There is no denying the practicality of having a driveway that directly leads to the garage. It allows you to easily roll your vehicle in and out of your property and lets you step easily into the house which, of course, is especially useful if you are carrying loads of groceries in a cold and rainy weather. However, if your straight driveway is not made of the material you like and have personally selected, it tends to stick out like a sore thumb against a particularly lovely home and well-manicured lawn. It then becomes the focal point of your property, grabbing the attention of visitors for all the wrong reasons.
Fortunately, you do not have to make do with the overwhelming prominence of your straight driveway. There are many things you can do to transform this boring patch of road or better yet make it recede in the background and bring the focus to your home. Below are some of them.
Doll up the house
One of the best ways to direct the focus away from your straight driveway is to bring some changes to the area of your house where you want the attention to be–the front door and entry. The addition of an architectural structure such as a vine-covered trellis or a pergola to the front entry can help make a straight driveway fade into the background.
If the addition of an architectural structure on the front entry proves to be expensive, then why not resort to painting your front door instead? Such option is cheaper but definitely effective. Choose an accent color that will allow your front door to pop out and you will be able to create a bright entry that catches the eye. You may also add in a pair of sidelights to further draw the attention of people to your front door instead of the driveway.
Reconsider the appearance of your driveway
Most driveways have a bland cement or asphalt surface. While there is nothing wrong with such type of surfaces, they just do not give your driveway a pleasing appeal. In such case, a change in material can go a long way to make your patch of straight road more aesthetically pleasing. You may opt for concrete pavers which comes in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. You may also go for bricks or cast-in-place concrete which are both sturdy and attractive.
If you cannot upgrade the entire driveway, an inexpensive fix is to edge it or give it an apron. You may use bricks, natural stones, stamped concrete or concrete pavers. To relate the look of your driveway to the rest of the landscape, consider using any of the aforesaid materials on your walkways or pathways.
Add a touch of life
Carefully chosen and arranged plants can easily spiff up an unadorned straight driveway. Lining the edge of your driveway with blooms, shrubs or small trees will help soften its hard edges and will connect it to the rest of the landscape. The plantings will also do double-duty by adding privacy to your home.
When picking plants, steer clear from those that have aggressive roots as they will damage the driveway and can also get into buried utilities. If you intend to grow trees, however, stay away from those that drip sap which can mess up your car and make your driveway difficult to clean.
This guest post was contributed by Ericka, a freelance writer who loves to write insightful posts about home decorating, organizing, repairing as well as gardening. She also regularly writes content for McIntyre Masonry, a professional stonemasons Lanarkshire company.