Many homeowners desire more living space but are limited by their smaller indoor areas. One way to gain outdoor living space is to build a custom patio that suits your needs and style preferences exactly. Read on for some of the most incredible, up-to-date patio design ideas to help you create your own outdoor oasis where you and your family will enjoy spending time for decades to come.

Decide first the type of material that would fulfill your outdoor sanctuary space. Many homeowners design their patio spots to reflect and blend in with the surrounding landscape using materials found in nature such as limestone, cobblestone, concrete, wood, brick, and other natural stones like marble, slate, granite or terracotta, and other tiles.

Consider making a multi-level outdoor living area using rocks found in your geographical area. This is a lovely eco-friendly patio idea that can be enhanced with a beautiful rock garden and/or a nearby stream or other water feature that can provide soothing sounds as the water runs over the surfaces. Add steps, and don't be afraid to use unusual shapes. Fire features are another popular outdoor trend and can include an outdoor fireplace, firepit, or a fire bowl that can be placed on a tabletop for smaller outdoor spaces.

Create a tranquil place by installing barrier walls or structures that can be used as a privacy screen and for protection against strong winds. Add a gazebo, a pergola, a sunshade, or a table/beach umbrella for sun protection on those scorching hot summer days. These walls can be screens, fences, or a natural barrier of taller bushes and shrubs. These structures can also surround a pool, hot tub, or other outdoor space.

Create well-defined and comfortable seating areas, a dining spot, or quiet resting spaces near a garden or other outdoor features. Add live plants and flowers in pots or create a vertical garden by hanging planter boxes on a fence.

Install outdoor string lights and other fixtures to brighten up outdoor patios at night. Layer your lights and utilize solar-powered walkway ground lights, lampposts, sconces, torches, and candles that can provide increased ambiance and add a welcoming vibe while increasing outdoor safety at the same time. Create the patio of your dreams using one or more of these amazing ideas for patios.