With few exceptions, you will find that the best covered patios are the ones that employ the best designs. This is true with all home decorating, indoors or out. The reason is that when you have good plans, you can be reasonably sure that the final product will be a better use of space than something that is more of an afterthought. You can think of your covered patio designs as being like an outdoor room of your home.
Like with any room, there are walls, a floor and a ceiling. Similarly, your outdoor patio has these same features. The only difference with the outdoor space is that your ‘walls’ are made with more temporary accessories like patio shades or curtains. These can provide both shade and privacy, as well as add a nice decorative element to your patio space.
Much like the walls of your patio room, your floor needs to be something that can withstand the outdoor environment. For this reason, a poured concrete slab or patio pavers are often used. You an also utilize any number of bricks or flagstone as well for a more refined look. The bricks come in a variety of shades and colors so you can have something that blends in well with your outdoor landscape.