recreate the look and feel of a garden on a patio or balcony.
Tropical Garden Patio
Splashes of color in the ceramic side tables and cushions bring this small patio area to life, giving it a fun, tropical feel. Although this area is on the smaller side, there is still plenty of space for people to gather, with the addition of a cushioned bench behind the table.
Funky Patio Garden
This pretty patio area is brought to life with beautiful mosaic designs embedded in the walls. This catches the light and adds fun and personality to the space. Cushions and flowers in the same hot pink tie everything together.
Urban Patio Design
This urban patio design features a living wall, which brings the space to life and adds something a little unusual to the design. A teal wall adds a splash of color, along with a blue outdoor rug and ottoman, which helps to recreate the look and comfort of a living room.
There are lots of benefits to using living walls in a patio area, including reducing the temperature, reducing air pollution, and of course, improving your sense of well-being.
Organic Shapes
The curves of this patio furniture mirror the curves of the stone patio, creating a wonderfully organic design. The Japanese-style garden and natural rock formations add a sense of tranquility to the space, making the perfect outdoor retreat.
Contemporary Courtyard
Contemporary wooden walls provide plenty of privacy for this small patio area, while natural moss fills the space between the traditional cobblestones. The moss creates a soft natural carpet between each stone that will soak up any rainwater in this enclosed space.
Natural Materials
This small patio area belonging to an alpine lodge showcases natural materials that blend beautifully with the landscape surrounding it. Weathered wood shelters the area, while a small glass balustrade allows you to see through to the trees below.
A Contemporary Fire Pit
A contemporary fire pit adds something unique to this patio area, contrasting with the traditional stone wall to create the perfect mix of old and new. Modern outdoor seating provides a comfortable space for gathering with friends, and splashes of color are added in with the cushions and ceramic planters.
A Colorful Terrace
This small patio area is packed full of personality, with brightly colored furniture, and a screen of bamboo growing up the wall. Although the area itself isn't very big, the layout of the furniture allows several people to gather together comfortably in this shady outdoor space.
Transitional Patio
This transitional patio area features a traditional brick design, which makes the space feel warm and inviting. A modern wicker table and chairs provide space to comfortably eat and socialize in this charming outdoor space, while a classic white umbrella provides shade during the hottest part of the day.
Mediterranian Style Patio
Hanging baskets bring color and life to this beautiful, sunny, Mediterranean-style patio, which overlooks the stunning Californian landscape. The design itself is effortlessly chic, featuring stylish metal and glass furniture with simple white cushions.
Hanging baskets are one of the easiest ways to add color and beauty to a patio area without needing to plant anything in the ground. Hanging baskets of scented flowers will add to the beauty and elegance of your patio area, whilst keeping them out of the way of pets and children, and giving you more floor space.
Italian Chic
This simple Italian-style patio provides the perfect space to relax outdoors. An outdoor fireplace provides a focal point for the space, as well as offering warmth and heat as it gets colder during the evenings.
This is a great example of a very low-maintenance patio area. The gravel patio requires very little upkeep, and the only plants used are potted, making this a great option for anyone who doesn't want to spend time gardening.
Tropical Retreat Patio
A gorgeous tropical retreat has been created in this urban patio garden. A variety of plants and flowers adds color and energy to the space, along with the colorful cushions on the outdoor seating. The addition of an outdoor rug anchors the seating area, tying everything together and recreating the look and feel of a living room outside.
Tuscan Courtyard Patio
This pretty Tuscan-style patio proves that simple can be beautiful. A traditional furniture set provides the perfect area to have meals or coffee outside in the fresh air during the summer months. Simple plants such as an olive tree and some ferns add a touch of green to the area.
Mid-Century Style Patio
Smart wooden fencing provides privacy to this mid-century modern-style patio area, shielding it from the outside world. The design of the wooden furniture is mirrored in the linear design of the fencing, creating a smart, uniform look.
Strings of lights overhead ensure that this space can be used in the evening as well as the daytime. Outdoor string lights are a lovely way to light a patio in the evening, adding to the atmosphere with a warm cozy glow.
Cozy Firepit Patio
This contemporary patio design features wooden decking along with a sleep square stone firepit that mirrors the shape and color of the building behind. The addition of a built-in bench along with two wicker chairs provides seating where people can gather around the fire pit during the evenings.
This decked patio is surrounded by a lush botanical border, adding plenty of green to the space to balance out the black and gray.
