5 Things That Quietly Elevate Your Patio and Give It an Expensive Look — Including the Type of Pots for It That All Luxury Gardens Have

Patio area with limestone tiles and plenty of planting.

Some patios and terraces just work: the materials and tones, the layouts and proportions, the furniture and finishes — it all just flows, looks effortlessly stylish, and feels sumptuous to hang out in.

It's not by accident. Behind the scenes, much thought and planning have gone into the design of these outdoor spaces to make them feel so elegant and expensive. So what is the formula?