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Finding the perfect comfortable yet durable outdoor furniture is no small feat, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Just as important is figuring out where to put it, and your manicured lawn is far from ideal (hello, legs sinking into the soil). This is what good patio floor ideas were made for. Whether it’s concrete, stained wood, or patterned tile, the right outdoor flooring instantly solidifies your go-to summer hangout spot. Looking to install floors that make your metal bistro chairs feel cozier? Need a stylish material that easily stands up to heavy foot traffic and the weather? Take your design cues from these six charming spaces. 

Plank It Out

Wood planks frame the pool at interior designer Kim West’s Austin bungalow, the setting for breakfast taco parties, evening margaritas, and everything in between. Woods like cedar and redwood have a noticeably smooth surface that makes walking barefoot easier and are water- and insect-resistant.

Pull Inspo From Inside

The creamy tiled flooring spanning the interior and exterior spaces of Agent Nateur founder Jena Covello’s Miami home played a major part in the spaces’ design formula. For a twist on the traditional blue and white coastal aesthetic, she tapped California-based designer Tiffany Howell, who relied heavily on neutral shades and dusty blushes to create the sensation of “living in a seashell.” 

Create (Visual) Warmth

While the firepit heats the backyard of artist Carly Jo Morgan’s Topanga Canyon, California, property, the red brick pavers bring a warmth of their own to the space while creating cohesion with the earthy pink concrete bench (which also serves to protect the area from flooding by redirecting rainwater elsewhere).

Play Peekaboo

Stripes aren’t just for upholstery. A poolside area for two at Butcher’s Daughter founder Heather Tierney’s L.A. bungalow rental sits atop wide-set wood planks with just a hint of grass showing between each, resulting in a natural pattern.

Take a Two-in-One Approach

Tierney paired two types of flooring for her L.A. home’s indoor-style lounge area: a whitewashed gravel that matches the house’s exterior beneath the firepit, and vintage butterfly chairs and concrete pavers that form a sturdy walkway and secondary seating spot.

Use Nature as Your Blueprint

Interior designer Alex Boudreau looked to the local landscape for inspiration when designing her tranquil beachfront retreat in Todos Santos, Mexico—a strategy that extends to the home’s patio. Underfoot are bricks hand-cast with a wave imprint, a subtle nod to the ocean’s rhythmic ebb and flow, visible through a cutout in the stone wall.