Bring a Modern Look to your Patio

Modern home design features many styles that are crisp, minimal, and sleek. A contemporary or modern look for a patio is often defined by a “less is more” type of approach, with smooth surfaces and clean lines that often highlight natural features. From trendy furniture and feature décor items to expansive glass and wide-opening doors, bringing a modern look to your patio is all about merging your interior style with your outdoor living space.

Here are some things to consider if you are thinking about a contemporary update to your patio.

Neutral Colors

Choosing your color scheme is a good way to start planning your new design. For a contemporary style, simplify your palette down to one or two primary tones. Avoid vibrant colors in favor of neutral tones like white, black, tan, or grey to create a more minimalist contemporary feeling.

Expansive Glass

Many modern home designs use an abundant number of windows and glass doors to create a seamless extension of the interior living space to the outdoor living space. This modern home utilizing large glass openings and clean lines is a good example of contemporary style.

Patio Flooring

The flooring of patios is often overlooked, but it is an important element in the patio design. Updating your patio floor can help transition your patio into a clean modern space. Consider using a neutral color floor for a classic modern feel, or a sophisticated geometric pattern as a stylish twist. For a true outdoor living room feel try a rug in the space. To add a more natural effect, consider softening up the look of your floor space by leaving spaces between and around the hardscape for low-growing greenery like moss. You can also use gravel or stones to create texture and a nice contrast between pavers.

Low Profile Hardware

Contemporary design emphasizes a clean smooth surface. Window and door hardware can often stick out noticeably from the frame. Choosing hardware with a low-profile design that is integrated into the frame maintains the sleek and minimal look that epitomizes the contemporary style.  

Comfortable Furniture

Function is the primary driver in modern design. With that in mind choose outdoor furniture that is both durable, low-maintenance, and comfortable. One of the hot trends in modern home remodeling is to transform your patio into an outdoor living room. If this is your goal, you’ll want your furnishings to reflect your style just as you would in an interior space while also being welcoming and cozy.

Thin Frame Doors and Windows

Contemporary-style windows and doors have clean sightlines and thinner frame profiles to maximize the view. These windows and doors are often left uncovered to highlight the outdoor view, and the sleek straight lines, and to allow an abundant amount of natural light into the home.  

Patio Focal Point

Many modern patios feature a focal point in the design such as a fire pit, garden wall, pool, or a decorative planter set. A modern concrete fire pit is both dramatic and functional in an outdoor living space. 

Planting vertically to create a garden backdrop is a popular trend in patio décor. Or you can keep it simple by bringing in nature and décor with modern planters and pots filled with lush vegetation.

Patio Lighting

Outdoor lighting is essential to a modern patio. It elevates the look of your patio, and of course is practical. Recessed spotlights at the edge of pavers, structural wall lights, LED strip lights, or outdoor twinkle lights are all popular options that can be combined to create a dramatic and functional lighting design for your patio.

Wide Openings to the Outdoors

Using French doors that swing open fully or multiple large sliding glass doors is a good way to merge your interior and exterior living spaces to fully embrace the popular indoor/outdoor living trend.  Driven by function over form, modern patio design welcomes the outdoors in and mindfully adapts the structure to take advantage of the entire space without concern for symmetry. 

Whether your patio is big or small, you can bring a modern look to your outdoor living space. If you’re thinking about updating your patio and are looking into your options for contemporary-style French doors or sliding glass patio doors Dick’s Rancho Glass can help. We have years of experience helping homeowners in the Sacramento area with their glass needs. We are proud to offer modern, high-quality, and energy-efficient Milgard® patio doors and windows. Milgard patio doors are crafted for smooth operation and beautiful design. To begin exploring your replacement sliding glass door options give us a call, contact us here, or visit one of our two glass showrooms in the Sacramento area:

Dick’s Rancho Glass Sacramento at 2900 ROUTIER ROAD
Or call us at (916)363-6554

Dick’s Rancho Glass Fair Oaks at 5349 SAN JUAN AVE.
Or call us at (916)863-2500