How a Natural Stone or Paver Patio Can Be the Perfect Place to Host Guests in Thompson's Station, TN

If you are longing to make your backyard into a hub of entertaining but it just isn’t up to the task with cramped spaces or awkward design, then it’s time for an upgrade. Here’s how a natural stone or paver patio can be the perfect place to host guests in Thompson’s Station, TN.

Hub Design

Nearly every party centers around one thing: the kitchen. It’s the same whether that kitchen is indoors or out! Start your patio design by making the outdoor kitchen a hub, and then positioning more low-key seating areas in more outlying areas.

This can mean several things: All activities take place on one patio but with distinct zones for each activity. This approach looks best with a single paver or stone theme throughout so the space doesn’t feel cluttered.

Or, another approach can mean creating several smaller patios that in effect act as outdoor rooms separated by landscaping and joined by walkways. This approach gives you much more flexibility in terms of design. You could give each paver patio its own flavor with different pavers, which is a wonderful option if you’re having trouble deciding on one single material.

For example, the outdoor kitchen/dining area (the “main” patio adjacent to the house) could be built using modern large-format pavers that minimize joint lines, for easy clean-up and an expansive look. Outlying areas such as a pergola-covered seating area or a fire pit seating area could be designed with flagstone-inspired or granite-inspired pavers. There’s no rule that says you have to unify these separate patios by using a single material, although you may want to stick to no more than three materials/colors to prevent creating an overly busy landscape.

Multi-Level Outdoor Living

Another wonderful trend that works for both sloped and flat landscapes is to create multiple levels. On a flat property, raising certain patio spaces one or two steps up or down creates a vertical dimension that is otherwise missing. For example, you could elevate a pergola-covered seating area one or two steps higher than the outdoor kitchen/dining space, to give it prominence in the backyard (and enhance the view from the seating area, if there is a good view).

On a sloped property, it’s natural that your patios will “flow” down the slope. Here, you’d be opting for retaining walls in a terraced approach to carve out as much outdoor living space as you need. Depending on where the house is situated (above or below the slope) your outdoor kitchen/dining space should be closest to the home, with seating areas either higher or lower on the slope. Again, this means you can use different materials in each outdoor “room.”

If you entertain often, prioritize the size of your outdoor kitchen/dining area. This is where people will spend the most time. The pavers here have to be extra durable to handle frequent foot traffic. They should also be easy to clean. Large-format pavers minimize joint lines, which simplifies cleanup.

A Unified Look

If you do want a unified look throughout your outdoor living areas, walkways, front entry, and even driveway, there are pavers that are rated for driveway use that can also do double-duty in pedestrian areas. Pedestrian-rated pavers cannot be used on driveways. A popular approach is to use flagstone-inspired driveway pavers or classic bricks for a “do it all” design theme. Flagstone-inspired pavers add dimension to the design. You can’t go wrong with the look of classic brick, especially when it’s set in an eye-catching herringbone pattern.