It’s time to pave the way
A lush lawn and bountiful garden beds are cornerstones of streetside aesthetics, but look a little closer at the best house on the block and you’ll likely see another secret weapon when it comes to curb appeal. Whether as a walkway, driveway, or retaining wall, pavers can transform your front yard.
If you’re thinking about incorporating paver stones into your landscape design, these 15 curb appeal ideas with pavers will inspire you to cast the first stone.
A driveway that runs along the side of the home is typical, but using that driveway as an artistic focal point is often overlooked as a way to boost curb appeal. Using creative patterns, pavers can take an ordinary driveway from unremarkable to Pin-worthy and add personality.
Designer Ashley Malone of Studio Wellington created this stunning driveway for a client’s Atlanta-area home using mixed paver materials and a lot of thoughtful, precise design. Although several types of pavers and patterns are happening, because of the subdued color palette that matches the house, the entire area looks cohesive. What might have been boring has become a courtyard-like masterpiece.
Using pavers to create a front walkway is a simple way to make your entry pop, but to make them look like they belong, take a look at the strongest architectural elements of your home and replicate those in your hardscaping.
For example, in this Miami home, the rectangle paver stones are set on a curve instead of an angle to mirror the home's curves, including the custom front glass door and curved front windows. The house is also on a corner lot, so visitors are invited to visually explore the beautiful landscaping of the curbside garden and side yard by adding a path that curves away from the front entry.
Paver walkways are a thing of beauty, but there are many different ways to incorporate pavers into your landscape. While you don’t need to use identical materials throughout, try choosing different types of pavers and stones in the same color scheme.
Above, the stones used on the stairs are squared to create an even walkway but replicate the same colors as the natural stone retaining wall. And though it may be subtle, the stones incorporate a red tint to tie in the existing aged brick walkway for a cohesive design.
Creating a driveway of irregular-shaped paving stones with grass growing in between them not only looks beautiful but also comes with other benefits. Visually, this type of paver driveway can add instant cottage charm to even the newest home. It can also be surprisingly low maintenance—the stones won’t require the constant patching, cleaning, or repaving of an asphalt or concrete driveway.
By using a low-growing, dwarf variety of grass or an ornamental ground cover, you’ll keep weeds at bay and won’t need to trim very often. Another big bonus? This home, spotted by Jennifer Marsh of Mowery Marsh Blog, is close to a stream. The permeable surface of the driveway equals less runoff into nearby streams, lakes, and creeks, helping to protect the surrounding ecosystem.
Using irregular paving stones can give a home a cottage feel, but if you’re going for a more modern aesthetic, try a different grass and paver combo. Use large square or rectangular paving stones in an oversized running bond pattern (a classic bricklaying pattern) for a contemporary take on a permeable driveway. You still get the environmental benefits without compromising on design.
Nothing says curb appeal like an inviting, meandering paver path that leads to the front door. Although the tendency may be to imagine a path that goes straight from the front door to the sidewalk, if there’s space, an offset entrance and winding path can add charm. Lush landscaping along the pathway can make your front yard a woodsy wonderland.
For many homeowners, adding a backyard paver patio is a popular addition, but having a paver patio in the front of your home can make your space seem huge. Although the walkway is slightly curved, the paving stones point directly across the courtyard to the front door, making the entrance both dramatic and inviting.
Using hardscaping to create privacy walls and stone pillars makes the entire space more usable for homeowners. The stacked stone, landscaping rocks, mulch, and pavers match the warm colors of the adobe exterior of the home.
Not every home has a sprawling lawn or the space for a meandering walkway, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use pavers to make your entryway pop. If the real estate between your home and the sidewalk is short, don’t shy away from making pavers work for you. You can create the illusion of a larger space by working with similar materials for the walkway, steps, and stoop. For a seamless look, choose materials that match the color scheme of your home (bonus points if your home has brick or stone facing).
Whether it’s a walkway or the center of your driveway, one of the benefits of working with pavers is their near-limitless creative potential. Paving stones can be used in a variety of patterns. Instead of sticking with a straightforward line or pattern, opt for a mosaic work of art, such as a flower or arches. Use varying stone colors to make the pattern pop.
Thanks to their durability and affordability, bricks are a popular material for creating paver pathways and driveways. But the lower cost of using bricks is just one of the reasons to consider this material for your walkway or driveway. There are also many ways to have fun with your bricklaying. From herringbone to basketweave, there are a number of creative patterns you can use for brickwork. In addition, bricks come in various colors and can be used to achieve unique designs that will make your driveway or front walkway one of a kind.
Utilize pavers to turn an otherwise flat area into a multi-level garden with a ton of visual interest. Use pavers to make low-profile retaining walls for flower beds elevated just a foot or two above the curb. Adding brick in innovative, repeating patterns leading up to the front door can give an urban home a botanical-garden vibe.
It’s no secret that using pavers in place of standard concrete driveways can change the entire aesthetic of your home, but using hardscaping to replace struggling vegetation can transform a yard. Not only does it become low-maintenance, swapping out pavers where plants don’t thrive can increase your usable outdoor square footage.
In this historic home in Miami, the addition of pavers made a huge difference. In the front, pavers replaced a large area where the lawn wouldn’t grow, turning an eyesore into something truly elegant. The pavers also extend into the back patio through what was once an unattractive side yard.
Whether it’s for structural reasons, maintaining a budget, or looks, you don’t have to makeover every part of your front yard to get the benefit of boosting your curb appeal with pavers. Sometimes, small, incremental changes can have a big impact.
Laying pavers over concrete, or replacing one concrete feature with a flagstone-like paver, can give the feeling of a complete transformation without having to tear up an entire yard. Similarly, if you’re taking on a DIY paver project or need to makeover your front yard in stages, you can start with one major focal point, such as stairs or a front walk, and build from there.
Paver entryways and walkways are big on charm, but adding an entire sidewalk-side paver patio is both unexpected and neighborly. With features like fountains and beautiful landscaping, it will be hard for anyone to just walk on by without admiring your home.
The splash of brick-red among the gray stones repeated throughout the paver patio, pathway, steps, and retaining wall carry the design to the front door without replicating an exact pattern.
If you’re not sure how to incorporate pavers into your design, there’s a winning combination that never fails: a cobblestone driveway and a dramatic garage door. Traditional gray cobblestones are a versatile material that can go with nearly any style or era of a home. Adding a beautiful garage door that matches your front door will tie the design together.
Consult with a local landscaper specializing in hardscaping, or hire a nearby paver installation pro to find out how you can maximize your front yard’s curb appeal
