The patio home is a type of residential housing that is associated with a particular home design found in the United States. Sometimes described as garden or carriage homes, there is a wide range of options when it comes to the layout of the interior. While some people include the design known as a townhouse in the family of patio homes, the term is generally only applied to structures that are detached, and that feature a single story rather than two or more stories.
There are several attributes that are associated with patio homes. One has to do with total floor space. Patio home floor plans tend to feature a smaller amount of floor space, which helps to make it much easier to maintain the home. At the same time, the interior is usually designed to make the best use of the space, making it possible for the homeowner to make maximum use each area in the home.
While rooms in a patio home tend to be smaller, they are often arranged to allow for an easy flow through the home. A living area is usually adjacent to a dining area that in turn passes into a kitchen area with little or no architectural elements that inhibit the flow. In like manner, bedrooms in the space are normally segregated from the common areas of the home, joined to one another by a hallway that leads to one or more bathrooms. This straightforward design makes for a cozy and inviting living space that many people enjoy a great deal.
Patio homes are constructed on small lots that provide room to enjoy the outdoors, but require less maintenance than the yards associated with most suburban homes. With homes of this type, homeowners can normally use a push-style lawn mower and a few simple lawn tools to maintain the front and back lawns with ease. Rather than requiring several hours to care for the lawn and landscaping, many owners of patio homes find they can accomplish the task in roughly one hour each week.
In communities that feature gated patio homes, it is not unusual for these homes to be built in close proximity. This is due in part to the fact that the lots tend to be somewhat narrow in shape. Because of the layout of the community and the dimensions of the lots, many patio homes make use of privacy fences to enclose the back yard. Doing so helps to give each of the community residents an area where they have some amount of privacy for outdoor parties or simply for relaxation.
While some people perceive of patio homes as being mainly for individuals who retire and want to downsize, the fact is that many people who want a comfortable home that is both affordable and easy to maintain also choose to live in patio style homes. Patio homes are found in many mid-sized cities as well as suburban areas, making them an easy commute to most major centers of employment.
