Thursday 30 October 2014

5 Tips to Choose Paver Patterns and Designs

Creating the perfect outdoor living space isn’t just about choosing the location and size of your walkways, patios, driveways and pool decks. Rather, it should involve careful consideration of colors, styles, patterns and shapes of pavers that showcase your artistic flair and give your space an unmatched oomph. Here are five tips to choose paver patterns and designs that go well with the overall setting:
  • Deciding your goal: By usingpavers of various sizes available in an array of colors, you can create amazing patterns in your outdoor space, which can either make a space look small or big, subtle or dynamic, traditional or contemporary. Therefore, deciding what end result you want to achieve is important before you start your search for the ideal paver patterns and designs.
  • Deciding paver shapes and materials: Round, square, rectangular and hexagonal are some of the most common paver shapes. At first, you need to decide which would be most suitable for your landscape. Instead of choosing any one shape, you may opt for a design that includes multiple shapes to create an intricate pattern that showcases the unique character of your home. Once you have decided upon the shape, pick your material of choice. You can find a variety of paving materials such as flagstone, brick, cobblestone, outdoor tile, gravel, etc. to choose from. In case you want to replenish the groundwater supply and prevent stormwater runoff, using permeable paving materials would be a good choice.
  • Consider the overall aesthetics: According to landscaping experts, laying brick-shaped pavers to repeat a form works well for rectangular, colonial style houses. However, for ornate Victorian-style houses with arched windows and doors, you can repeat curved shapes and edges to blend well with the structure. To make narrow paths appear wider, experts recommend laying the pavers in rows or on a diagonal that runs across the space. You can make rectangular pavers run the length of a wider space to make it look narrower. The key is to choose your paver patterns and designs to complement your home and its surroundings and not stick out like a sore thumb.
  • Picking the paver pattern: Apart from the common circular pattern, other paver patterns that you can consider are basket weave patterns, running bond patterns, herringbone patterns and the European fan pattern (the last one being often considered to be the most challenging pattern to lay).  While small areas can be made to appear bigger with the running bond pattern, the herringbone pattern that’s famous for its durability and strength is ideal for regions with heavy furniture or traffic. Other patterns like the basket weave or circular ones are perfect for almost every spot of your outdoor space. According to some paver installation pros, circular or curved designs work especially well around a fire pit or water fountain, while irregular or random patterns look great in landscapes with a Tuscan or Mediterranean touch. Therefore, depending on the effect you wish to create and your landscape’s existing conditions, you should choose your paver pattern.
  • Selecting within your budget: Setting a realistic budget for a landscape project is often one of the most difficult tasks and it’s no different for pavers. Still, you should compare prices online, talk to paver manufacturers and consult landscape designers to set your budget and find the right material that fits both your purpose and budget.
You can use these tips to choose the right paver patterns and designs that will help create a visually pleasing outdoor space, which enhances the appeal of your landscape and your home.

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