Feng Shui Patio

Patio & Deck Design - Whether you live in a spacious suburban house or an apartment downtown a patio serves as the link between your home and nature. In a suburban world, a patio might be large and curvy with plenty of space for lounge chairs or maybe a full set of outdoor furniture. While this may offer more options when it comes to decorating, the function of the patio will remain the same - it's a place to be outside and still enjoy some of the comforts of home. The fresh air is often a great means of refreshing the mind and spirit.

Patio Plan: Shapes and Sizes

An uncontrollable factor that needs to be considered before decorating any terrace is the size or shape of said patio. Believe it or not different sizes and shapes entice different feelings while spending time out on the porch. The ideal layout for any patio is a curvy and rather wide floor plan with plenty of extra room for lounging. The larger floor plan allows several individuals to enjoy the scenic view and the company of others while simultaneously escaping the house and enjoying nature. A great place to host a social event with plenty of invitees. A smaller patio design yields intimacy among the participants. I've seen many restaurants deploy this technique, the larger beer garden can be found upstairs on rooftops while smaller, candle-lit tables are located on the bottom floor tucked away with taller walls. In both instances the guests are outdoors enjoying nature but enjoying this pleasure in two very different manners.

Feng Shui Patio(s)

Patios are generally constructed with stone (concrete: Earth Element) or wood (Wood Element). Unless you plan on tearing apart the current patio construction and starting from scratch, you won't have much say in this matter. This may seem like a limitation for some being as you are stuck with either a wood or earth element, this is hardly a limitation at all - it's an opportunity for variety.

I tend to classify the patio into either Category A - a recreational gathering place, or into Category B - a personal sanctuary. This simplifies the process of implementing Feng Shui because Category A matches best with a Yang approach to decorating while Category B is much better paired with Yin decor. The Earth Element if fairly neutral while wood tends to appeal more to the Yin side of things. Selecting a proper role for the patio aids in the brain storming process of deciding how to go about decorating this space - A wooden patio is amplified with the element of water, fiery decor or watery fountain would be great additions to any wood floor plan. An earthy scaffolding would do well with metal or fire elements. Stick to Yang decorations if the intent of the patio is to entertain and welcome friends.

Patio Furniture: Mix and Match

As with the seating arrangements of your living room, seating here should be accommodating for everybody. Include benches, high backed chairs, and lower backed chairs into a pleasurable array of seating. Accommodate the taste others and enjoy a positive, pleasurable social experience. Umbrellas or temporary walls should be available to escape temporary weather inconveniences or provide more privacy. Have candles or other light sources readily available to welcome the dimming night skies.

View Feng Shui Patio Pictures