The driveway is often the most neglected part of a property, as it’s used almost every day but once you’re inside your house, it’s out of sight and definitely out of mind.
Rather than it being bland yet functional, why not consider revamping it and improving the look of it, or even adding more practicality to the mix?
Here are some ideas for how to do this, depending on your particular property type.
Mixing up the materials
If your driveway is surfaced with standard asphalt, and it’s in need of some TLC, why not take the opportunity to replace it with an entirely different material?
You could pave it with stone slabs or tiles for an ultra-modern look, or opt for golden gravel to give it that old-school, rural sense of luxury.
This is doubly useful if you plan to put your house on the market because a beautiful and bold driveway will boost the curb appeal significantly.
Procuring planters or even a pond
You can make your driveway feel more integrated with the rest of your front garden if you don’t just leave it as a strip of gray running through a green lawn, but instead choose to surround it with other elements which draw the eye.
Planters fashioned from brick, wood, or composite material will let you define the boundaries of the driveway, and also place interesting plants in close proximity, giving it a bit more visual flare.
If there’s space, you could even add a pond or perhaps a fountain at the point where the driveway meets your house.
Adding a driveway gate with an automatic opener
A quick look at the best automatic gate openers listed here, and you’ll see just how easily you could enhance the pomp and circumstance of your driveway, while also improving security without compromising on convenience.
Obviously, it helps if your property is set back from the road far enough for a gate to be a sensible investment, and if the boundary is also fenced in, otherwise it will look good while being functionally redundant.
Growing within the driveway itself
If you opt for a paved look, then you could even plant various hardy, low-maintenance plants within the driveway itself. This will create a carpet of green to greet you whenever you arrive home at the end of a hard day.
You’ll need to leave space for the wheels of vehicles to travel without trampling the plants, of course, so factor this into your plans.
Enhancing the after-dark appearance with lighting
You can bring a bit of a spark to your driveway when the sun has set if you install lighting along its length, and again your options here are extensive.
You could go for lights mounted on posts or poles, casting their glow down at the ground. You could install lights that are sunk into the driveway and sit flush with the surface, creating an uplight effect.
If you’re unsure, it’s a good idea to look out for other driveways that have had lighting added to see which configuration is to your taste.
Embracing regular maintenance
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you need to realize that your driveway won’t stay looking good unless you’re willing to put the work in to maintain it, whichever route to a revamp you take.
Removing weeds from between paving stones, raking gravel to make the surface even, managing planters to keep the greenery alive and under control, and other small but significant jobs will need to be added to your schedule. Alternatively, you could hire someone to sort these for you at regular intervals.
