You can place a patio anywhere you like on your property, provided the placement conforms with any code requirements. Many residential properties have remote patios or paved seating areas. As to needing a paved pathway, there is no requirement for one but having one will help to connect the patio to the house and facilitate clarity of access.

If you'll be carrying food and drinks to the detatched patio, I'd want a poured sidewalk. Also, some of your guests may be mobility impaired and a poured sidewalk would be necessary for them to access your entertaining space.

My advice: if you want the patio to be used, put it as close to the house as possible. People (myself included) are lazy. If it’s too much trouble, they won’t do it.

Is the proposed location on a different level from the house’s main floor? I had one like that once, 25 years ago, accessed from the basement. Never used it. Too far. (And I was 25 years younger then!)

Haha, I love the lazy comment. I knowwww I'd really prefer the patio was attached to the home, but that area is blocked by the garage and therefore in shade 90% of the day. I cant accept paying for a patio thats in the shade @littlebug Zone 5 Missouri. you are right, I did miss some of the context (was multitasking). I added photos and corrected some of my explanation, thanks for calling that out. Check out the design. It IS farther from the house...but my yard is also pretty small. Pro con pro con.

Thanks for the updated info, and yes I see your yard is fairly small.

So you believe a shady patio is a bad thing? I am deliberately working toward completely shading mine ($$$).

And is it important to you to have the availability of electric at the patio?

We have a screened in porch, so having a shaded patio seems duplicative. There would never be the option for the patio to be in the sun if it was adjacent to the house, unless you're sitting out there early.

We could pull the patio towards the house another 10-20 ft so that half of it is in the shade, and half is in the sun. It would be in the middle of the yard then, against the plant line. Maybe thats the best option?

The electrical is a good call out. I haven't even thought of that. We're hoping to have a natural gas fire pit but thats a whole other topic.

I don't know where you live, but I have to agree with littlebug - shade is a good thing on a patio. I I would think direct sun in midsummer is pretty intense no matter where you are. Maybe half and half shade/sun is the best solution.

Most people don't want to sit in a patio in direct sun, specially if you live in a warm climate. We paid a fair amount to have retractable awnings put over our west facing CA patio and had a large cantilevered umbrella over the dining table. It was still close to impossible to sit there during late afternoons in the height of summer.

I am so glad I posted here, this has been really helpful to get others POVs. Thank you all.

I love our patio in the sun. It’s off the stairs from the covered deck. We rarely put umbrellas up and love the sun there. We sit on the deck if we want shade. I like the idea of options!

IMO ypu have a deck why not do a multi level deck off the houseit does not appear that you have windows on that side so IMO that would solve the issue for sure.This is just one idea it could also be 3 levels . But to answer the quesion there are lots of patios with firepits far away from homes and if people want to enjoy the patio they will come.

I don't think it's weird at all. A lot of people have spaces and seating areas that aren't right up by the house. A lot of people appreciate having spaces in full sun as well as having a screened porch.

Something you can do now prior to going ahead. Weather permitting, I have no idea if it's warm or under snow where you are. Use some flags and twine to mark off the area of walkway and seating area. Use the space like walkway and seating area. See if you like the setup, if you find yourself using/liking the walkway area or not. Pop up some lawn chairs and a grill and see if you like using the seating area. If you are OK or not with the distance from the house, that sort of thing.

We can’t sit out on our backyard deck very often, as it has full sun a large part of the day. Not only hot, but for health concerns. We have a covered side patio for lounging and dining and head there 90% of the time.

Consider a retractable awning/pergola (vs depending on sun/shade ratio) and pavers for budget.

Perhaps consider the patio in opposite corner, as people are going to cut across grass in your present configuration, and will also be less expensive due to proximity.

I'm confused. In the mockup, the patio looks to be about 15-20 from the house, but you say the patio will be 40 ft from the house. Big difference.

Also, you say the patio should be away from the house to get out of the shade of the garage, but in the mockup, the patio is surrounded by privacy plants that will cast shade.

Definitely try a 'practice patio' with just chairs on the lawn.

Small gardens often have patios on the far end of the yard. You can see Brits do this all the time. You can put in a stepping stone path instead of a paved path. Upgrade when you have the funds.

To deal with the carrying of drinks and food, get a drink carrier, a basket, whatever. They are easily available from home goods stores in the summer.

It’s NOT an all or nothing proposition. i prefer my patio placed where it receives sun & when / if i want some shade a patio umbrella (s ) works fine at my home. ( in La Quinta , Palm Springs area, so lots of sun year around )

We have a flagstone patio away from the house. Love it, but we also have a screened porch attached to the house, so best of both worlds (porch was a deck that we just replaced). The patio is on a different level; we have four different levels in our back yard and this one is five steps down from the main floor of the house (1960 ranch with a basement which has the original concrete patio off it). The patio gets sun early, shade later. Perfect for lots of pots that need sun, but the surrounding gardens are mostly shade/part-shade plants. I agree that a slightly winding path from the house rather than the perimeter sidewalk your picture shows would make the patio more inviting and used. Of course, I would add gardens on either side as well, so you have an enticing path that draws everyone to see what is back there.

Doesn't seem odd to me as I know people who have placed things in different locations for various reasons including views.

If you have an outdoor grill then it makes sense to have the grill actually close to the home but if you want a sitting area or even an eating area why not have it where it is most pleasant. In my personal experience, you get some kind of cart and you load the plates, condiments, drinks etc. It is not like you are shlepping a mile through rugged terrain.

What I truly don't understand is how people use the roof top decks that are accessed through spiral staircases. I can't imagine bringing stuff up and down on a regular basis.

It's not odd at all, but I'd hate to pave my only sunny spot. Where do you grow tomatoes and roses?

Iri … I tried growing tomatoes once & they got infested with the ugliest nasty looking green worms, ripped those out! I don’t grow roses either, most have thorns.

to me a shaded patio is ideal.