Many homeowners hear the word “landscaping” and think it refers only to how it adds to a home’s curb appeal. But the fact is, great landscaping elements blend beauty with practicality, making your outdoor spaces easy to navigate, comfortable and safe, as well as attractive. That’s how walkways and paths benefit a home, and there are so many options to choose from to add charm and function to your outdoor areas.
Choosing the right look, style, and features for walkways and paths can take your Tulsa, OK home to a higher level. That’s where our creative design team at ProActive Landscaping shines. We’ll help you craft a design with materials and products that delight you every time you set foot on your outdoor walking areas.
Here are some tips and inspirations to help you think about what you want most in your landscaping paths and walkways to add verve to your home.
The Benefits of a Great Outdoor Walkway
Outdoor walking areas are valuable for both homeowners and their visitors. Here are some things to include when planning and installing a walkway for your Tulsa home.
1. Welcoming
A yard without a clear way for guests to get from parking to front door simply looks less inviting than landscaping with a lovely, open walkway that clearly beckons guest to approach and come inside. A path says, “Come in!”
2. Practical
Walkways play an important role in helping you get inside the home. They help you avoid soggy grass or mud, and they let guests know exactly where you want them to step. They give you easier access to areas where you, guests, and maintenance workers may frequently need to go.
3. Safe
When designed and installed properly, paths and walking areas provide added safety for everyone. They can be well-lit with outdoor lighting at night. They can be heated or treated to be less slick in wet weather. They prevent guests from stepping into holes in the grass. In so many ways, walkways simply keep you and your visitors from missteps that can cause injuries.
4. Attractive
Take a look at your neighbors’ homes and notice which ones have well-crafted, beautifully designed entrances. Chances are, there’s a handsome looking walkway included. Paths and walkways add curb appeal and value to your home.
Pathway Elements to Consider
As you’re planning and designing a path to add to your landscaping, remember that the style and design features should reflect a variety of considerations.
Purpose
What is the path for? Is it to help guests get safely from your driveway to your door in poor weather? Or, is it for kids to play on when barefoot in the backyard? Will it connect your home to a feature like a backyard pool or deck? Is it to ease access to a storage shed or unattached garage, where it’s useful to avoid mud?
Appearance
Is the walkway going to be in your front yard, where it can be prominently featured to add curb appeal? Or is it tucked away, hidden on the side or in the back as a quick accessway that doesn’t have to look fancy? What type of look do you want to achieve?
Style
Do you prefer straight or curved walkways? Do you like connected bricks, or do you prefer flagstones separated by gravel or grass? Do you desire a formal or informal walking area? How wide or narrow do you want it to be?
Materials
Do you have a preference for using a certain material? Would you like to use the formal look of brick or cement pavers? Or do you prefer the more relaxed feel of flagstone or stepping stones? Perhaps you want a pathway made of a mix of stones, sand, and grass to create a natural feel as it blends into the overall landscape?
Lighting
Does it make sense to light the pathway? If so, do you prefer solar lighting? Would you like outdoor lighting features lining the walkway, or would you prefer to install lighting in trees or on your home, directed downward to create a moonlight effect?
Other Features
Do you want to line the walkway with flowers, bushes, or decorative boulders? Does the path need to be wide enough to accommodate visitors using wheelchairs? What other special features are needed to make the walking area work best for your specific needs and preferences?
Get the Walkway or Path of Your Dreams
As you’re planning a look and style for the walkways or paths you want to include in your home landscaping, do some dreaming. Gather ideas from places like Pinterest. Check out various neighborhoods in your area and notice what you like. Make a list of the must-haves and the nice-to-haves.
For a more detailed look at walkways, paths, and other landscaping solutions that improve your home’s value and beauty, contact our friendly, inventive team of landscaping designers for a consultation. We’ll walk you through your options and develop creative designs that bring your landscaping to the next level for your Tulsa home.
