The photos don't provide a great grasp of your yard as they are taken from too close a vantage point and don't link well to each other. The off-the-shelf patio design, for which you provide a link, has some readily identifiable weaknesses (looping footprint, dining set placement directly in the main traffic path & grill space that looks tacked on) that you should eliminate if you adapt it for your use. I would not give too much weight to the paint color you have currently. It's possible that in a future paint job, it may be changed. For the most part, patio color choices -- colors or brick or stone -- will be compatible with any number of paint colors. I'd look for contrast instead of close matching. (Too much close matching can make it look like a government designed project.) You also might look for a color that is on the darker side. Sometimes, light colors can be blinding.

Hi! Thanks for having me on your forum I'm a newbie here (first post). But I''ve been referring to this thread as I want to make a grave maker for a deceased pet. I wondered if anyone with some concreting knowledge could help me to choose the right material to use? I'm in Australia too, so some of the materials are named differently. I've tried regular concrete (the pre-mixed kind with gravel in it) I found the gravel made it lumpy and difficult to get a nice impression with the letters. BTW I'm using the Milestones plastic letters. My next try was with mortar (i'm sure it's called the same thing over there - here is Aus it's cement and sand) the result was better, but the block itself is pretty crumbly and I'd love to achieve a perfect smooth top and crisp letters. Can anyone help? I have heard on another forum that people have used 'vinyl' cement, but I've never heard of it - maybe it's called something else over here - and can't find it in my hardware store. Thanks very much :D

Super Diamond Clear - made by Euclid Chemicals. Check for it at a masonary supply shop. Stamped concrete is definately not maintanance free. But the nice thing is, if you keep it sealed it always looks new.

What style is your hown? The stamped design depends on if you're going for something modern/contemporary, rustic, traditional, etc. I personally like the idea of the slate look your husband wants. I also would consider maybe a wood plank look, something geometric, or to be super bold and modern, try the image below with the pebbles added between the concrete.Those are styles that are very popular right now.