Material to use for a front walkway

by Teresa Kelly
(Lawrenceburg TN)

Front walkway materials

Hello,

I own a brick Queen Ann Victorian House with aluminum shingles in the roof. I want to know what kind of material i should use to build the front entrance walkway. The steps are angle to one side and it has a generous front lawn. Also,I need a side walk for the side entrance of the house. Should it match? This house is an event venue so it will host some weddings in the lawn.

Thanks for your help,

Teresa Kelly

ANSWER
Hi Kelly,
What a lovely house. I would most likely choose a brick material for the front walkway and also for the side. The trick will be to find one that is close in looks to the brick on the house. Take a look here. Brick Walkways

The side walkway can be designed so that it is less important than the front entry walkwway. The best way to do this is make it more narrow. You can also use the same brick but change the pattern for interest.

The reason I am suggesting brick is the following.
1. Bluestone looks nice with brick, but unless there is any stone on the building, it might not look authentic.
2. In my opinion, pavers are totally tacky as a hardscape material on a historic property.
3. Concrete could also be an option. It could be colored or you can add some aggregate (tiny stones) to it to create some texture for interest. The concrete would not fight with the brick and it would be just a simple element in the landscape. You could also antique or acid wash the concrete too. See this page. Concrete Walkways

If you decide to go with the brick,choose a few that you think are best and by all means take a look at some samples with your house on your property. You'll have to get quite a few of each to see what they will really look like. A color can look different when it is just one brick as opposed to a mass of them!

Please also visit my page on Walkway Designs