First impressions count. Whilst we’d love to play the long game and get to know a property intimately before making any judgements, let’s be honest here, when it comes to your home, snap decisions are made on first appraisal.
One of the most prominent yet overlooked areas of your home is the driveway. A well-laid driveway design can add value to your home and attract potential buyers and the roving eye of passersby, equally. So, create an exterior you can be proud of, and improve the aesthetic charm of your home with these tips on how to jazz up your driveway, IDEAL for maximising your home’s kerb appeal.
Living In A Material World
A driveway showing signs of wear and tear, perhaps lined with cracks and faded from UV, will detract from that wow factor you’re seeking when one arrives at your home. Don’t fret; replace it – doing so will jazz up your driveway no end.
There are many different types of driveways; block paving, pattern imprinted concrete, tarmac driveways, bound and bonded resin gravel, concrete and asphalt…the list goes on and get’s no more thrilling to hear.
If you want a truly unique driveway then consider ‘crazy paving’. As the name suggests, this haphazard approach to paving, which is achieved using stones or broken concrete slabs, can add an idiosyncratic finish to your driveway. It’s becoming increasingly popular as an environmentally friendly option as it can be made using reclaimed and recycled materials.
Certain materials can also help the security of any parked cars and your home as whole gravel, for instance, crunches underfoot and alerts residents to people approaching. It’s also one of the more affordable and ecologically friendly options. Just sayin’.
Alternatively, we’re big fans of resin for driveways. It is remarkably durable, withstanding all types of weather conditions, from the harsh British winters to the sunny summer days, ensuring a long lifespan with minimal maintenance. The permeability of a resin driveway also makes it an environmentally friendly option, permitting rainwater to seep through and accordingly reducing the risk of flash flooding. Moreover, its smooth, anti-slip surface makes it safe for children and the elderly, reducing the risk of slips and falls. Finally, as the guys at Resin Crew, a resin driveways company in Durham, tell us, it doesn’t fade or discolour under UV rays, maintaining its charm for years to come.
Bear in mind that you don’t have to stick to just one type of material for your driveway. Mixing and matching materials that complement each other can add intrigue and interest.
It’s All About The Entrance
Your house doesn’t have to be a huge country estate or a flashy Hollywood home to have a grand entrance. The entrance doesn’t necessarily have to be all that elaborate, either. But it should be inviting and offer guests an intriguing insight into your home. Moreover, it should also be in keeping your home’s setting, be it urban or rural.
A concept we like to call ‘driveway landscaping’, we think it’s apt to channel this attitude to yours. A simple entrance demands some well-maintained hedges or matching trees either side. For some understated elegance or something altogether grander, custom wrought iron gates can add a decorative touch while making your home more secure.
Brick or stone columns can accentuate the entrance of your driveway. There’s a huge variety of different columns to choose from out there from stacked to stone and beyond. When choosing your columns, you want to draw a connection between them and the rest of your property.
A beautiful archway entrance made from wood can make a huge first impression, too. Or a trellis over your driveway, perhaps with some beautiful roses or wisteria, can add the wow factor. And a sign with your house’s name will certainly put a stamp on your property, too. So many options, indeed!
Complement Your Home
The driveway sets the tone and character of your house. Therefore, you want to make sure it matches the overall aesthetic of the exterior of your home.
Paving stones in dark shades will complement and echo a contemporary home. Slim, streamlined shape paving stones also offer a modern look. For a period property, use cobblestones in your driveway designed to mimic the elegant look of your home. However, if the facade of your home has lots of detail, then a plain driveway option will offer balance and a sense of subtle sophistication.
If you’re after a more natural look, stone driveways are hard to beat and come in a whole range of patterns. You can also inject personality into the paving of your driveway by adding different shapes to the pattern, perhaps a drivesett circle here or there.
Light It Up
Define and enhance your driveway with a few carefully placed lights. While you don’t have to go for the full runway effect, the addition of a lighted border can also add to the security of your home, scaring off potential cat burglars (and regular burglars) from walking up the drive and opportunistically surveying who’s home.
Choose something subtle that won’t disturb the neighbours, unless you want a lawsuit on your hands. Motion-sensors are an energy efficient option which is also less intrusive to surrounding houses, and solar takes those green credentials up several more notches.
Electrical lighting can provide greater illumination and has more options in different styles. You could even consider a street lamp style for larger driveways, which looks just lovely in the right setting.
Driveway lights can also be used to highlight flora and foliage, which brings us to our next point…
It’s The Frame, Not The Picture
Landscaping your driveway with kerbs or plants can really make your driveway ping. Decorative kerbs are ideal for edging your driveway and can add that finishing touch adeptly. Kerbing and path edgings come in multiple styles, finishes and colours – chose one to match or contrast the overall aesthetic of your driveway.
Adding a border of plants or grass to your driveway will frame it succinctly. Foliage and flowers can also work well at lifting the facade of your house tenfold and will also soften any boundaries between your driveway and home. Moreover, it’s better for the environment; purely hard driveway surfaces can contribute to floods whereas rainfall on grass or plants will soak it up.
The key here is to add plants that don’t need much maintenance. Choose a combination of plants that flower in every season and ensure that the plants won’t grow too tall, blocking natural light from entering your windows. Consider a flower that smells wonderful, like lavender, jasmine or honeysuckle for a really welcoming, refreshing burst of aroma when you come home. How lovely that sounds.
The Bottom Line
Don’t think of your driveway as just a place to park your car. Instead, reconceptualise it as the red carpet to your home, your personal gateway to safety and sanctity. Heaven!