5 Patio Design Ideas for Wappinger Falls NY Lakeside Homes
As you dream about warmer weather, this is the ideal time to plan a patio that you’ll enjoy before you know it! Warmer months mean the chance to soak up the sunshine and enjoy al fresco cooking and sharing meals with family and friends, and great conversations by the fire. If your backyard didn’t meet your needs last summer or if it just needs a style makeover, here are five patio design ideas for Wappinger Falls, NY, lakeside homes.
How you design your space, and the features you add to it, will influence how you feel - and how much you use the space.
Related: 5 Reasons You Should Include an Outdoor Fireplace in Your Patio in Pleasant Valley, NY
Enhance the View
First, let’s embrace the location by framing and enhancing the lake view.
The view is gorgeous as is, but you can enhance it even more by framing the view using tall cedars, twin oaks, or for dramatic effect, masonry pillars topped with gazing balls or fire bowls.
Give each zone of your outdoor living space a great view of the lake. If your property is sloped, place zones with taller elements - such as outdoor kitchens, tall fireplaces, hot tub, and pergola in the rear and orient them so that everyone has a great view from the kitchen, dining table (place the narrow end facing the lake), and seating area.
Closer to the water’s edge, you could position some comfortable lounge chairs, a fire pit, and if you have kids, a play area.
Avoid placing tall elements like pergolas or large fireplaces where they will block the view from your home or patio.
Use Materials That Belong
Take materials cues from the surroundings. What are the colors that dominate? What type of stone is around the lake? Help your patio and home blend in by choosing materials that look as though they could have been sourced right on the property, whether they are natural or manmade materials.
Terraced Patios
If your property slopes steeply to the lake, instead of having just one large patio, consider a series of terraces. Terraces create memorable destinations and maximize usability by creating level areas that can be used for different activities. For example, the uppermost level can be for cooking and dining, and soaking in a hot tub; the middle terrace could be a tranquil fireside space to soak in the views; and the lowest level, by the water, could be reserved for water-oriented fun.
Small, Yet Grand
If your home is very close to the water’s edge, you’ll have to make do with a small patio. And that’s okay - the views are worth it and you won’t feel boxed in because of the expanse of water! The key is to position taller elements that could block views closer to the home, and orient everything to optimize the scenery.
In a small space, you can use multiple levels to create distinct activity zones and add vertical interest. Even a small elevation change, such as one or two steps, helps create a dynamic space where each zone has its own distinct personality.
Easy Access
Simplify - and beautify - the access from the home to the water with a gently meandering walkway made with irregular bluestone and flanked by natural stone walls. As you descend to the lake, this walkway could expand in key places to provide “secret” nooks for relaxing with a cup of coffee or a good book.