You don't want your house to be bland and boring, so why would you settle for a ho-hum walking path?
Creative walkways have the power to add charm and character to your yard. They set your property apart from the crowd. For imaginative inspiration, check out these nine sidewalk design ideas.
Match Your Walkway to Your Apron
The apron of your driveway is the section that connects your main driveway area to the road. If your local building codes allow, you may be able to dress up the look of your apron by constructing it of eye-catching bricks, as in the photo above.
Brick also makes excellent material for a walking path. If you look closely at the photo with the brick apron, you can see a walkway leading from the driveway to the house. For a cohesive look, the sidewalk is built with bricks that match those used in the apron.
Stylize a Basic Sidewalk
Poured concrete is one of the most affordable options for a walkway. Perhaps you already have a sidewalk like this at your house. Improving the look of your yard doesn't have to require tearing out the concrete and starting fresh, but you might appreciate the affordability of concrete so much that you opt to start a new project featuring a concrete walkway.
Basic doesn't have to mean boring. In the above photo, the simple concrete sidewalk is flanked on both sides by wavy swaths of large river rocks. This is an easy, affordable touch that lends distinction to a basic sidewalk.
Place Ledges Along the Sides
Paving stones work well as one element of a hardscaping design that features many types of stones, blocks and bricks. For example, along a stone path, you could build a decorative wall with blocks in a matching color, as in the above photo.
Smooth ledges sit atop the stone walls. These match the pieces used on the walkway's steps. The ledges are just right for displaying potted plants or other decorative items, and they also serve as a spot for kids to play or for neighbors to sit and chat.
Lay Colorful Stripes
Cobblestones and other pavers come a wide assortment of colors. You can use this to your advantage as you craft a sidewalk that's unique to your house. Not only will this give your hardscaping an attractive look, but it will also set your property apart from the others on your block.
The photo above shows a property in which three different stone types are used in the pathway design. While the main area and the outermost border are done in a neutral gray, stripes of red bricks and black cobblestones add interest to the layout.
Create a Kids' Play Space
Which of these sidewalk design ideas is your favorite? To discuss how you can incorporate some of these ideas into your own yard, contact our team today. Whether you'd like a , or walking path, we can help turn your hardscaping visions into reality.
If yours is a family home, consider letting your children have their own area of the yard. A winding pathway set among landscaping greenery can be the perfect place to tuck a kid-friendly hangout area.
The home above has a sandbox area that's set in a curve in the sidewalk. Flanked by rocks and greenery, the natural sand welcomes kids without being an eyesore that contrasts sharply with its surroundings.
Surround Patio Blocks with Grass
Patio blocks make attractive sidewalks, but trying to keep grass from growing between the stones can be a challenge. Professional installation with proper site preparation can help keep this issue at bay. Another option, however, is to simply embrace the grass.
The house above uses grass between the blocks as an intentional part of the yard design. The blocks are set into the surrounding lawn, and a few inches of grass separate each block from the next.
Coordinate the Sidewalk with the Door
Contrast is one of the great principles of home design. Every element of your decor shouldn't match exactly. However, there should also be some cohesive threads that help bring your whole look together.
The picture above is a great example of contrast used well. The red bricks of the walkway stand out against the pale gray stoop and the neutral stones used for the house. However, the warm red-brown shade of the door and the brick accents that surround it tie in perfectly with the walkway. The occasional gray brick in the sidewalk lends unity to the whole design.
Piece Large Slabs Together
If the affordability of poured concrete appeals to you, you can use this material to create a unique look that's reminiscent of a flagstone sidewalk. In the above image, each section of the sidewalk is like a tiny concrete patio. Because there are only small gaps between each section of concrete, it's easy to step from one block to the next.
The uneven sizes and angles of the various sections create a visually interesting look. They convey the feeling of a sidewalk built of natural stones, which helps the landscaping feel congruent with the trees and dirt that surround it.
Tuck Flowers into the Curves
Lining the sidewalk with flowers is a popular landscaping idea. You can take this idea one step further by creating special cutouts in your sidewalk just for small plants. In the photo above, semi-circular beds serve as the perfect spots to add a pop of color to the design. Between the cutouts, wide walkways lead to the patio.
Because there's plenty of walking space on this path, the flowers should be protected from accidental squashing. Even still, when planning a flowerbed that's adjacent to a walkway, it's smart to plant hardy blossoms that can take a bit of trampling now and then.
Which of these sidewalk design ideas is your favorite? To discuss how you can incorporate some of these ideas into your own yard, contact our PALERMO PAVING team today. Whether you'd like a concrete, asphalt or paving stone walking path, we can help turn your hardscaping visions into reality.