If your Bedford, NY, driveway is crumbling and less than attractive, you could look no further than a beautiful masonry driveway to create a stable, long-lasting surface and decorate the surrounding area. With the right landscaping company, you can create a grand entrance with custom masonry choices that can set the tone for the rest of the home.
Related: Choosing Durable, Attractive Masonry Materials for a Driveway in Briarcliff Manor and Scarsdale, NY
Plan a Driveway Size
Planning a new masonry driveway can be the perfect time to expand the width of this critical landscape feature. If your driveway turns at an awkward angle or is too narrow for more than one car, working with your landscape designer to change the angles, make the driveway circular for comfortable entering and exiting, and expanding the width can be part of the process.
A landscape professional can assess the landscape and the position of the house to plan an ideal driveway for your unique property. Perhaps you need a straight driveway but don’t want it to look like a runway or you might prefer to let your driveway wind through some stately trees on your property. Any of these are possible with a new driveway.
Choose a Pattern
Part of the fun of planning a new driveway can be eliminating the dull look of asphalt or poured concrete to replace it with driveway pavers. Your new driveway can have a sleek, angular look of contemporary stone or old-world cobblestone.
A landscape team can help you decide the right look that would properly complement your home style and landscape design. Many homeowners love the look of banded intervals in a contrasting stone to divide a long driveway so it doesn’t seem to run on forever.
Other homeowners like the look of edging both sides of the driveway with triple border stone to define the edges and create interest. You might opt for a central pattern or design in the parking area of the driveway. Any pattern, style, and look can be yours with the mix and match ease of driveway masonry.
Add a Retaining Wall
Something else to consider is adding a retaining wall to one or more sides of the driveway, especially in the parking area. This can create a finished appearance to the design for a clear, designated parking space.
For the retaining wall, your landscape professionals can choose a natural stone that stacks to hold back any earth. When they anchor the stone with mortar joints, this wall can be secure for years to come. These professionals will ensure there are drainage holes for run-off to funnel to a safe place for drainage and top the retaining wall with a flat stone where plants and flowers can spill over.
Include Some Steps
Your landscape professionals will be able to design an opening or steps to access other parts of the property from the parking area. Think of the ease you can host get-togethers in your backyard when your guests can park and head right to the back patio.
Wide steps can create a comfortable way to move from parking to the garage, the backyard, and even the front entry, depending on the way your property sits.
Ideally, your driveway will be a durable, lovely surface that will serve you well for years. When you pull up to your home and know the driveway is attractive and safe, you will be glad you made the investment in this outdoor space.