Every great backyard needs an effective and beautiful paved surface to be the base of backyard activities. Millions of homeowners have been won over by the incredible choices that patio pavers can offer. Choosing the right patio pavers will not only elevate the functions of the space, but also enhance the visual appeal of your outdoor space. Even if a patio feels like it’s in the background, its looks contribute to the atmosphere of the space. Here’s what to look for in patio pavers for Lake Forest and Buffalo Grove, IL outdoor living spaces.
Related: Time To Revamp Your Lake Forest And Buffalo, IL Backyard? Consider Adding Patio Pavers
Working with Existing Masonry
Begin a paver patio design with masonry that already exists in the landscape and the home. There needs to be some sort of thematic continuity that brings all the spaces together. Before consulting with a landscaping contractor, request a site visit from your landscape designer and ensure there are plenty of samples on hand from which to choose the right pavers in the unique lighting and environmental conditions of your backyard. Tip: don’t try to match existing masonry, but rather complement it to give your outdoor spaces their own character.
Describing the Aesthetic
It’s important to gauge the style of architecture of the home. Even knowing roughly when it was built will offer choice in where to start with landscape design, including the choice of patio pavers. Generally, rustic and antiqued patio pavers will blend extremely well with a traditional style home or rustic home. Similarly, large format, sleek pavers can amplify a more modern aesthetic including any home built from the fifties onward. But these are just generalizations: individual homes will naturally inspire a design aesthetic, and a good landscape designer can help - especially if you want to mix styles.
Considering Color Schemes
Patio paver colors have a huge impact on the perception of the space and the surrounding landscape and home. There are two categories of stone colors to start with: warm and earthy tones, or cool and gray tones. With very few exceptions, these two color schemes aren’t meant to be mixed as they will provide too much contrast and visual “noise”; even within “browns” and “grays” you will find plenty of opportunities to complement either a warm or a cool color scheme.
Maximizing or Minimizing Space
There is a direct correlation between the size, shape, and pattern of the patio pavers and the depth perception in an outdoor living space. Smaller brick-like patio pavers have pronounced textures and busy line work that lend themselves to making a space feel small and intimate. Large format pavers with much less line work can help make a space feel much larger and more simple and modern.
Non-Slip Textures
Patio pavers need to be safe, above all. Masonry surfaces can sometimes become slick when it rains or when pool activities become a little too exuberant. Using non-slip textures in your patio, pool, and walkway pavers is achievable because most patio pavers - even ones with a smooth surface - are designed to be slip-resistant.
Permeability
Want to make your paver surface more eco-friendly? Opt for permeable pavers that help reduce the amount of standing water on a surface, and help replenish the groundwater instead of sending rainfall and snowmelt into the storm drain system. These pavers look and last just like regular pavers, but their somewhat larger joints and special substrate allow surface water to seep into the ground.
Related: 3 Patio Designs That Put The Spotlight On Your Beautiful Patio Pavers In Wilmette, IL
