5 Ways to Achieve a Mid-Century Brick Patio in Hinsdale, IL
The mid-century modern look is a style that ushered in the era of modern design. It inspired later trends, but has stood the test of time. Mid-century modern patios are just as chic today as in the 1950s. Here are 5 ways to achieve a mid-century brick patio in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Landscape Design Ideas for Showstopping Entrances in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL Areas
Mid-century patios echo the linear shapes, mixed traditional and modern materials, and emphasis on functional beauty that characterize the famous mid-century modern style.
Here, we’ll discuss the five characteristics of the mid-century modern style as they relate to outdoor living spaces.
1. Form Follows Function
Objects and spaces weren’t created to be purely decorative. Instead, the mid-century patio puts beauty into functional elements such as retaining walls, fire features, water features, outdoor kitchens, and patio materials.
Every element of the patio serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose. From patio pavers to the veneers on your grill station, every element is chosen with great care for their visual impact as well as practicality.
Today’s brick pavers are easy to care for, and you can recreate a natural or man-made look according to your preferences (for example, you can find brick pavers that mimic the look of tumbled limestone, or smooth and sleek pavers that are unabashedly not trying to look like a natural building material.
2. Minimal Ornamentation
Since patio elements themselves are the focus, there is a distinct lack of ornamentation. The lovely textures and patterns of the patio pavers, plantings, and fencing keep the eye occupied and contribute to a lack of clutter and a fresh, open feel. This is a brilliant solution for small backyards. Since concrete can be colored and formed to virtually any style, you can take the opportunity to emphasize paver texture as a way to bring interest to the space.
3. Lack of Clutter
The mid-century patio uses clean lines and a mix of organic and geometric forms such as large format square brick pavers on the patio, a horizontal teak slat privacy wall, and a few rounded chairs around a fire pit.
Underfoot, large format pavers in neutral colors contribute to an uncluttered feel. The lack of joint lines makes the space feel unified; and neutral colors that blend into the environment also visually expand the space.
4. Use of traditional and Non-traditional Materials
Brick is certainly a traditional material, but it can take on a distinctly modern vibe by changing up the shape. Today’s “brick” choices include the standard clay-brick shape that has been around for centuries, as well as more modern shapes such as oversized squares (24” x 24” or even larger) or plank-like pavers in colors not normally associated with bricks.
Non-traditional building materials are also used. For example, Plexiglas panels around the pool serve as an interesting contrast to the textural and visual richness of brick pavers separated by ornamental pebbles in a darker color.
5. Use of Bold Color
The style utilizes a huge range of color. The main patio features are still natural: brick, wood, and natural stone (brick as the main patio field, wooden privacy fencing, and decorative stone used throughout as accents or banding). Accent colors are primarily found in furniture: too much bold color on the patio can make the space feel busy.
While banding and accents are not a mid-century modern feature, you can use them to create contrast between horizontal and vertical elements. For example, you could achieve bold contrast with a cinnamon-brown privacy fence, a sand-colored masonry fire pit, and neutral mid tone grey brick pavers.
