Upgrading your driveway may not have been on your list of things to renovate in your home this year, but that’s usually because looking at driveway ideas may not be as exciting as choosing a paint color for your new kitchen or tearing up the furniture in the walls so that you can replace all the cabinetry. The thing is, the driveway is one of the most aesthetic areas of your home. So if your driveway looks bad, the impression is that your home is going to look bad on the inside. It also gives the impression you don’t care much about your car. They play a very big role in the curb appeal of your building and of the front of your house.
So you need to make sure that your design and materials of your driveway are attractive.It’s not necessarily about the opinions of other people, but how you view your home yourself. And if the front of your home isn’t reflecting how you would like to to be viewed, then there is a problem and you need to renovate. There is so much more that you can do than taking the electric pressure washer and giving the driveway a clean. You can refresh your driveway and make it look completely different in the same way you’d refresh a small bathroom to make it look bigger. So with that in mind, here are some brilliant ideas so that you can refresh your driveway and make it look good.
- Take a careful look at the driveway that you’ve got. Measure it now, take note of the colour, take note of the materials used and think about its size and location. Some driveways are just off to the side of a house, whereas others go right up to the front door. You want to make sure that your driveway is not too close to the front door, that people are going to have to go around cars to get to the door, but not too far away, that you can’t even see the driveway because it’s at the side of your house. Your driveway should be big enough for drivers and passengers to get in and out of their vehicles without stepping on the landscaping too. This means that it needs to be at least 10 to 12 feet wide. Driveways should have good drainage. The other thing you want to consider is that you don’t want your car sitting in stagnant water, so having a slight slope on your driveway is never a bad idea.
- Think about what material would work best for you. Take a walk around any upscale neighborhood and take note of the driveway materials that they are using. You are usually going to see a handful of concrete driveways because with a brim and edge finish, it’s an industry standard that has a great aesthetic. Of course, there are other materials available such as pavers, brick and even gravel, so you have to consider what your home looks like and then decide what type of driveway will suit it.
- Choose between plain and patterned. If you want to have something more modern than a plain concrete driveway with a broomed edge is a great way to go. Concrete driveways look modern and they look appealing and they make your home stand up. However, if you want to be a little bit more retro and old school with your driveway, then why not make some patterns with pavers once you’ve chosen your material or materials. You should be able to redo your driveway in a nice paver pattern so that it can look exciting and give you an aesthetic that you couldn’t find elsewhere.
- Don’t commit to just one colour. You do not have to have a uniform colour for your driveway if you don’t want one. You can paint it any colour that you want as long as you’re looking for a budget friendly way to boost the driveways curb appeal. Choosing an outdoor paint that is not going to run in the rain is important however, because the last thing that you want is to find white paint running all over your landscaping. There are plenty of epoxy paint options that you can use to do the entire driveway project, but you can hire an expert as well because they’ll know exactly what material should be used and you’ll have a warranty on them too.
- Make it green. Not every driveway has to be gray or boring. Leaving some grass in your driveway, especially along the edges, is not just aesthetically pleasing, but it’s really good for the environment and any animals that you have in your front yard. When you replace your concrete or impervious asphalt driveways with something that’s more permeable, you can support that groundwater recharge while visually softening the look of your property. This is why some people have a drive up at the side of their home if the land is big enough because then they can keep the front of their home looking green and natural. You don’t want to just leave some of the front lawn exposed either. You need to make sure that there is an appropriate sub base and a drainage system.
- Match it to the rest of your yard. The style of your driveway can really dictate the kind of plants you use in the front garden. For instance, a desert brown driveway may inspire you to include things of a desert nature in the rest of your front yard. Cactus and other desert plants can look fantastic among the colors. Just make sure to play up those yard colors so that they stand out. Your driveway is an aesthetic continuation of your home, and you should think of it as such. It’s also an aesthetic continuation of your yard.
The more you do for your driveway now, the better refreshed it will look and you’ll be able to really enjoy the appreciative looks that people give it as they walk past.
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