30 Year Anniversary
Serving the Naperville Community
Serving the Naperville Community
 The driveway is an important feature of your landscape, but the standard asphalt driveway doesn’t do much for the aesthetics of your home. However, with the right materials it can certainly become a functional focal point. Modern pavers are the way to go, for many reasons. To help you make a decision, let’s take a look at these six modern paver options to consider for a Naperville, IL driveway.
Related: 4 Ways a Paver Driveway Can Greatly Enhance Your Landscape Design in Hinsdale, IL Timeless and Classical For creating a look in your driveway that’s timeless and classical, consider brick pavers. Traditionally, bricks are made of clay fired at high temperatures. This simple, yet effective approach has helped to build countless paved surfaces and structures throughout the world for centuries. Brick is incredibly strong and filled with character. Though clay bricks are typically earthy colors like reds and tans, modern concrete bricks can expand your color options to match any design theme. In fact, brick can be a very chic addition to an ultra modern or contemporary home - it’s not just for historical homes or bungalows. Whatever your design style, brick driveways can create the impression that your newly paved driveway has been around for a long time, giving a familiar and welcoming feel to your home. Elegant and Cozy The driveway is very likely the first part of your home that any of your guests are going to experience. When they see that you’ve paved the driveway with gorgeous cobblestones, they’re going to get a certain feeling that only certain places in the world can provide. Cobblestones have been used for centuries in building roads and paths all over the world and modern concrete versions are also durable, with the added benefit of easier installation (only the surface is irregular; the parts of the pavers that join together are precisely shaped to fit together snugly). You may be wondering if snow plowing is even possible with cobblestone pavers. You don’t have to plow or shovel: all modern pavers are compatible with snowmelt systems that will keep your driveway ice- and snow-free all winter. Rustic and Warm The rustic appeal of flagstone has made it one of the most sought after masonry materials in outdoor living spaces. Natural flagstone is not suitable for driveways because it’s a sedimentary stone that will quickly show signs of wear. However, plenty of concrete alternatives are available that are rated for driveway. Flagstone-inspired modern pavers evoke the same look and feel in a more practical version that you can carry throughout your hardscape. Suave and Modern For homeowners that want to keep a modern design element throughout the landscape, certain unique pavers could fit the bill. For example, hexagonal pavers give your driveway a fresh and fun look while honoring the classic shape of the honeycomb, a nod to hard-working bees. Pavers with a brushed texture - especially alongside pavers with other textures - and longer, linear plank shapes are becoming more common on driveways that are intended to stand out and make a statement. Permeable Pavers All of the above options are available in a permeable version. This eco-friendly option allows surface water to seep through the joints between the pavers without causing any heaving or movement. The look is the same, but you’ll enjoy a high-performing driveway designed to prevent ice buildup, pooling, and runoff. And yes, they can be installed over a driveway heating system for extra convenience. Related: 4 Ways a Paver Driveway Can Greatly Enhance Your Landscape Design in Hinsdale, IL
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 Great outdoor lighting techniques have the ability to transform even the most mundane landscapes. In fact, no matter what features and amenities your landscape has, it matters very little after dark, without decent outdoor lighting. There are a few key places around your property with which outdoor lighting is essential and others where it can make a huge difference in the overall feel of your landscape. Here are four places to include outdoor lighting to enhance your Naperville, IL property.
Related: Increase the Safety of Your Driveway With These Outdoor Lighting Tips in Naperville, IL The Driveway and Garage Area The old-school technique was to mount a floodlight on the garage, to illuminate part of the driveway and the area in front of the garage. However, a single bright light source above the garage provides strong illumination immediately below the garage, but it can also provide a significant amount of glare that can interrupt the driver’s vision. It’s an unattractive and unappealing way to light the area. Instead, opt for lights that are placed closer to the ground. Walkway lights are a great solution because they illuminate the ground for safety, without causing glare or stark shadows. Placing a sconce on either side of the garage door, with light emanating both directly up and down, will add ambient light but in a much more welcoming way than a floodlight. Walkways and the Entrance Ensuring that the walkways are adequately illuminated will greatly enhance safety. Once again, focus on using walkway lights. Remember that the higher the lights, the bigger chance that objects can interfere and create shadows. Choose walkway lights that are low to the ground to maximize their energy efficiency as well as their effectiveness in lighting your way. Some people choose solar powered walkway lights although keep in mind that snowfall and extended cloudy weather will quickly deplete their batteries, which could leave your walkway very dimly lit or entirely in the dark. We recommend hard-wired lights for the walkway, which won’t fail because of the weather. Outdoor lighting can also be integrated into masonry features such as a retaining wall, or even directly into the walkway surface. Your front entry should be well-lit and welcoming. Again, keep in mind the angle of the light: directly up and directly down is best for light fixtures mounted on either side of the front door. Outdoor Living Spaces On the patio, use a mix of lighting strategies to create ambient light as well as task lighting for your outdoor cooking area. For the perimeter of your patio, you can use walkway lights and overhead task lighting in places such as a covered outdoor kitchen and bar area or pergola. Use masonry surfaces to disguise light fixtures: a fire feature, water feature, outdoor kitchen, pillars, steps, and retaining walls are excellent spots to integrate lighting. Within the Landscape To give your landscape a more dimensional feel, consider placing a few “random” light fixtures such as spotlights or walkway lights in a few spots such as under a shrub or tree, to add dimension and reduce the contrast between the dark landscape and well-lit outdoor living spaces. Add silhouetting and moonlighting techniques to add interest. You’ll notice that most of these lighting strategies don’t use one bright fixture to try to illuminate a space: instead, a multitude of small, dimmer fixtures placed below eye level will create a much more pleasing atmosphere. Related: Creative Outdoor Lighting Solutions for an Active Patio in Hinsdale, IL  Gardens are often the most cherished parts of landscapes. They bring us closer to nature with the beautiful colors, textures, shapes, and sensory immersion that only comes from the bounty of nature. As you make the next moves in your landscape redesign, make sure to prioritize the benefits that plant life can bring to your home. Between establishing a theme, adding native plants, and providing support for the new landscape, are you planning a landscaping redesign this spring? Consider a new fine garden in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Looking to Revamp Your Hinsdale, IL, Patio? Consider These Landscape Design Trends Planning for Immersion: the Beauty of Paths In order to enjoy the full scope as well as the most intimate details of the plants in your new fine garden, you need to plan for paths. While you likely don’t need to accommodate much foot traffic, there should be a way to comfortably amble around and experience the beauty of your landscape up close. Stepping stone walkways or gravel paths work beautifully as casual ways to meander through the landscape. Planning for Gathering The fine garden in your backyard can be a great place to entertain friends and family. Envelop a section of your patio with the lush plant life of your garden. By setting the patio within the garden, you’ll be able to create that sense of immersion that’s perfect for creating wonderful memories with loved ones. Your patio should have plenty of seating space as well as amenities and creature comforts such as a fire pit, outdoor kitchen, and even an elevated space where you can observe your garden from a higher vantage point. Planning for Growth One common mistake is to install plants too close together, and not give them room to grow. Expect your plants to grow to their full mature size. Watching these plants thrive in your landscape will instill you with a great sense of pride, which is why a garden designer needs to plan for growth (and yes, this includes planning for patience while the landscape fills in). Planning for Dimension The most pleasing gardens are those that incorporate a mix of short, medium, and tall plants. Some plants creep along the ground; others reach for the sky. Various climbing vines and hanging plants can complete the picture. Consider installing a pergola that allows climbing plants to create a soft, immersive experience within the pergola; and surround the space with a variety of plants of varying shapes, sizes, and visual densities. Planning for Balance Visual balance doesn’t necessarily mean symmetry. It means balancing visually dense plants such as evergreen trees with light, airy plants such as ornamental grasses or tall perennials that also add movement to the space. Planning for Layers The best gardens carefully place each plant in the right place to give them the best chance at growth, let them assist other plants’ growth, and create a harmonious setting. The technique of building layers will add dimension and interest. You could place trees and shrubs in the core of the garden to provide an anchor. These will grow the tallest and widest, so they should be placed first. Ornamental grasses should come next, followed by ground cover. Place the most delicate plants near the front of your garden where they are most easily visible and accessible. But, rules are made to be broken! Adding an unexpected taller element among the shorter plants adds a natural look and prevents an artificial look. Related: If a Landscape Design Is One of Your Resolutions, Here's Why You'll Want to Include a Fire Pit in Naperville, IL |
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