You understand that pavers can add ROI to your home and serve a practical purpose — so now it’s time to learn how to landscape around a paver patio to maximize its aesthetic appeal.
To do so, start viewing the world through the eyes of a classic landscape painter, such as Claude Lorrain. In “Landscape at Dusk,” what do you notice about his use of color, light, positioning, contrast and framing?
In the scope of your backyard, a paver patio is like the flat expanse of land in the middle of the painting. Everything around it frames it, adding depth and contrast. And with the right approach, you — like Lorrain — can turn the landscape around your paver patio (and the patio itself) into its own work of art.
Tips on How to Create Your Paver Patio Masterpiece
1.Begin in the Middle
Before creating or adding to your landscape, you need to decide on the functionality of your outdoor space. Is your patio a place to relax and read? Have barbecues and entertain guests?
Rather than filling your patio with lots of furniture featuring colors and textures that may disrupt the overall picture, consider using pavers to create some of that furniture for you. You can use paving stones to add seating walls around the perimeter of your patio that increase the comfort of the space and define the area, or build a fire pit that offers warmth and a cozy space to relax.
Pairing accent borders with alternate paver styles add texture and contrast to landscapes in a way that looks natural rather than forced.
Source: Green Impressions
Your paver patio should be an extension of your home, serving to complement it. The type you choose depends on your home.
2. Use the Tools in Your Art Box
Framing
Just like the frame for a painting affects the visual appeal of the overall work, the same sentiment applies to how you landscape around your paver patio. The effect of entering a backyard on a paved pathway between lush trees is one of entering a private sanctuary.
Source: Green Impressions
Adding large urns with flowers or pagodas to an expansive, tiered patio with a fountain creates an old-world, luxurious feel.
Source: Green Impressions
Depth, Contrast, and Color
To add depth and contrast to your outdoor living area, make use of plants, flowers and structures of varying heights. You could plant annuals in the front, flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas in the middle and evergreen trees in the back. You can even apply this concept within the same flower bed.
Source: Getty Images
Contrast can also come in the form of different colors. Certain colors pair well together because they naturally contrast with one another. Think about the cooler colors, such as blues and greens, against the backdrop of warmer colors, such as a rustic orange shade or vice versa.
Source: Green Impressions
3. Add Variety to Your Palette
Landscape painters don’t exclusively paint summer scenes, and neither should you. In areas with long winters, if you plan accordingly, you can create a beautiful winter scene.
Although pavers traditionally come in shades of beige, black, gray and white, there are also options available in more rustic colors (orange and red). These styles can add subtle pops of color to an otherwise neutrally inclined atmosphere.
Source: Green Impressions
Consider the blooming season for each tree, flower and shrub in your landscape. In spring, your cherry tree has beautiful pink blossoms. In fall, maples and redbuds add brightness. To keep color in the winter, plant evergreen trees and shrubs. Red holly berries against forest green leaves evoke cozy images of the holidays.
Source: Getty Images
Another avenue to consider: Add a bird feeder to attract colorful winter birds. When the snow falls and a red cardinal stops by your feeder, your backyard will look like a snowy painting.
Source: Getty Images
Become an Apprentice
Landscaping around your paver patio may seem a bit overwhelming — and that’s OK. With years of experience under our belt, the landscape artists at Green Impressions can help you design your landscape vision, build it and work with you to maintain it. This stretches from the paver patio itself — built with state-of-the-art Unilock pavers — to the surrounding elements that complement its design.
The first step is to request a consultation. That way, our team of professionals can start working with you to create a patio and backyard that is a utilitarian, yet inspiring work of living art.
