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Best Patio Ideas for Your Backyard in 2026

Your backyard has potential — and a well-designed patio is the fastest way to unlock it. Whether you want a space for family dinners, a fire pit hangout, or a full outdoor living room, the right patio design transforms how you use your home. Here are the best patio ideas we're building for homeowners across Will and DuPage County in 2026.

Top 8 Patio Ideas Homeowners Are Choosing

The stamped concrete patio with integrated fire pit is our most requested design this year. Imagine a 400-500 sqft stamped patio in ashlar slate or cobblestone with a dedicated circular fire pit pad built right into the surface. The fire pit area becomes the focal point of your backyard — surrounded by Adirondack chairs, string lights overhead, and your family gathered around on cool evenings. Cost: $8,000–$14,000 depending on size and pattern.

The wraparound patio is perfect for homes where you want to connect multiple outdoor areas. We pour the patio along two sides of the house, creating distinct zones — a dining area off the kitchen door and a lounging area off the living room. A stamped walkway connects the two. It's like having two patios for the price of one larger one.

The multi-level patio works beautifully on sloped yards, which are common across Homer Glen, Lockport, and the south suburbs. Instead of fighting the grade, we build two or three levels connected by concrete steps. Each level serves a different purpose — upper level for dining, lower level for a fire pit or conversation area. The elevation changes add visual drama that flat patios can't match.

A patio with pergola combination creates an instant outdoor room. We pour the concrete patio with footings for a pergola structure, giving you a shaded dining area that's usable even on the hottest summer days. Add a ceiling fan, some climbing plants, and outdoor curtains, and you've got a space that rivals any indoor room. Concrete cost: $6,000–$10,000 for the patio portion.

Budget-Friendly Patio Ideas That Look Expensive

Budget-friendly patio ideas that look expensive: A broom-finish concrete patio with a stamped border is one of the smartest value plays. The main field is affordable broom-finish concrete ($13–$16/sqft) with a decorative stamped border in a contrasting color ($20–$25/sqft for the border strip). The border creates the illusion that the entire patio is stamped, at a fraction of the cost.

Colored concrete with decorative saw cuts is another budget-smart option. Integral color is mixed into the concrete for a uniform tone (sandstone, slate gray, or terra cotta are popular). Then we cut geometric patterns into the surface — diamond shapes, large squares, or offset rectangles — creating a custom tile look without the cost of stamping. Total: $16–$20/sqft.

The L-shaped patio maximizes corner space that often goes unused. By wrapping the patio around a corner of the house, you create a larger usable area without needing a massive square footage. An L-shape with one arm at 12x20 and the other at 10x14 gives you 380 sqft of space that feels much larger because of the distinct zones.

Plan Your Dream Patio

Whatever patio design you choose, think about how you'll actually use the space. Do you entertain large groups? Go bigger with an open layout. Prefer intimate family dinners? A smaller patio with a defined dining area works better. Love fires and s'mores? Build the fire pit pad in from the start — it's cheaper to include during initial construction than to add later.

Ready to plan your dream patio? Call ZBL Concrete at (312) 721-0835. Bryan will visit your backyard, discuss your ideas, and show you what's possible within your budget. Free estimates, no obligation.