Considerations
Whether you are building a walkway from scratch or redoing an existing one due to worn materials or a poor design, you’ll need to plan, research, and survey the site before forging a new path. Among things to think about:
Budget: A path doesn’t have to cost a lot to look good. Sometimes simple and basic is the best solution.Architectural Style: Choose something that goes with the architectural design or period of your house. A bad idea: Old-world cobblestones with a Midcentury Modern home.Materials: Choose materials that are used on the exterior of your home or in other hardscape elements. Also, think about whether the material complements the home’s style and colors and is available in your region.Size and Shape: Consider the width and length of the path, along with the shape. Do the size and shape relate to the scale of the home and landscape? Is it wide enough for a wheelbarrow or wheelchair?Safety: Can visitors move easily along the path without obstruction from width or texture? Maintenance: Do you want a special type of grass growing between the pavers, but you hate any kind of yard or lawn upkeep? Go for something simple and easy to maintain.Durability: Will it survive foot traffic and the elements?Texture: Slick and smooth can be slippery, while something with lots of bumps might be a challenge for people who use wheelchairs and need an accessible path.Lighting: If the path will be used in the evening, plan to illuminate it for safe passage.Drainage: You want a walkway, not a swamp. Choose a nonporous material for easy drainage, like permeable concrete pavers.
Discover materials, designs, and solutions for your next walkway project. “I took those notions and stretched them,” said Mercier in the Los Angeles Times. “I merged volumes and created flow, but not in a modular fashion. I wanted to allow for more shifting and diagonal movement.” Landscape designer Victoria Pakshong repeated the home’s diagonal lines in the concrete walkways, which have score lines for texture and interest. The surrounding planting beds are filled with bark mulch. The lowered exterior rear patio (at the roof cover) is porcelain tile to match the first floor inside the house.
