Before pulling the trigger on your updated outdoor living space, you’ll want to be sure that every inch of your landscape will deliver on your dreams: and what might surprise you is how you can use so much of your landscape to relax, entertain, and play. Here are 3 brick paving ideas to consider before you decide on a New Boston, MI landscape design.
Related: 3 BRICK PAVING TRENDS IN 2021 FOR THE TRENTON AND BROWNSTOWN CHARTER TOWNSHIP, MI, AREAS
More Outdoor Living, Less Lawn
If you don’t have kids or pets who need an expanse of lawn to burn off some energy, you may be finding that your lawn is taking up a significant amount of your time, energy, and resources for what turns out to be very little return other than beauty (and even then, only when the lawn is healthy).
A growing trend is to increase the size of outdoor living spaces by reducing the size of the lawn, while creating a visually striking landscape filled with a vibrant collection of native flowers, shrubs, grasses, ground covers, and trees.
If this appeals to you, here are some great ideas for creating destinations in your landscape.
An Entry Courtyard
Many front entries are pretty basic: a walkway that heads straight to the front door. Adding a brick patio at the front of the home is a great way to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests. In the absence of the classic American front porch, it’s also a great spot to enjoy morning coffee or late afternoon sunshine. And if you prefer a bit more privacy at the front door, a chic teak privacy screen could shield the space from public view, while offering a warm welcome to your guests. Here, a classic herringbone or basket weave pattern will complement your home beautifully.
The Side Yard: a Hidden Treasure
If your side yard is little more than a way to get from here to there or to house a garden shed, you could use the space to create a little oasis for yourself. A quaint brick patio could become a meditation space, or a retreat where teenage kids can have their very own outdoor space. Here, a relaxed ashlar pattern using a combination of variously sized square and rectangular brick pavers. Add a tranquil fountain, a privacy fence, and a comfortable outdoor couch for a gorgeous retreat!
A Personalized Backyard Patio
The backyard patio of old would be little more than a concrete slab barely big enough for a grill, a table, and a couple of lounge chairs. Today’s backyard patio is an extension of the home, complete with the amenities you’d find indoors.
And, patios have morphed into a zoned approach of several connected outdoor “rooms” which offers an amazing opportunity to mix brick paver materials and patterns. Outdoor rooms can even feature “area rugs” made using the same brick paver set in a different pattern, or a contrasting paver for a bold statement.
Brick pavers are some of the most versatile design elements that you can use to create exactly the mood you want - and to create a one-of-a-kind space. For example, you could blend two or three colors of a particular brick paver to create a dynamic and richly colored patio with tremendous character (this works exceptionally well when using small pavers). Or, create an expansive look using large format brick pavers with jointing sand in the same color.
