Patio Envy

We bought the most beautiful, charming house back in December and I am in love with it.....except I'm having major outdoor living withdrawal this time of the year, even with Kentucky's stifling humidity. We do not have a patio/deck at our home and it's driving me crazy!! Ryan and I have finally decided to break down and pay for a patio for our side yard - originally I wanted stone pavers but that was going to be WAY too expensive and WAY too much work. We then decided on concrete - I had no idea of the things they could do with concrete! I'd love to have a patio with the concrete stamped in some decorative way to appear like bricks, but alas, that is out of our budget and we will have to settle for the exposed aggregate. Nonetheless, I thought I'd post a few of my original inspiration pics for the stamped patio....a girl can dream, can't she?