We have a lot of brainstorming to do for our new patio. 
Goals:
-A Patio (preferably bluestone) spanning across back of house from chicken coop on right to garage on left
- Outdoor shower (behind garage?)
-Areas for dining and for sitting/living and a firepit
-Area for grill. Do we build it in to a sitting wall or is it free-standing?
Challenges:
-budget constraints. For example, adding a wall adds $$$...
-Large drop in elevation over on garage side
-Reconfigure stairs off kitchen
-Stairs off patio to playarea/swingset below
Here is a nice, simple patio design I found online. It is also a cape so I thought it was relevant to our project. It also incorporates the materials I would choose for ours.
Stay tuned...
