Your outdoor landscaping makes your first impression, it creates a relaxation zone for your family, and it can boost your property values. Landscaping involves lots of different elements including concrete. Hi, my name is Diane, and I love landscaping. However, I also love patios, magical pathways, sports courts and other concrete creations. Want help creating your fabulous outdoor space? Want help with concrete ideas in particular? Then, I would love to be there for you. I have a keen eye for decoration and have helped a lot of friends create their outdoor areas. I hope my tips and ideas can help you.
Concrete offers many design options for a driveway. It's open to endless moulding and colour options. Contractors can imprint it with shapes and add hues at various stages of the installation. Here are some considerations to bear in mind when picking a design for your home.
Do You Want Texture?
If you pour smooth concrete over a driveway, it looks neat and contained with an even finish. This surface is perfect for bouncing a ball and playing netball or basketball. However, if you want a naturalistic look, you may prefer to give the concrete texture.
Contractors can create the look of stone pavers by using moulds that they press onto the cement before it hardens. These stamps come in a wide variety of designs. For instance, you could give the concrete the texture of cobblestones, timber sleepers or a basket-weave brick pattern.
Consider the surfaces in the surrounding environment. If you have a red-brick home, you may prefer simple charcoal-coloured concrete with saw-cut lines forming a square pattern. With this option, the kerb view won't be overloaded with busy join lines covering the house and the driveway. However, if you think your front garden looks drab, you could choose more ornamental concrete.
What Colours Do You Want?
The colours are a huge part of the design of concrete driveways. Consider whether you want bright or earthy hues. Often, people prefer muted colours like browns, greens and blues, so the paving blends with the garden.
Just as you have abundant colour options when picking wall paints, you have the same with concrete. Contractors can add various pigments, dyes and stains to the concrete. They can mix the colour into the cement before pouring it or layer colours on top afterward.
For a unified look, you could echo the house design. For example, pick a shade from the roof or trim. If you repeat the exterior wall colour, you might end up with too much of one hue. Think about the lightness or darkness of colours too. A shade contrast can make the facade more appealing. If your home is cream, you might opt for dark concrete. Light paving, however, can make a driveway look larger.
Also, remember the warmth or coolness of the colour. If your home has a Mediterranean aesthetic, you could choose a warm driveway. However, you may prefer cool blues, greys or beiges for a modern or contemporary building.
For more info, contact a local concrete driveway contractor.
Share16 May 2022
