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What Makes a Patio Modern?
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I stepped out onto my patio the other day and realized what a hot mess it was. Rusty chairs need to be cleaned up and powdercoated, leaves need to be pulled out from under thorny shrubs and bagged, the rail needs to be painted, the fence is missing some posts, pots host dead plants or have been knocked over and broken. Ugh. Who wants to think about that?
What I want to think about is a new, clean, modern patio. What makes a patio modern? It often will have clever geometry - usually deceptively simple at first glance, more layered upon the second glance. It will play off modern materials like cement against warm woods. It may include a lot of play between vertical and horizontal - the plane of the patio, the lines of the planters, perhaps the verticality provided by a fence or bamboo trees. More elaborate ones may play with grade. Views will be carefully considered, as will the use of elements like rills and fountains. Microclimates will be taken advantage of as well. It will keep it simple so that you notice the materials. A great modern patio will work well with the architecture of the building, and serve as a good transition zone between indoors and outdoors.
Some of my favorite modern patio masters include Garrett Eckbo, Tommy Church (Gardens are for People is a tome any landscape designer should have on the shelf and refer to often), Luis Barragan, Dan Kiley, and Martha Schwartz. Some of my favorite modern patios on Houzz are shown below. Enjoy!
What I want to think about is a new, clean, modern patio. What makes a patio modern? It often will have clever geometry - usually deceptively simple at first glance, more layered upon the second glance. It will play off modern materials like cement against warm woods. It may include a lot of play between vertical and horizontal - the plane of the patio, the lines of the planters, perhaps the verticality provided by a fence or bamboo trees. More elaborate ones may play with grade. Views will be carefully considered, as will the use of elements like rills and fountains. Microclimates will be taken advantage of as well. It will keep it simple so that you notice the materials. A great modern patio will work well with the architecture of the building, and serve as a good transition zone between indoors and outdoors.
Some of my favorite modern patio masters include Garrett Eckbo, Tommy Church (Gardens are for People is a tome any landscape designer should have on the shelf and refer to often), Luis Barragan, Dan Kiley, and Martha Schwartz. Some of my favorite modern patios on Houzz are shown below. Enjoy!
This patio is one of those that seems to have simple geometry at first. However, if you diagrammed it, you'l find all sorts of lines and relationships between its elements. This design is a great example of the landscape architecture being perfectly in sync with the architecture.
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by Axis Mundi
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These pops of bright color and the blocky geometry recalls the work of Luis Barragan.
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| What a difference a wall or two of turquoise makes! |
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| This designer is having some fun playing the cliff wall against the rods. |
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| This simple patio does a very good job of providing a transitional zone between indoors and outdoors. |
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| Check out the way this fence plays with transparency and views. This also apears to be made from permeable pavement, which reduces runoff and non-point source pollution. |
This backyard incorporates fire and water into a distorted checkerboard pattern.
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| The next three photos show the same patio space. It is a great example of considering function and views. It is part breezeway, part patio, providing a cooling breeze, shade, cover, and a wonderful vista. |
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Sun or shade? Take your pick.
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| Ah, what a view! |
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This one reminds me of Thomas Church's work in California with its amoeba shapes and deference to existing trees.
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This massive sliding door lets the patio and the interior become one space when opened.
This design has zoned different outdoor areas for different functions, and again, provides a gradual transition from indoors to outdoors.
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| Simplicity lets us appreciate the materials. |
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What could have been a wasted concrete space becomes a wonderful conversation area.
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I snapped this and the remaining photos on the Modern Atlanta House Tour a few years back. I loved these simple wooden planters, and how they mimicked the shape of the pavers.
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This space flip-flopped our expectations - the patio was made from hardwoods, the living space inside had a cement floor. Rills and pavers separated the two
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Here's a better look at the fountain.
I know this image turns up in a TON of ideabooks, but I had to include it. What makes this patio so great is its separation from the main house, with the tape vert (sp? I never know if I am spelling that correctly!) in between.
Comments
mrsdog I'd be happy living with any of these! Just one thing though...bamboo is a grass, not a tree!
3 years ago · Like
Becky Harris Yup, you're right!
3 years ago · Like
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heba mustapha i love this realy
3 years ago · Like
patiofurniturelover06 I've commented on 2 of your posts becky. The designs are just great. I'd just like to ask if you can post modern designs for patio dining sets ?
3 years ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Feb. 27, 2010.
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