If you’re craving an outdoor space at your home to enjoy soaking up the sun or having a backyard barbecue, you likely have considered adding a patio to your home. Patios can be a great addition that will enhance the value of your overall property. Here are some factors that you must consider when installing a new patio to ensure it compliments your home’s style.

Consider Shape

Patios no longer have to be just rectangular. Many homeowners are constructing patios that are circular, square, or a custom shape. Look at your existing home and decide what patio shape would complement your design. You’ll also want to consider what you’ll use your patio for in making the final decision. For example, if your main purpose for the patio is for eating evening meals, then a small circular patio can be difficult to do that on.

Decide on Dark or Light Pavers

One of the best things to consider to match your patio to your existing home is whether or not you want your patio to be open and spacious or dark and secluded. The effect you’re trying to create will highly determine the type of pavers that you choose. If you want a spacious patio, then opt for light-colored pavers. If you want a secluded area, then opt for the darker-colored pavers. Once you know whether you’re going with light or dark, you can better match the available colors with your existing home colors.

Pick a Pattern That Works

The pavers for your patio can be installed in many different patterns, such as arched patterns or geometric patterns. You want to start by assessing the look of your home. If you have a Victorian style home, an arched pattern is going to compliment your home the best. If you have a modern home with many straight lines, then a geometric design is going to be best. For a colonial-style home that is rectangular, a brick-shaped pattern will provide the best compliment to your existing home design.

Incorporate Your Existing Landscape

You don’t want to completely demolish your existing landscape when installing a new patio at your home. Instead, consider ways to wrap the new patio into your existing landscape. If you have trees, consider laying pavers around the tree bases, but leaving your trees intact. Every landscape is going to be a little different from the next, so consider your personal landscape when planning your patio design. Deciding to install a patio at your home can be a great way to not only enhance the value of your home but to improve your quality of living. Since a patio is not a cheap investment, it’s important that you consider how your new patio will complement your existing home. You don’t want to end up with a patio that doesn’t seem to fit right with your home’s style. Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan