Driveway Designs

I love creating driveway designs! You might think that's odd. However, the reason I enjoy it is that it is so important. After all, it's the first landscape element that someone uses; it allows them (or your) to enjoy the first glimpses of your landscape.

The immediate thoughts of most people are the actual driveway design. However, there are many other things that go into a design to make it great. Some things to consider are the following:

• Design Types - what shape and style would you like...basic, circular, courtyard or crossover?
• Design Elements - consider such things as driveway parking, width, driveway drainage, turnaround and backup areas, lighting, edgings, entry aprons, possible driveway gates, and plantings.
• Materials - which ones will you choose and what are the cost factors?

Certain features of your landscape and home will help determine possible driveway designs and ideas. There is the location of the driveway entry, and there is the layout of the driveway to arrive at the destination....the garage or driveway parking area. Ahh, but it's the in between that's the puzzle!

Is the distance long or short? If it's short, you often must follow a direct route. A long driveway offers more choices.

Another aspect to plan for is directing driveway surface water correctly. To learn more about this, please visit my page on Driveway Drainage.

Driveway Design - The Basics

A driveway can lead straight from the road entry, where you might have a decorative driveway apron, to a side garage. In this case, the turning radius into the garage is one of the elements of the design, and it must function well. I use a 10 - 15' radius on the turn. In addition, the amount of space needed to back up out of the garage should be a minimum of 30 feet, but a little longer is better. You might have to do a K turn if you want to drive out forward.

When you design a driveway, if there is room, a good idea is to include an extra back up area so that you can back the car up and drive out forward. This space can also double for extra parking.

It can extend into the rear yard or it can be angled past the rear driveway corner. It should be a minimum of 10' wide and 18' long. Double the width if you would like parking for two additional vehicles. And the same turning radius applies.

Parking Example

Here is a drawing I did for a client that shows how extra parking can be created in an interesting way. The densely paved area is a terrace/sitting area adjacent to the front entry porch.

• This brings you closer to the front door.
• Parking is created where there might have not been room.
• It creates a "courtyard" like setting.
• You can outline the parking area with edgings for interest.

To see how I designed one of my projects and also see a video of it, please visit my page on Driveway Ideas.

Circular Driveway Designs

Circular driveways are also popular designs. A circular driveway design typically begins at the street, travels across the area close to the front door, and continues out to the street again. It is basically a loop. In addition, it has an area which leads to the garage.

Courtyard Designs

This landscape drawing was the design that produced the project photo at the top of the page.

• Courtyard designs can be contemporary looking or reminiscent of old European estates.
• The central area becomes more dramatic when you use a different paving material or provide a border. This area can be square or circular.
• A circular design should have a diameter of 70 feet, the same as a circular driveway with plantings, etc. in the center as mentioned above.
• If the courtyard is square, the minimum length and width should be 55 feet.

I know this sounds huge, but actually it is what is needed to maneuver a vehicle comfortably.

This project that I designed won two awards. One was for the fountain design and installation and the other was for the lighting design!

You might be interested in reading what I have written about the cobblestone driveway.

Perhaps you might like to include an impressive garden fountain in the center of the courtyard. In my opinion, it's difficult to find a fountain that does not look tacky. You want one that is well made and elegant. I found two fountains recently that I think are very special and elegant. Take a look at my page on limestone fountains, where I show pictures of them. One is from Haddonstone and the other is from Longshadow.

The Crossover Driveway

Here are some things to note about it.

• It has an area that also leads to the garage,whether it be a front or side garage.
• The length of the straight area near the front door should be a minimum of 18 to 20 feet, which is the length of a typical parking space.
• Every additional 18 feet length will allow parking for one additional car.
• Include a pull off/parking area so that someone can park and not block the passageway.
• This parking area can be created by widening the driveway near the front door so that one car can pass another one. It can also be placed off to the side.

A nice design features is to emphasize the driveway area just along the front of the house. This can be done by creating a different paving here or even just edging the area.

As an aside, typical turning radii for driveway entries are 10 to 15 feet.

Driveway Widths

As far as driveway widths are concerned in driveway designs, you can choose the width to be anywhere from 9 to 12 feet. I prefer more narrow ones. Why create more hard surface in a landscape than is necessary? Nine or ten feet wide is satisfactory for any car or small truck. If you have a two car garage in front of your house and the distance is not long, you may opt for double the width for the two vehicles.

Driveway Materials

Due to the large square footage of driveways, cost is normally a factor when it comes to selecting driveway paving materials. The main driveway paving choices are:

1. Loose stone - this is the least expensive option. There are a variety of stone sizes, colors and textures available.
2. Decomposed granite - This is a mixture of fine granules. There are three different ways of using this material, with varying costs
3. Tar and chip driveways - a combination of loose stone and asphalt are combined. In the beginning this driveway material is loose, but it hardens over time and provides a textured appearance. Please visit Tar and Chip Contractors to find a provider in your state.
4. Asphalt Driveways - a popular and inexpensive choice.
5. Concrete - subject to cracking.
6. Stamped Concrete - see photos.
7. Concrete pavers - a paver driveway design can be used for the entire area or in certain areas. Also visit driveway pavers.
8. Driveway Brick - see pictures. A brick driveway can be either dry laid or set in mortar.
9. Travertine pavers - yes, they are appropriate for driveways.
10. Natural stone - various types are available but strength specification must be checked.

Reclaimed Cobblestones For Driveways
One of the nicest natural stones that you can use for a driveway is granite, usually known as cobblestones. True cobblestones are made from granite which is one of the strongest paving materials.

And the very special ones are reclaimed stone. Stone Farm offers beautiful reclaimed stone such as shown in this driveway. They ship anywhere!

New or old cobblestones make an elegant driveway design. However, the reclaimed stones have a look unto their own! With all the various driveway materials that are available, it's sometimes difficult to choose the right one. Select one that fits your budget and remember it is only part of the landscape.

Ebooks

For more help with designing your front yard, take a look at this book.

Designing Front Yards
Learn some great tips on how to create a front yard design that will really be unique and special!

• Get some great tips on driveway landscaping.
• Eliminate confusion about front foundation plants.
• Learn about plant placement.
• And much, much more.

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