I think it'll look really nice but I get what you mean by it being a little busy. What about using much larger, irregularly shaped paver stones instead of all the multi-sized square pavers? As far as your dog goes, is it possible to have a dedicated digging area? Barring that, I think it will just take supervision and vigilance - you will get more digging when the dogs are outside unattended. Can't wait to see pics when it's all done!

It does look a little busy. If it were mine, I'd explore the possibility of eliminating the smalls step-ups, which can be tripping hazards for visitors not used to them. I had some shallow steps leading to the back door at my last house, and I nearly fell a number of times until I got used to their size/depth, and the need to be extra careful persisted for years. Several visitors nearly fell as well.

The other thing that I noticed is the shape of the groundcover area. Think about the path the mower will have to take around it and you may want to smooth out the sharply indented areas. Assuming that's lawn next to the groundcover.

Did you post this on the landscape design forum?

It's a little busy with the pavers lining all those areas, but it will probably look great. Just kind of expensive to lay and probably not necessary. But if you like that look, nothing wrong with it and if you can afford it, go for it. You will have the rest of your life to enjoy it so get what you love.

I had a brick house for my last home, and did a brick patio, the only thing I can say is you need to match them well, either contrasting, complimentary or exact match. An "almost match" will just highlight that it doesn't match. I would love all the features you are planning! Can't wait to see the end results!

Inquire about the foundation type that will be used for the hot tub and cross reference that with a reputable source. You want this part done right. Any corner cutting will lead to the hotub shifting and leaking over time. I tell you this from my own first hand experiences. Ensure that the hotub will also have maintenance access.

It is a little busy but the designer seems to have designed several separate areas very well. I agree about the step up. Many people just don't see the transition.

Another thing is the proximity of the large tree. How close are the surface roots to your new patio? I would be concerned about future damage from the tree itself to the patio surface, although I'm sure you desire the shade. It would be more cost, but I'd consider removing it as part of site prep.

The black and white lines rather than natural stone and greenery will look busier, but it does have a lot of elements. Do you need different levels? A separate bar/seating area? Does the fire pit need to be built-in or would one large patio with a fire pit table that allows you to have flexible seating and dining options be better for you?

As for the digging, pick up the dog poop from your yard and bury it in the holes (maybe not too deep, but covered). I was told they would not dig where their poop is. It is simple, no cost (unless you need to add to the dirt left) and so far it has worked for me. You are going to need to find a solution or anywhere that design shows planted will be a mess. I have heard of folks doing a raised bed/sandbox sort of digging area and training the dog to dig in that spot only. That might also be worth considering.

Looks so nice! I think it looks busy on the drawing, but in real life those pavers will appear as a solid surface and won't look busy at all. It looks like the step ups are defined by a change in materials, but I would ask the designer about tripping hazard.

eta - not sure the materials, color or what the fill between pavers will be, but I'd assume it would look something like one of these....not too busy to me (esp since you won't have the walls), but if it is to you, then talk about adjusting the materials or placement.

A tree that big gives off shade and is worth hundreds of dollars if not 1K. No need to take down but do plan for the tree's roots during construction and after. There's tons of info. out there on how to do a project without unduly damaging an existing tree. Here's one example from Univ. of Minn. Cooperative Extension. https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/protecting-trees-from-construction-damage/

Edited to add I want the patios in Oly's picures!! I have patio envy. I had one once and I may get mine again someday but meanwhile I have to live vicariously through others!

What a nice project, and you know what you want because you know what you've always wanted. Very promising!

My enthusiastic amateur suggestions are:
1. Protect important trees. They would take decades to replace, and the shade they can provide is becoming more appealing and necessary for comfort and healthy garden plantings every year.

2. That seems to be a major view line down the house through the sunroom to where the fire pit is now. I've never seen a fire pit area that was a beautiful, truly esthethically pleasing site three quarters of the year, or for that matter the rest. Without people, there's just no there there. What I would do is widen out the design leading to and beyond the fire pit area and develop everything on that sight line as both a frame for and part of a very carefully designed major view from inside that makes you glad all year round.

3. Make sure your significant views are not ruined by a clutter of chair and table legs in front of sweeps of lawn and trees, or whatever. Your design mostly does this now, but major asterisks anyway since putting furniture between people inside and their view is extremely common. (Glancing at some pictures of views that please and asking if they'd be improved by putting $8K of patio furniture in front of what's so enjoyable would be a simple test.)

4. The fire pit itself is an opportunity to develop different views that would not be available from the house and also allow a feeling of being outside and away from the house, without actually being very far. Could, for instance, paving lead through the dining patio area off to a fire pit area to the right side of the yard, but still nicely close to the amenities of the outdoor kitchen? (Note that 2 and 4 offer opportunities to simplify the design and enlarge spaces a bit near the house also. What could be pleasurably detailed in a small garden could conceivably seem a little scrunched and fussy as foreground to a spacious background.)

4. Main paving varying very little to not at all in color or varying little in size. Not both. Like the perfect little black dress setting off its wearer and her accessories, expensive and tasteful but not in any way grabbing attention. :) Seriously, for me paving allows me to enjoy in comfort what I came out for--lots of verdant green, flowers, birds, squirrels, breezes, architectural trees, the sky, the solar system and universe. It should be a handsome complement without distracting from any of those.

5. Bird and squirrel friendly garden. Build in one or more self-filling bird baths and include plantings with seeds and fruit for wildlife to add delightful activities to an otherwise very quiet, and potentially rather sterile, space.

Thank you for all the great advice! We met with the architect again tonight and here's some updates and answers to your questions.

- We have to have the step ups as our yard is sloped. The low point is at the back door. Additionally, much of what you see around the patio are actually retaining walls, anywhere from 1 - 4 courses of brick.

- I tonight about the straight, boxy lines around that large tree/pachysandra area. Apparently he has to do it that way to keep the tree, otherwise we run into large roots and risk losing the tree.

- I knew this would be expensive but yeehaw. OMG. Therefore, we are omitting all of the pavers that outline the shape. Actually I think it will look better that way anyhow. Hamamlis - I agree with you that I think all the different pavers could be distracting and take away from being outdoors.

- That whole back part of the sunroom is being torn down and replaced with - french doors with sidelights.

- Olychick - Our original plan was to have invisible fence around much of it. However, after some consideration we abandoned it. We have 3 young children and our house is full all the time with people. I started just imagining kids calling to the dogs trying to get them on the patio and it could just end up being a very confusing mess for the pups.

- I am adding a 12 or 18" buffer of river rock all around the patio which I think will be dissuade the dogs from digging. *fingers crossed*

Now I have to convince my husband that we have to do pavers and not stamped concrete. Wish me luck!

I have read that you should create a specific digging spot for dogs and plant things for them to discover in that area, like toys and stuff. From the Humane Society:

• Cover the digging zone with loose soil or sand. Or use a child-size sandbox.
• Make the digging zone attractive by burying safe items (such as toys) for them to discover.
• When they dig in the digging zone, reward them with praise.
• If you catch your dog digging in an unacceptable area, interrupt the behavior with a loud noise and firmly say, "No dig." Then immediately take them to the digging zone.
• Make the unacceptable digging spots unattractive (at least temporarily) by placing rocks or chicken wire over them.

I had a flagstone patio laid a few years ago and I definitely would consider concrete next time. I haven't seen much stamped concrete mimicking flagstone that I like, but I do like the ones that mimic man made pavers. The flagstone replaced aggregate, which seems to have fallen out of favor, but I would do that again in a heartbeat.

Flagstone is beautiful, but so much more trouble than the aggregate was. Some of the downsides: weeds grow in the spaces between, if you pressure wash it (necessary in my part of the world) all the filler between the flagstones flushes out unless you tediously wash each square in order to miss the filler - sand or polymer. The stones are laid very flat, but there are irregularities in the stone, depending on what you use, that can cause tripping.

Whatever you use, I would still have a change of materials on the edge of the different levels, so people will be less likely to stumble. And just to be clear, I was suggesting invisible fence around the planting areas only, allowing access to the lawn and patio for the dogs.

Olychick - That is interesting to hear that you would pick concrete over pavers. What about cracks in the concrete? Hmmm you've got me thinking

All of the stamped concrete I keep seeing is shiny. Anyone have images of stamped concrete they like?

I did pavers but most of my neighbors had concrete. Concrete should not crack when done properly. It is laid down in sections with heave lines, not all one big concrete blob. Of course I was suggesting a small area of concrete. It can be dyed to match the pavers. The plus of concrete is it is cheaper and no worries about weeds. When I had a patio and walk made out of pavers, I just weeded my pavers and hit some areas with Roundup, but you may not want to do that with dogs and kids around. Those "home made" weed killers are not non-toxic either. I mostly weeded but used Roundup for the most hard to get out weeds. My own preference because I love permeable surfaces, would be a low wood deck mixed with pavers, but that is also expensive and relatively high maintenance. I also love flagstone but that is costly too. So does not solve the sticker shock problem. Least maintenance is concrete. I don't know about the aggregate. My best friend had flagstone mixed with aggregate. It was nice. Landscape designers need to know your budget. Sometimes they aren't very good at coming up with elegant yet INEXPENSIVE solutions.

A neighbor put in a stamped concrete walkway some 30 years ago. It mimics brick. It still looks great and is not shiny.

Am thinking about exposed aggregate for the patio. Thoughts?

I love exposed aggregate! I found these two pics that really appeal to me. There is something about the clean lines that I like, but I am an avid gardener, so I love the contrast of a riot of green, different color flowers and plant textures against the simple walkways. If you like the look, you'll love the ease of maintenance.

Thanks for the pics. They are helpful. I'm definitely leaning towards exposed aggregate. I really dislike things that are trying to be what they't not (silk flowers & plants, tofu, etc) so I think that's why the stamped concrete bothers me. Am going to further research the exposed aggregate idea.