• One of the most popular trends among homeowners is creating outdoor areas for spending time, according to the National Home Builders Association. The country patio design elicits a feeling of relaxed, rustic comfort. Mixing natural products with home-crafted appeal, the theme can be both whimsical and functional. Starting with landscape, low stone walls, tumbled pavers, ground-cover-draped sandstone, herb gardens, rock waterfalls and fountains can set the stage. Wicker, twig or log furniture help create the timeless, relaxed feel to a country patio. The best aspect of this theme is cost. Landscape material may be as close as your own back yard. Many log and twig furniture pieces can be handmade. Yard sales and second-hand stores can be a great source for old rustic-looking items and accessories.
  
  

Landscape

• Tumbled pavers, cobblestone or old brick make great patio materials. Though they can be uneven, this can also lend to the charm.
  
  Low fieldstone walls, draped with English ivy, phlox or other meandering vines, can be placed along patio edges, providing a natural-feel border.
  
  Antique roses, lilacs, blackeyed Susans and daisies can add a sense of country.
  
  Rock-lined streams and waterfalls can be constructed, crossed by a wooden bridge.
  
  A waterwheel or an old-fashioned hand pump and wooden tub fountain could add rustic whimsy and feel.
  
  A twig trellis or split-rail fence, draped with clematis, honeysuckle or climbing roses can serve as a backdrop to your patio.
  
  Shrubbery as privacy hedging and a border is practical, and trimming a bush or two into fun animal topiaries (bird, rabbit or bear) adds some fun to the landscape.
  
  

Furniture

• There are many furniture options for the country patio design. Sticking with natural materials will create the rustic feel.
  
  Cedar log furniture can be purchased or handcrafted. Durable and attractive, log furniture blends itself nicely with the outdoor environment. Table sets, settees, chairs and side tables provide a relaxed country feel.
  
  Wicker or the new weather-resistant, long-lasting resin wicker lookalike furniture provide a homelike, country look. Add some all-weather country checks or print cushions, a rocker and pillows for a "rest awhile" appeal.
  
  Handcrafted willow twig furniture, either as accents or groupings, are fun and long-lasting. You can purchase these or, if you're handy with a saw and shaping tools, create your own heirlooms.
  
  

Accents and Lighting

• Folk art, copper pots, pails, watering cans and weather vanes add a flight of fancy. Art pieces can be found painted on wood, old barn doors and protected from the weather with coats of polyurethane.
  
  Wooden bird houses, rustic bird baths and wind chimes complement the country theme.
  
  Cover your table with a red or blue checked tablecloth, top with old mason jars, tin, copper or old pottery, and fill with fresh-cut flowers.
  
  Tin, copper or wrought iron candle lanterns lend ambiance to the setting. For permanence and stronger light, gas or electric post lanterns could be installed.
  
  Wicker baskets, an old wooden wagon and old watering cans make interesting plant holders.