Patio Ideas: 30 Designs for Every Garden, Style, and Budget

Use 900×600mm or 1200×600mm slabs — fewer joints make the space feel larger. Kandla Grey porcelain 900×600 in a stretcher bond pattern is the most popular small patio layout. Cost: approximately £400-500 for 10m² in materials.

Fossil Mint sandstone or white porcelain reflects light and makes small gardens feel open. North-facing? Light paving is essential — dark slabs make shaded spaces feel smaller.

A 6m² paved area with a two-person bistro set — the minimum viable patio. Perfect for terraced house courtyards. Material cost: under £150 in sandstone.

Kandla Grey porcelain 900×600 laid lengthways from the bifold doors outward. Match the paving level to the internal floor for a seamless indoor-outdoor transition. 5mm joints with dark pointing.

Anthracite Black porcelain creates maximum contrast against light-rendered walls. Add architectural planting (olive trees, phormiums) in oversized pots. Bold, minimal, statement.

1200×600mm porcelain — minimal joints, expansive visual scale. The premium modern choice. Stack bond pattern (all joints aligned) for maximum contemporary impact.

If you want modern lines but natural material, Kandla Grey sawn sandstone gives precision edges and tight joints with the colour depth of real stone. The warmth of sandstone with the clean lines of a contemporary design.

The UK's bestselling paving colour. Warm silver-grey with natural variation. Works with red brick, white render, and everything in between. From £20/m². Browse Kandla Grey →

Darker, cooler grey. Suits modern homes with grey window frames and dark guttering. Zero maintenance. From £20/m². Browse Grey Porcelain →

Kandla Grey sandstone centre with Anthracite Black porcelain edging planks as a picture frame. The contrast defines the patio edge and adds structure to the design.

Raj Green sandstone patio pack — mixed sizes laid in a traditional random pattern. The warm green-brown tones with purple and rust accents look stunning against red brick and cottage planting. From £21.58/m².

Rippon Buff sandstone in golden-buff tones matches Cotswold stone, Bath stone, and cream-coloured houses. The warmest natural stone in the range. From £21.58/m².

Kandla Grey sandstone setts laid as a soldier course border around a Kandla Grey slab patio. The small-format setts frame the patio with a traditional cobbled edge.

Autumn Brown sandstone — rich chocolate tones with plum accents. The boldest colour in the range. Creates a dramatic, warm base in contemporary gardens surrounded by lush green planting.

Kandla Grey patio pack from £20/m². A 15m² DIY patio including sub-base, mortar, jointing, and skip hire costs approximately £895 all-in. Read the full cost breakdown.

A 5m² bistro patio for £290, a 10m² garden patio for £465, and a 7m² porcelain patio for £380. All real builds with exact product lists and costs. Read the full guide →

If your existing concrete base is sound, pave directly over it — skip excavation, sub-base, and skip hire. Saves approximately £500-750 on a 20m² patio. Read the method →

A single row of 900×600 porcelain slabs from gate to front door — clean, modern, welcoming. Edge with contrasting planks for definition.

Paved wheel tracks with gravel between — looks designed, costs less than full paving, meets permeable surface planning rules. Driveway guide →

Silver Grey granite setts in herringbone — the premium front garden option. Virtually indestructible, zero maintenance, adds genuine property value.

Individual 600×600 slabs set into the grass at stride intervals. The simplest garden path — 2-3 hours' work, 5-8 slabs, under £40 in materials.

Porcelain edging planks (900×200) laid end-to-end — a narrow, elegant path. Contemporary feel, zero maintenance.

A gently curving riven sandstone path through planting — use small-format slabs or patio pack mixed sizes to accommodate curves naturally.

Anthracite Black porcelain planks around a lighter patio — the UK's most popular edging combination. Creates instant definition.

Porcelain bullnose copings on step fronts and raised edges — rounded nose provides safety and a professional finish.

The cooking and dining area needs stain-proof paving — barbecue grease, red wine, food spills. Porcelain handles it all. Wipe clean, no sealing, no staining. Design the cooking zone as a separate porcelain pad next to the main patio.

Sun-exposed lounging areas need paving that stays cool barefoot. Riven sandstone stays 10-15°C cooler than dark porcelain in direct sun. Use sandstone for the sunbathing zone and porcelain near the kitchen. Read the heat comparison →

Porcelain for dining (stain-proof), sandstone for lounging (cool barefoot), granite setts as the transition strip between zones. Each material in the same Kandla Grey tone — visual unity, functional separation.

Light porcelain around a pool — R11 anti-slip rated, non-porous (chlorine won't stain), and light colours stay cooler barefoot. The standard choice for pool surrounds worldwide.

Recessed LED lights set into the mortar joints or along edging borders extend your patio's use into the evening. Install conduits during the build — retrofitting lighting into a finished patio is significantly more difficult and expensive.