Although it isn’t a process that we think much about, the pathway from your street to your doorway is the ultimate statement about your home. During this walk, visitors will decide everything that they need to know about how you’re welcoming them, how you care for your house and yard, and what that says about you and your family.
Here are some tips to ensure that your entryway is welcoming, gracious, and beautiful.
Think About the Actual Walkway
Will two pathways be necessary? Many people like to have a decorative walkway, but daily use also makes a more direct and utilitarian pathway practical. Consider the way that you usually enter your house, whether that’s from the street, the driveway, or the garage. Which door do you usually go in directly? For many of us, it’s a side door, and the front door is mostly for guests and special events.
Safety is also an important practical consideration when you’re planning your walkways. Will it still be safe in rainy weather? What if you’re in a rush, carrying things? Will you need walkway lighting for late-night returns?
A fun detail to think about is the actual form of pavement that you’ll use for your path. Plain concrete walkways can be woefully underwhelming. You might want to completely redo it with pavers, either with pebbles between spaced-out stone, or gaps for grass to grow in. However, if you’re not ready to completely redo, you can just embellish with some good bordering pavers, or a mulch border that will set off the walkway well. You can also consider gravel borders or pebbled borders, either with structured lines, or gentle curves to add a natural feel to rigid walkways.
Frame the Doorway
A bare doorway doesn’t send a message of welcome. However, extra elements like a deck, pergola, or arbor can make your house look gracious and luxurious. It can also give you a great space to enjoy the yard and sunshine while you keep an eye on the kids playing in the yard.
Furthermore, you can embellish bare concrete areas with strategic planters and potted arrangements. Feature planters in multiple levels and with a variety of plants to create a lush, layered look on bare concrete.
Encourage Guests to Slow Down and Enjoy
Features strewn throughout your pathway will give it a full, decorative look that makes the difference between a well-planned design and a strictly utilitarian walkway. Think about adding interesting features like:
- a water feature
- a low wall
- alcoves and arbors
- well-established trees and shrubs, bordered and complemented by perennials and groundcover
- mounded areas and flower beds
- stone features