Design guide
A plain-spoken guide to the decisions that matter — zones, utilities, shade, materials, and heat — plus the budget tiers most projects land in.
Budget tiers
$3K – $12K
Ooni Koda · Solo Stove Bonfire · Treasure Garden cantilever
A freestanding grill or pizza oven, a smokeless fire pit, shade, and a good seating set. No trenching, no permits.
$15K – $60K
Lynx Sedona · Ortal linear fireplace · StruXure Pergola X
Masonry or stainless cabinetry, a plumbed gas grill, a real fireplace, and a louvered structure overhead. Where most projects land.
$75K – $250K+
Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire · Gloster · Bullfrog Spas · Almost Heaven
Full kitchen with refrigeration and ventilation, designer furniture, radiant heat, spa and sauna — a second living room outdoors.
What actually matters
01
Sketch cooking, dining, lounging, and wellness as separate zones with circulation between them. Buy for the zones, not the showroom.
02
Gas line size, 240V for heaters and spas, dedicated grill circuits, water and drainage. This is the one thing that is expensive to add later.
03
Track where the sun sits at 2pm in July. Louvered pergolas, cantilever umbrellas, and screens decide whether the patio is usable at all.
04
316 stainless near salt air, powder-coated aluminum, plantation teak, porcelain pavers, and solution-dyed acrylic fabric. Skip anything painted or particle-cored.
05
A fire feature is atmosphere; infrared heat is usable warmth. Doing both adds roughly two months on each end of the year in most climates.
06
Hot tubs need a level reinforced pad, 60A service in many cases, and service access on at least one side. Cold plunges and saunas are far simpler.
Need a hand
When Mondo's goes live with its first authorized brands, you'll be able to book a free consultation — patio dimensions, utilities, budget, and goals in, a full build sheet out.