The Ingredients for a Perfect Pathway.

Your home has two primary elevations that are connected by the side of your property.

In order to really merge the two living spaces this requires a pathway.

A beautiful pathway doesn’t have to cost much money or take up allot of space. You can establish a budget that really is pleasing to the eye and your wallet.

In order to connect the two spaces you can work with the materials already in use on your home. This can be brick that matches your foundation or natural stone. If you have a concrete driveway you may also want to add this as the other ingredient.

The first step is to survey the lay of the land and the present front and rear living spaces.

Have you planned out both spaces?

Do you like what you have?

Do you have a five year plan or do you plan on moving in less than five years?
 

These are great questions that need to be answered first.

Let’s agree for the moment the front yard looks great and you have a game plan for the backyard. So connecting both spaces really comes down to hardscape and softscape combined. These two words basically amount to what you are walking on and what surrounds it to make it beautiful.

One quick and simple solution is to place accent bricks found from your foundation intermixed with the same concrete that you have on your driveway. This can be a straight path or have some movement to dodge or hide your HVAC unit. Why should you live with your heating and air condition unit in full view when you can surround it with vegetation and an easy path to the backyard.

Many times blue stone, flat stones and pavers are the common solution and this can be done very quickly and actually match out to the plans or current outdoor living areas.

What is most important while looking at all of this is the drawings that someone can do while listening to you. A designer can draw the design on the spot and place markings on the side of the areas to visually show you before any work is done. This connection between reality and conceptual is vital.

The last thing that you want is a poor design followed up by an installation that really takes you down the wrong path.

Your path should be exciting and functional.

Do you have standing water?

Is the area hard to grow grass?

Is it difficult to cut your grass in this area?

Do you hate coming down the driveway only to see what bothers you every day?

Depending on how you answer these questions can determine how to plan.

The last ingredients for your pathway will be seasonal considerations.

The plantings that you select will assure you that the coverage you select will last all year long and require very little maintenance.

An evergreen product will provide year round color and hiding power.

In summary you can walk between both living areas while enjoying a design that blends both areas together. This design can establish the backyards feeling or match what is already in place. By using existing materials found on your home you can make the new design look like it was always there.

With today’s home values it important to maximize your livable luxury without moving or constantly feeling like you have something wrong with your home. How long have you been putting off doing something on the side of your home?

Not only will it look better but you will feel better every time you come and go from the front to the back or drive to and from your house.

Brent Valentine has been doing hardscapes and softscapes for over 5 years. He combines his drawing abilities with a creative imagination and extensive knowledge of available ingredients that make the perfect pathway.

Brent can also establish a staged budget that helps you plan all of your outdoor living spaces.

BV Softscapes
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3130 Forest Lawn Drive Matthews, NC 28104
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