After enduring a McHenry winter such as this, you should reward yourself. But how? A glance out the back window where last year’s lawn was transformed by approximately six-feet of now-melting snow to form a spongy potential mud pit may present an idea. A patio would set that area off just right, wouldn’t it?

Of course, you don’t want just any patio. You want a patio that will last – low maintenance and durable. At the same time, you’ll want a patio that is visually appealing yet functional. What you want is a brick pavers patio.

Brick pavers can do amazing things with the backyard of your McHenry home once you decide to add that patio. The first warm day of spring, you’ll open the back door and step onto the patio in your house slippers as if winter never happened. Once the ground firms up a bit, you’ll be ready to entertain again.

Brick pavers are incredibly versatile. The features that are possible with brick pavers are almost limitless. The key is in the design.

With so many options, creating the best possible design is easier said than done. The possibilities expand exponentially as you consider combinations of patio accessories and variations of color and styles of brick pavers.

Most reputable landscape design companies, such as Cal & Shan’s in Woodstock, carry top-of-the-line brick pavers from Unilock and Paveloc. Their brick pavers come in a myriad of colors and shades. They also come in different sizes and shapes.

That qualified landscape designer can design patterns, words and even pictures based on the placement of the brick pavers. At the same time, the landscape designer will make sure that the patio design fits the building and the property while serving the traffic flow on and around your patio.

The color and style of your home, they types of trees and plants on your property, areas of shade and the topography of your yard – these are all factors carefully considered when designing a brick pavers patio. If all the elements are brought together right, the brick pavers patio will seem an extension of the home. It will even serve as a focal point uniting the yard and the home.

Of course, there are always those accessories. Which accessories you choose to incorporate into your brick pavers patio depends on how you’re going to use your patio. Will it primarily serve as a place of relaxation for the family? Or, will it represent the hub for backyard entertaining. Maybe, you’re looking for a bit of both.

Whatever your intentions, there are an array of accessories that can increase the functionality and visual appeal of your brick pavers patio. For instance:

• Fireplaces and fire pits
• Outdoor grills and cooking surfaces
• Water features, such as fountains, waterfalls, ponds, pools, whirlpools and spas
• Brick paver retaining walls
• Brick paver seating
• Brick paver flower boxes

How they are designed, where they’re placed – these are questions that also must be considered when your landscape designer starts on your project.

With professional landscape design, your brick pavers patio will be the admiration of friends and family, and the envy of your McHenry neighbors.