Ideas & Finishes for a Modern Concrete Patio

SUNDEK Products USA Inc. in Grand Prairie, TX

A modern concrete patio style is the perfect complement for a contemporary home, and is often designed to meld with the home’s interior decor to create a seamless transition separated only by large expanses of glass.

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MODERN CONCRETE PATIO FINISHES

Popular decorative finishes for a modern concrete patio include:

• Steel troweled – a smooth surface, with little texture
• Exposed aggregate – small pieces of rock within the concrete are revealed
• Rock salt finish – a speckled pattern with subtle texture
• Seamless stamping – stone-like texture, but without a joint pattern
• Spray texture coatings – applied as a splatter coat or knockdown finish

Modern Concrete Outdoors

Download this style palette to discover how concrete with geometrical patterns and smooth finishes can be used outdoors to achieve a modern look.
Modern Style Guide (PDF)

COMMON DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS

• Angular shapes and smooth, untextured surfaces.
• Large tile or checkerboard patterns, as opposed to the more rustic look of stamped stone.
• Simple color schemes favoring white or charcoal-gray tones, sometimes enhanced by bolder accent colors.

MODERN PATIO IDEAS

1. Keep embellishments to a minimum. Modern concrete patios should convey a clean, uncluttered, refined look.
2. Instead of using multicolored, earth-toned schemes that blend in with the landscape, use one or two contrasting colors to add more drama. Don’t be afraid to use unconventional color accents, such as bold blues or greens.
3. Enhance the contemporary look by using modern outdoor furnishings. Fire pits and large concrete planters in simple geometric shapes also work well with this motif.
4. Rather than installing a single patio slab, consider installing a number of large square or rectangular concrete slabs separated by narrow strips of grass or stone. This contemporary take on stepping stones is a popular look for modern patio designs.

See these modern concrete patio projects:

Rectangular patio slabs separated by strips of stone

Daniel Monti of Modal Design in Los Angeles likes to break down patios into smaller pads with gravel or plants in between. He finds that gravel is more consistent, while grass or groundcover can have trouble growing in the small strips between the concrete.

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A linear patio design combining rows of concrete and groundcover

This example features bands of thyme that break up the concrete patio and enhance the indoor/outdoor relationship by carrying the lines from the interior flooring out onto the patio. This project was designed by Jonathan Feldman of Feldman Architecture in San Francisco.

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Concrete and tile patio with a gray and black color scheme

While the patio surface itself is not concrete, this design features many surrounding elements that are, including the fire pit and seat wall caps. The dark color scheme gives it an especially modern flair.

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A charcoal-gray microtopping with bold color accents

This patio was covered with an overlay to achieve a darker, smoother and easier to maintain surface. Ocean-blue glass tiles were incorporated into curvilinear depressions in the concrete for a unique contrast, while a colored sealer enhances the nearby stepping stones

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A checkerboard pattern created with squares of concrete and grass

Checkerboard patterns are becoming increasingly popular in modern outdoor design. This patio consists of squares of white stamped concrete alternating with sections of turf. Many contractors opt for artificial grass for applications like this so they don't have to worry about irrigation and maintenance.

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