Brick Paver Patios | Outdoor Design – Landscaping Ideas …

The first decision to make when considering a brick paver patio is location. Identify and mark off the area of your outdoor living space you'll be working withyou can mark it off with landscape flags, landscape marking paint or measuring tape. The latter will be especially helpful in determining the amount of brick pavers you'll ultimately need for your patio.

Once you have a general idea of the space you'll be working with, you need to decide which kind of brick pavers are right for your design. You'll have lots of styles from which to choose, including non-tumbled (or smooth), tumbled (weathered), embossed/dimpled, tumbled and embossed/dimpled, or an approximation of slate or flagstone.

Next up, you'll need to decide on color for your brick pavers. Earth tones are popular, but you may want to look first to the tones of your house, particularly the roof color and trim, and try to stay in the same family as these. You can also consider a contrasting color palette or a bold, vibrant statement color like red.

Finally, you'll need to decide how your brick pavers are laid on the patio. There are many options, ranging from straightforward staggered rectangular patterns to intricate geometric shapes that take on an almost modern art twist. Some popular styles you may hear mentioned are Random I, Random Ashlar, Runner and Herringbone.

One of the most popular design trends for patio landscaping is to emphasize visual diversity. So for example, if your patio pavers are a uniform geometric shape, you may want to consider curvy, flowing designs for your furniture or other patio installations, to add some eye-catching contrast. You might also think about using an array of planters for flowers or plants, as opposed to trying to match all of your patio landscaping.

Finally, let nature in. Consider planting shrubs or arranging potted flowers or plants directly adjacent to your patio, so the natural landscape feels like it's always within reach of your outdoor living space.

This driveway, walkway and garden area are all environmentally friendly.

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Brick Paver Patios | Outdoor Design - Landscaping Ideas ...