Outdoor patios come in all manner of shapes. Square and rectangular spaces are the most prevalent, followed by the rarer but still delightful circular and triangular patios. And then there’s the irregularly shaped patio, an outdoor area that doesn’t conform to common forms.
This distinctive setting gives you the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind space, though the layout may require a bit more planning. Don’t be overwhelmed; with some finesse, unique patio designs function just like traditional layouts. We can help you plan the perfect patio—keep reading to see our design ideas, style tips, and planning suggestions.
Define Recognizable Shapes in Your Patio
Put pencil to paper and organize your current outdoor layout using squares, circles, and rectangles.
Start With a Sketch
To begin, sketch your patio and make sure it fills up only 50% of the paper. Use the remaining space to indicate the patio’s surroundings—permanent structures like pools, fire pits, landscaping, sheds, walkways, or entrances to other areas, along with large portable items such as grills or outdoor furniture.
Add Furniture Using Shapes
If you plan to fill a space with outdoor furniture, draw them into your sketch using squares, circles, and rectangles, and leave them unshaded so they stand out. Depending on the size of your patio, you may have several spaces or only a few.
Rectangles indicate dining sets.
Squares denote seating areas.
Circles signify central pieces such as fire pit tables.
Make Space for Walkways
Remember to leave room for walkways. When adding the spaces where furniture will be placed to your sketch, you should still see direct walking paths along your patio to high-traffic areas like swimming pools, gardens, and entrances.
We recommend furnishing about 60% of your space and leaving 40% open, which leaves plenty of room to walk around, pull out dining chairs, and keep things tidy.
Define the Function of Each Space
Once you’ve mapped your irregularly shaped patio and finalized the outdoor furniture locations, you can determine each area's primary function.
Choose Functions That Fit Your Lifestyle
Pick a function that’s conducive to your environment and your family’s favorite outdoor activities. The function of your backyard is only limited by your imagination. Here are a few ideas to get the wheels turning:
Patio dining room
Conversation area
Fire pit locale
Sunbathing space
Craft or garden workspace
Outdoor office
Measure Your Outdoor Spaces
Knowing how much space you have to work with is essential to selecting the right patio furniture. Grab a tape measure, pencil, ruler, some graph paper, and patio sketch, and take a walk outside.
Follow these steps to measure your patio:
Measure all of your patio's boundaries and draw them to scale on your graph paper. Round to the nearest inch and note the scale on your new sketch.
Find the dimensions of door frames and doors, mark them on the sketch, and draw dashed quarter circles to show where the doors open. This will help you plan the necessary clearances for walking space between furniture and entrances.
Determine the length and width of any permanent fixtures and include them in your drawing.
Measure the length and width of your square and rectangular spaces and the diameter of circular areas. Write down each dimension.
PRO TIP:
If your patio’s unique shape has no discernible 90-degree angles, use a carpenter’s square to get a more accurate representation on your graph paper.
Add the Outdoor Furniture
With your final sketch complete, it’s time to furnish your patio. Here are our furniture suggestions that fulfill popular patio functions.
Patio Dining Room
For an alfresco experience year-round, opt for a durable dining set that resists weather, stains, spills, and fading. Be sure to select one that complements your patio’s aesthetic and is large enough to accommodate your family and extra guests. It may seem like a tall order, but you’d be surprised at how simple it is to find a dining set that meets these criteria.
Sunbathing Space
With an all-weather chaise lounge set, you can lay the foundation for a comfortable, inviting space to stretch out and catch some rays. You’ll want chaises with adjustable backs to accommodate sunbathing and other lounge activities such as reading and cat naps. We suggest choosing a chaise lounge set over seats alone because the complementing side table is incredibly convenient. It keeps drinks, snacks, and sunscreen off the ground and within reach.
For comfort enhancements, we recommend patio umbrellas and full-length seat cushions. The umbrella can be opened whenever you want to sit in the shade, and the cushions always deliver head-to-toe coziness.
Conversation Area
Do you foresee a full social calendar in your future? Plan accordingly with a conversation space fitted with comfortable lounge furniture and accessories. Adirondack chairs and matching pieces crafted from durable, high-quality materials are key to facilitating hours of mixing, mingling, and making memories. For added color and comfort, incorporate thick blankets and cushy pillows tailored in weather-resistant performance fabric.
Fire Pit Locale
Don’t you just love an evening out under the stars? We do too—with the right amount of ambient light, that is. Introduce a fire pit table into your conversation area to brighten the night and illuminate your surroundings. If you want that cozy glow but don’t want to mess with firewood or soot stains, opt for a natural gas or propane-powered model with a push-button start.
Outdoor Living Room
When you plan on spending long afternoons immersed in your favorite author’s newest novel, lasting comfort should be a top priority. A modular deep seating sectional provides the soft, sink-into space you desire, and a configurable shape that conforms to your patio’s layout. For added convenience, end tables offer the perfect spot to keep your book, a refreshing drink, or a snack nearby.
Photo credit: POLYWOOD customer Taylor B., July 2023
Poolside Settings
Umbrella-topped bistro sets provide shaded seating to relax and keep an eye on your kids while they swim, and Adirondack chairs are perfect for lounging in comfort after a refreshing dip. Convenient side tables add the finishing touch, offering handy places to keep drinks, snacks, and summer reads.
Photo credit: POLYWOOD customer Adam B., April 2024
