Simple Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your Backyard With Pavers
Having a huge and open backyard is awesome and in some cases a lack of any kind of pathways is basically the whole point, the idea being to emphasize the minimalism and the openness of the space. Most often, however, the best thing about having a backyard is that you can use it in all sorts of ways such as to grow vegetables and herbs, to host outdoor parties, to enjoy dining al fresco, to built a fire pit or to have beautiful flower beds and swings hanging from the trees. We usually focus on these things only and we often forget about a very important detail: the backyard pavers. Their role is very important, helping to organize and define the areas and to shape the yard.
You can use pavers to set up a flagstone patio and there are actually several different ways in which you can do that. You can set up the whole thing yourself or have a professional take care of everything while you focus on the big picture, on the way in which you’ll be using the space once it’s all set up and functional.
Different types of pavers/ stones can be used for different purposes. This garden pathway, for example, crosses a water feature and two long pieces form a bridge and are placed perpendicularly in relation to all the others.
An option is to use pavers or stone tiles to completely seal and cover up a floor area in the backyard. This would be practical and would provide a clean look. To avoid making the backyard look too artificial in this manner, use natural stone pavers and be sure to preserve a good amount of green space.
In some cases, it’s nice to just cover up an area with gravel or pebbles to create a zen look. This idea suits backyard surfaces that are not meant to be walked on. For high traffic areas, paved paths would be much more practical.
There are many different methods and strategies which can be used when creating pathways in gardens or backyards. This type of clean and smooth surface is easy to walk on but looks less natural in comparison to paths made of irregularly-shaped individual stones.
The role of backyard pavers is usually to connect spaces and features such as the grill area, the lounge space, the outdoor dining area, the fire pit or the pool and poolside lounge. These paths also create an organized overall structure and help to better delineate the spaces and their individual functions.
When installing and arranging backyard pavers you don’t have to follow any specific pattern or design. Asymmetrical paths are the most common type. It can be fun to mix and match different shapes and sizes and to choose a more or less random arrangement.
Mix and match pavers to create a sort of puzzle pathway. Make sure there’s a good amount of big pieces evenly distributed throughout the space and fill in the gaps with small pieces. In between everything you can put gravel or pebbles or you can let the greenery grow in a controlled fashion.
Choose the type of pavers and the materials used in the backyard based on the type of landscaping you want to create and on the zones that you want to set up. This tiered design created around a circular lounge space can definitely be an interesting source of inspiration for such a project.
Instead of creating a continuous pathway out of pavers or stones, if you want to be playful you can only spread a few irregularly-shaped pieces across the backyard, inviting people to hop from one to the other.
Of course, there’s still a good amount of gravel which delineates the path so it’s possible to walk on it too if hopping from one stone to the next one isn’t really your thing. This is actually a nice way of ensuring a practical design while still adding a fun touch to the landscape.
Arrange the pavers like you would wooden boards to create a somewhat irregular path in your garden or backyard. This idea doesn’t work for every type of pavers but can be adapted in all sorts of ways in order to get the desired look.
You can look for inspiration in other already existing features and structures such as the facade of the house, the fences, the pergolas, the fire pit or fireplace or the neighboring structures and the immediate surroundings of the estate.
Sometimes it can feel like you’re trying to suppress nature with all the pavers and pathways or with the artificial flooring from the outdoor living spaces. Avoid this by letting nature show through your design. For instance, let some grass grow through the stones or add flower beds and planters alongside the path.