It’s often said that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but nevertheless, the outside of your home is the first thing you see when arriving home from a long day of work or an exciting week of travel – and the sight that your guests are greeted with when they approach your abode, too.
With this in mind, optimising your property’s curb appeal is a key consideration if you’re eager to maintain a luxurious look and feel, and your driveway is one important area that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Not only is it the place where your prestigious high-end cars take pride of place – and should thus be kept safe – but your driveway also marks the entrance to your home, so ensuring it looks attractive and is practical for leaving and entering easily is essential.
Here, we take a look at some easy ways to add a little extra luxury to your driveway without compromising on safety or practicality.
Safety first
The words ‘safety’ and ‘luxury’ may not always seem like a likely pair, so let’s get the important bit out of the way first. Some driveways offer poor visibility onto the street and can mean that parking up your car or pulling out onto the road when heading out for the day can be a stressful experience – so setting yours up to address these issues will make all the difference.
Convex observation mirrors are a great solution, and will make hidden areas and blindspots more visible, allowing a viewing distance of up to 11 metres. As well as helping to prevent accidents, they can also make it much trickier for intruders and would-be thieves to pass by unnoticed on your property, and combined with security cameras, are a great way to protect your precious vehicles.
Create a valet-style drive
Now, onto the fun stuff. Concrete driveways might seem like a popular choice, and indeed, this is the case – but they can also be prone to oil stains. Opting for a valet-ready driveway surfaced with permeable stone pavers provides a smooth and drivable surface with built-in stormwater drainage – just add some greenery and you’ve got yourself a lavish, country club-style entryway to your property that you’ll love driving into each time you arrive home.
This works particularly well for properties in gated areas and with long-winding driveways, and with a little effort, can uplevel the overall curb appeal of your home to all-new heights.
A blast from the past
Take inspiration from 1920s Hollywood and add some old world luxury to the outside of your abode, and you’re certain to take arriving guests’ breaths away. From wrought-iron gates to climbing plants, small accents like these can make all the difference and will elevate a red brick driveway to lofty new heights.
If you like the idea of feeling like a movie star each time you return home or leave in the morning, then this is the perfect choice – just don’t expect the paparazzi to be queuing up outside for their chance to sneak a covert shot of you with your morning coffee. Choose brick pavers as opposed to clay bricks to keep slippage to a minimum and ensure you’ve got practicality ticked off.
Mixed stone tiles
Add interest and inject a little bit of personality into your driveway with multi-tonal mixed stone tiles. It’s a classic and timeless look that exudes luxury and a simple way to makeover the front of your home, and permeable pavers like these offer a more natural-looking alternative to simple concrete. Cobblestone is another way to inject a little bit of that quaint, olde word charm, and is surprisingly durable – although be aware that it does require a little extra upkeep to keep it looking clean and beautiful.
Limestone pavers
If you’re keen to blend your driveway seamlessly with your garden walls to create a sense of space and flow, then look no further than limestone pavers. Choose a similar colour for optimal continuity and an edgy and modern look and feel.
Limestone pavers might be one of the more expensive options, but they look the part and age gracefully, too – so they’re more than worth the investment.
