Does your front yard need a facelift? You may want to start with improving the driveway, since it provides the first impression to guests. With the help of expert masons and some outstanding masonry materials, you can soo have a driveway that always presents a warm and beautiful welcome. Here’s how to create an impactful entrance with a stunning masonry driveway in the Sag Harbor, NY, area.
Related: HERE ARE 6 MASONRY IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR DIX HILLS AND SETAUKET, NY, FRONT YARD STAND OUT
Design for Practicality and Beauty
When you begin a driveway renovation, you may want to compare designs that catch your eye. Would your driveway make a stunning impact with the addition of some gentle curves? Would a runway-straight approach to the home work better with your home’s architectural style? Would a driveway island or an entry court be the difference between a purely utilitarian driveway and a functional work of art?
Available space and existing landscaping will of course dictate the length of your driveway. When it comes to width, a short driveway will need to be two cars wide, but a long driveway could be more like a country lane culminating in an entry court where people can park and turn around.
Choose the Right Materials
Within the wide range of masonry materials available today, it can often be difficult to decide which is best for your next landscape project. Your landscape designer will have a catalog of masonry materials available to work with, including traditional and contemporary styles. You may opt for traditional cobblestone or clay brick, for example, or choose from driveway pavers with a more expanded range of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. Or you might go with a combination of materials to complement your home and make a bold statement.
If you have existing masonry in your landscape, don’t worry about a perfect match. You can choose materials that are complementary to what’s already there. This is a way to give your driveway its own character while creating a cohesive design.
Consider a permeable paver system to help keep your driveway dry: This eco-friendly choice helps return surface water to the ground instead of creating runoff or flooding.
If you’re worried about snow plows damaging your gorgeous new driveway surface, a driveway heating system can be installed at the same time. It’s a luxurious feeling to come home in winter to a clear driveway.
Choose a Pattern
Driveway-rated pavers provide an opportunity to create interesting patterns in the layout. For example, you could choose a classic herringbone pattern for the main part of the driveway and introduce circles or even contrasting materials in the parking area. A swath of contrasting materials across the driveway could extend onto a walkway, guiding your guests to the front door.
Make an Entrance
The transition between the road and the driveway is an important one. You could add grandeur with twin masonry pillars and an entry gate or an apron of contrasting masonry materials in this transitional space. In effect, you’re telling your guests, “You have arrived.”
Add Tasteful and Effective Lighting
A well designed landscape lighting system will enhance the safety and beauty of your driveway and entry area. Pathway lights along the edges of the driveway offer your guests a charming welcome. If your driveway is flanked by a retaining wall, you can have light fixtures embedded inside the masonry structure.
