Making the Perfect Path: Walkway Options for Your Custom Home

April 17, 2018

Creating a walkway or path can be crucial to the overall aesthetic of your dream home. Whether it leads to your front door, garage, or patio, there are a ton of walkway options available, from the choice of materials to the variety of lighting available. These are just some of the options to choose from when planning out walkways around your custom home:

Walkway Material Options

Arguably the most important choice when designing a walkway is the core material; it sets the tone. Choosing a look for your path that fits the style of your home is important. There are many materials available, not to mention trimmings. These are some of the most popular core walkway materials:

Paver

Pavers, also called paving stones, are hard blocks used to create smooth surfaces outdoors. They’re usually used as a type of exterior flooring, which commonly end up as patios, driveways, and, of course, walkways. Pavers come in a variety of materials and styles. The most common materials are natural stone, brick, and concrete. The shapes and styles available are seemingly endless.

A paver walkway traditionally consists of several layers including a gravel base, sand, the pavers, and the polymeric or jointing sand between the pavers to bond them more firmly together. Different pavers work better for different areas and situations. With so many options available, it’s easy to get the walkway you need with the look you want.

Concrete

Lasting for 20 to 40 years, concrete paths can be a good long-term solution when installed by professionals. In some cases, you can even forgo the flat concrete look by having patterns etched in. This stamped concrete allows for designs typically reserved for paths constructed from pavers.

Gravel

Likely the most inexpensive option for a path, gravel gets the job done without too much fuss. Over time, pieces of your walkway may become displaced, however, making for a fair amount of upkeep for this option. This is typically a great option for small stretches, like the space between a patio and where a grill is located.

Stone

A stone walkway can refer to many different styles, making it the most customizable by far. Whether you want to have large natural stones interlaced by gravel or consistent stone placements, this material can fit almost any aesthetic.

Your Path’s Surroundings

Almost as important as your walkway itself is what surrounds it. Whether you’re planning a utilitarian walkway that gets you where you need to go, or an aesthetic path to lead through your garden, the surroundings play a big role in its design.

Grass and Yards

Putting your path through the yard is a fairly standard choice, commonly seen in front of many homes. While it doesn’t have any of the extra styling choices of other options, it is likely that you already have grass to build on, and the maintenance won’t be anything more than the mowing you already do.

Garden or Flower Beds

Although placing a garden or flower bed around your path can be a bit of extra work, it adds a sense of pizzazz to your home. Spicing up your walkway with bright bushes and flowers can enhance how your home looks from afar, and make your walk that much more enjoyable.

Specialty Surroundings

Beyond a flower bed or grass, there are dozens of other less common options. You could choose to surround your path with sand, stones, or even water features if you’d like.

Walkway Lighting Options

Now that you have your walkway planned out, it’s time to light it up! Although not all paths need lighting, it can add to its visual impact, as well as serve as extra safety for nighttime use.

Riser and Step Lighting

These lighting types focus on individual steps within your path, either shining directly on each step or sometimes residing under the lip of each step. Using riser or step lighting can produce a dramatic effect for your walkway, providing extra safety precautions while bringing out the beauty of your selected materials.

Downlights

This type of lighting behaves exactly how you’d imagine, shining light on your walkway from above. Careful placement of these lights can illuminate your path in its entirety, creating an enticing nighttime atmosphere while reducing the risk of tripping.

Path Lighting

Typically implemented low to the ground as small lights close to the path, these come in all different shapes and sizes. They create an enchanting aesthetic, able to flow with your path where ever it may go because of their small size. Many owners will also utilize solar-powered path lighting, making this form of lighting good for the wallet as well!

Walking Your Own Path

With so many walkway options available, it can be hard to figure out where to start. Luckily, when building your own dream home, you can count on Custom Home Group to guide you every step of the way. Looking to get started? Contact us today to talk to a custom home specialist.