35 Paver Patio Ideas to Upgrade Your Outdoor Living Space

From classic brick to modern stone, pavers add polish to any outdoor space.

patio and seating area in Hagerty Organic Garden area
Photo:

Jessica Sample

From stone to concrete, brick, or even tile, pavers blend form and function in any outdoor living space. This material also has a ton of flexibility; it can be used in a small space or to cover an entire patio or backyard. It even suits a variety of budgets. At once graphic, textural, and, in some cases, colorful, these paver patios ideas will help you make over your outdoor space.

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Showcase a Fire Pit

custom firepit surrounded by gravel and patio blocks with seating area

Holly Lepere

Showcase the ultimate backyard fire pit by creating a border from thick paver stone. On this paver patio, the inset was filled with crushed gravel and topped with a wide fire table to help spread warmth during chilly evenings with friends.

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Carve a Paver Pathway

Outdoor seating area.

Edmund Barr

On a gravel patio, pavers make for a sturdy walkway to get from the house to your outdoor dining or living space. Plus, the pavers add contrast in both color and texture.

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Covered Paver Patio

outdoorpatio with director chairs and benches around dining table; seating area with rectangular stone firepit and built-in bench seating in front of raised hot tub.

Dominique Vorillon

In a covered patio or an enclosed sunroom, pavers in a single light color create the illusion that the room is bigger and brighter. Install them in a classic running bond pattern for a traditional look that doesn't distract from outdoor decor.

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Keep It Cohesive

backyard with raised bed gardens and block patio with sitting area and gravel paths

Lisa Romerein

To integrate this lounge space into an edible garden, the owners simply topped pea gravel with pavers. Wooden patio furniture complements the nearby wood planter boxes to further connect the two spaces.

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Rely on a Classic

Riordan Garden/towards potted plants on exterior wall

Bob Stefko

Not only is brick fairly inexpensive, but its iconic red hue creates a striking surface for an outdoor dining or living area. What’s more, brick can be laid in endless combinations of timeless patterns, including checkered, basketweave, herringbone, and more. 

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Vary the Scale

Large patio pavers with a small brick fireplace in the center of seating.

Chad Mellon

In addition to a variety of shapes and colors, pavers come in many sizes, too. Vary the scale of the pavers in your patio for added interest. On this paver patio, a large-scale paver-tiled floor is topped with a fire table in small brick, which is topped with more stone pavers.

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Finish a Deck

Back patio with pavers around a set of wooden stairs and deck.

Jason Donnelly

Natural materials like brick, stone, and wood mix well together, as is the case with this wood deck wrapped with a landing made of stone pavers. Wood planks wrap around the paver patio to finish the look and connect to the wood deck above.

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Go Graphic

Stenciled pattern patio with seating under string lighting

Hector Sanchez

If plain and simple won’t do, choose a patterned paver or tile. Or stencil a pattern onto a concrete patio to mimic the look. Graphic tiles are also ideal on an outdoor fireplace or a backsplash in an outdoor kitchen. 

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Build a Paver Patio Walkway

square block path through raised plant beds going toward house

Edmund Barr 

Hardscaping creates a functional and beautiful backyard, but the sand and gravel that comes along with it aren’t always ideal for traversing through. Create a smooth surface for getting around your yard by topping the sandy surface with stone or concrete pavers. 

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Vary Paver Shapes

outdoor lounge area on patio with cantilever umbrella

Anne D. Schlechter

Pavers come in all shapes and sizes; mix squares and rectangles to add character to your paver patio. Top your paver patio with a cozy rug to add warmth and complement the stone. 

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Create Zones in a Paver Patio

patio and seating area in Hagerty Organic Garden area

Jessica Sample

Even in small outdoor spaces, pavers can help draw distinctions from one area to the next. In this case, a dining table set over large pavers and slate rocks feels separate from a fire table and lounge area surrounded by grass and hardscaping.   

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Incorporate a Herringbone Pattern

Porch with brick pavers and hanging seating.

Julie Soefer

The beauty of brick is that it ages well. Here, faded antique bricks set in a herringbone pattern complement the neutral traditional decor of the covered patio. 

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Incorporate Multiple Paver Colors

Fire pit area with bench, pillows and two aqua chairs and umbrella

Edmund Barr 

To create distinct rooms in your backyard, change the color of paver stone from space to space. For example, utilizing light gray pavers for the dining area and brown flagstones for the lounge area creates a visible transition, even without any walls. 

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Front Yard Paver Walkway

Farmhouse with wide stones leading up to the entrance.

Nathan Schroder 

A front yard walkway featuring pea gravel steps is contrasted with warm, white rectangular pavers. The large-scale pavers create a modern look that coordinates with the concrete slab front porch.

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Modern Concrete Pavers

Patio with two chairs and a dog sitting on one.

Kim Cornelison

Pavers can also modernize an outdoor space. For a fresh look, keep the pattern on your modern paver patio clean and geometric. Opt for a sleek gray stone for a contemporary color palette.

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Incorporate Flagstone Pavers

white chair and small table sitting on flagstone patio

Matthew Benson 

Consider irregular paver stones, like those featured in this flagstone paver patio, to create a space with a more organic shape. Although it may come together like a puzzle, the cumulative pieces will ultimately create a unified, graphic moment. 

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Make Room for Natural Borders

Overall view of a patio with many types of furniture and plants bordering the space

Matthew Benson

Create an outdoor room that feels like it's engulfed in nature by centering pavers in the middle of your yard and leaving borders around the fence for shrubs, flowers, and climbing vines.

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Brick Paver Patio

Table and seats at patio in lawn

Buff Strickland

Brick is a classic paver choice, but if you’re struggling to choose between traditional gray or red, why not incorporate both? Here, a red brick patio gets a playful twist dotted with gray to form a subtle checkerboard pattern. 

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Have Fun with Paver Patterns

limestone stairs with succulents and perennials leading down to limestone and smooth black pebble walkway

Caitlin Atkinson

Sure, a collection of single-colored paver stones is beautiful, but don’t be afraid to add some personality. To spice it up, play with different colors, textures, and patterns for a fun and graphic finish.  Here, polished gray beach pebbles contrast white pavers for a modern twist.

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Stone Paver Patio

nteriors, exteriors - back patio with round dining table and black metal chairs, string lights and concrete stairs

Emily Followill

Stone pavers are both beautiful and highly functional. Here, a cohesive scheme of gray flagstones seamlessly blends a sunken paver patio and a sculptural stairway that leads to a lush garden. 

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Match Your Home's Exterior

Light blue house with white trim and a patio with seating.

Annie Schlechter

For a monochromatic look, select a paver in a color similar to your home’s exterior. Choosing shades from the same color family creates a calming and cohesive palette.

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Unify Materials

one agave plant in corner of green turf with square tile and other cactus around it

Edmund Barr 

Pavers can also be utilized to merge distinct zones within a backyard. In this case, concrete squares in identical shapes and colors connect a cool grassy lawn, succulent garden, and wood deck area.  

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Go Wall to Wall

Seating area with fire pit in garden by house

Edmund Barr

Laying pavers across an entire backyard creates a seamless flow. Consider a minimal pattern in a medium to light hue. If you live in a particularly verdant area, planting moss between pavers is an easy way to tie the paver patio to the lawn or landscaping.

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Pair Pavers with River Rocks

High angle view of hat on deck chair by table and potted plant in yard

Adam Albright 

Put a fun spin on a classic gride paver patio by staggering square or rectangular pavers with plenty of space in between. Mexican beach pebbles in various colors fill in the gaps for texture and contrast.

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Modern Paver Patio

blocked patio with red modern chairs, concrete side table and stone wall surrounded by differing foliage

William Wright 

Want to get away from it all? Find space beneath a canopy of trees or amongst shrubs and plants for a quiet space to read, do yoga, or meditate. A simple grid of concrete pavers forms this modern patio.

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Go Green

Cushion and pillow on bench by wall at patio with grass growing around paver tiles.

Nathan Schroder

There’s no hard and fast rule about where pavers can and cannot be placed. That applies to the grass, too. To incorporate some greenery into your paver patio, plant durable grass that can withstand high-traffic areas. 

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Anchor Your Outdoor Space

white patio furniture with green cushions and pillows on patio with small black shed in background with large potted plants by entry

Robert Peterson

In a yard dominated by grass and trees, carve out a small, paved area for lounging or dining. A mix of beige and gray pavers form this small patio, whose colors coordinate with the surrounding landscape and garden shed.

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Cottage-Style Paver Patio

outdoor sitting area set with games and food on patio

Anne D. Schlechter

For a cottage look, consider planting moss or grass between pavers rather than sand or rocks. The not-so-perfectly-perfect design creates a casual, laid-back atmosphere.

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Re-Create Your Favorite Getaway

Outdoor Living area with a patio and small shack made of tin and wood.

Jay Wilde

Dream up a resort feel by surrounding an outdoor bar with sand-hued brick pavers that replicate the look of soft beach sand. 

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Connect to Your Home's Interior

Modern outdoor living patio with Eucalyptus wood sofa and coffee table, yellow fringe pillows, ceramic pots on shelf

Carson Downing

Repeat a stone-tiled floor from a kitchen or dining room to your patio to form a seamless transition between spaces.

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Make It Match

Chairs around firepit at patio in garden

Christina Schmidhofer

If you’re working with a large patio, incorporate oversized pavers, which help balance the scale of the outdoor room. Here, the beige hues featured on the paver patio repeat on the stone fire pit.

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Add Some Polish

Covered stone paver patio with seating in striped fabric

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

A covered courtyard feels classic yet modern thanks to alternating hues of stone in a tonal palette of cool grays. A black-and-white color palette continues the timeless look.

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Connect to Landscaping

one and globe boxwood in containers in a Denler Hobart-designed garden

Marion Brenner

A mixture of irregular stone pavers correlates to the slope that hugs this courtyard, connecting the areas. Soft blue furnishings create a relaxing retreat.

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Showcase a Color Palette

Seating area around fire pit

Matthew Benson 

If a single style or color of paver reads too one-note for your taste, mix it up but keep the look unified by choosing stones with similar textures and finishes. Continue the color palette on outdoor furniture upholstery and pillows.

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Choose Warm Tones

patio with fire and four chairs

Edmund Barr 

The natural variations in these terra-cotta pavers create an inviting, vibrant backdrop for outdoor living. The flooring warms up the bright blue tile featured on the walls of the outdoor kitchen.

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