Patios are often a focal point of the garden. A place to entertain guest, eat al fresco, relax and enjoy the view of the garden. In some cases they are next to the house and often the kitchen or living room of the house. In other cases they are located along side a pool or pond or even discovered along a meandering path. They can be made out of hard materials such as concrete, flagstone pavers, paving stones, tiles, or gravel. Terraces are areas for taking in the view of the ocean, city lights, a water feature or your garden. They are an area carved out of a hillside from which to see the panorama. Elements such as proportion, orientation, gradients, availability of sunlight and shade, connections to the vernacular of the house and relationships to other garden rooms are all very important aspects to consider.