An interesting combination of texture: Techo bloc flagstone slabs; Techo bloc borealis inlay and Techo bloc antika border in Schwenksville, Pa
Landscape design trends are forever changing. Patio and walkway paver manufacturers are offering more colors, styles and textures than ever before. Landscape designers realize that homeowners in Phoenixville, Schwenksville and surrounding areas want to transform their outdoor living space into distinctive, enjoyable retreats that express their personalities and taste and give them a refuge from a hectic world.
If you’re just beginning to explore the versatility and durability of patio pavers, you might want to read the 8 Most Commonly Asked Questions about Patio Pavers and a great article is Why Patio Pavers are a Great Choice for Hardscaping.
Even before Covid-19, families started to value their outdoor living spaces and wanted to use their outdoor spaces as an extension of their homes. Getting that feeling of intimacy is a big part of the current outdoor trend. Elements such as retaining walls, water features and landscaping help provide that peace and solitude that homeowners crave.
Below are the trends we’re seeing in patio pavers and hardscaping in general and you can bet that they will have staying power well into the new decade.
You also might be interested in reading about real case studies of actual patio installations in your area.
A Stunning Bryn Mawr, PA Patio Design for Relaxation and Enjoyment
The Perfect Patio Design for this New Douglassville, PA Home
Connecting to Nature – Incorporating Natural Materials
A paver choice connected to nature is very appealing. Natural is in! When you have a paver that reflects what you might see in nature such as natural stone, it gives you a rich, warm and authentic impression and a real connection to nature. Stone lookalikes in pavers support the rise in earth tones available.
Visual connections with nature have reportedly reduced stress through lowered blood pressure and heart rate. Many studies confirm that connecting to nature can also reduce attention fatigue, sadness, anger, and improved mental attentiveness.
In 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design, Bill Browning, an environmental designer and founder of Terrapin Bright Green, cites, “material connection with nature” as a significant principle. In other words, natural materials can be used to reflect the local geology and connect people to green spaces. However, real stone can be more expensive and difficult to maintain which is why there are many natural stone look-a-likes on the market that offer that real stone appearance with more durability. We have used Blue 60 Slate, or a Borealis patio slabs widely for a full nature experience, but there are so many more choices.
This project is the perfect example of how mixing colors and patterns can help you create a very unique design and serious curb appeal
Color and Harmony in Pavers
Monochromatic color schemes are in. Monochromatic schemes use different tones from the same hue on the color wheel. You can feel confident that they go together because they come from the same color family. Patios in the past often used a single paver color mostly because choices were limited. Using several colors makes it more distinctive and, and often a color change delineates separate outdoor living areas, such as a fire pit, conversation area or dining area.
Warmer hues and soft muted colors are desirable because they help create a space that is restful and relaxing. Tones of gray and beige are easy to blend into any outdoor space and give homeowners the opportunity to jazz up their space with pops of color with outdoor furniture, throw pillows, rugs, containers and landscaping.
For practical purposes when deciding on a color for your new paver patio, select one base color that will define your outdoor space and it’s perfectly fine to choose additional color pavers within the same family in order to create a cohesive look. Choosing a lighter shade and a darker shade of your base color will add a pop of color and liven up the space with a touch of whimsy. More advice on How to Select the Right Pavers for Your New Walkway or Patio is featured in a previous blog.
This Phoenixville walkway’s interior pavers were Techo bloc blu 60 (Shale grey) with contrasting Hera pavers (Onyx black)
Textures and Patterns in Nature
The surge in different textures and patterns in the paver industry makes it an exciting time to be in the market for a new patio. The wide assortment of textures adds instant visual appeal to the monochromatic design.
However, you want to choose a texture and pattern that complements your color scheme. If you’re using a tone that is classic and simple, then choose a texture and pattern that complements it.
Just as the importance of color mimicking natural stone, the texture of pavers can also imitate natural stone. This look really appeals to homeowners who like the natural stone look that you associate with slate and flagstone. Stone look-alike patio slabs, such as Aberdeen and Ocean Grande are examples of paver slabs that match a monochromatic outdoor living space.
And last but not least, there are pavers that look like wood. Wood grain plank pavers are relatively new and showing some popularity with homeowners.
A stunnig Bryn Mawr, PA patio using Techo bloc Inca with Techo-Bloc Hera Border.
New Patio Design Trends
Besides the addition of all the new paver products available, patio design continues to change
Two trends that are evolving and homeowners are embracing are minimalism and personalization.
Minimalism. This trend that feels good to homeowners. They are attracted to simple, clean lines and they often choose one enhancement feature that their family will use and enjoy such as a fire pit or water feature. ‘Less is more’ feels right.
Personalized Space. Homeowners are showing interest in personalizing their patios and one way to achieve this is mixing and matching pavers. Another way is to incorporate borders to delineate the edge of a patio, or to incorporate banding which would add a stripe or pattern somewhere in the center of the patio.
There just isn’t a set of hard fast rules when designing a patio. Designers are using their creativity and coming up with totally distinctive and appealing outdoor spaces.
Stunning Patio Designs for Your Montgomery or Chester County Home so you can view a few options.
This Spring City installation uses Techo bloc rocka steps and Aberdeen slab pavers with a soldier border.
Choosing a Patio Designer
Whitehouse Landscaping is a professional design-build company with almost 20 years experience. For a quick read, you might want to learn the 3 Benefits of Using a Design-Build Landscaping Company for Your Project and Tips on Hiring a Reputable Hardscape Contractor.
We have the experience to transform your property with a custom designed patio, soothing water features, fire features or retaining wall. Browse our portfolio and our design capabilities. You just can’t beat our 3D Landscape Design and the Benefits for Homeowners.