Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home with a New Walkway

Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home with a New Walkway
Apr 6, 2020

When it comes to home maintenance, you probably follow an annual checklist that includes cleaning the gutters and checking the roof, flushing the water heater, cleaning and inspecting the HVAC system, and power washing windows, just for example.  You likely follow a more frequent schedule of upkeep for your yard throughout the year, to ensure that your landscape design doesn’t become overgrown or patchy.

What you may not pay too much attention to is your permanent hardscaping, including the patios and walkways around your property.  However, these elements can become an eyesore over time, thanks to cracked, chipped, or buckled concrete, missing pavers, and more.

Whether your current walkway is janky or there is no pathway, leaving guests to squeeze past cars in the driveway or traverse the lawn to reach your front door, you could add significant curb appeal to your Sioux Center, Iowa yard with a new walkway.  Here are a few tips to boost the function, appeal, and value of your property with the right walkway upgrade.

Choose Materials Wisely

The first thing to consider when installing a new walkway is function.  The whole point is to provide a pathway from the street or sidewalk to your front door.  You may like the look of cobblestones, for example, but this bumpy surface isn’t exactly easy to walk on for those in high heels or visitors with mobility issues, so it might be better suited to the backyard, where family and friends are more likely to wear casual footwear or even go barefoot.

Concrete pavers are an ideal solution for your front walkway, as they provide for a stable, durable, and affordable surface that delivers plenty of opportunity to customize with size, shape, color, and even texture.  You can design an attractive surface that improves your curb appeal dramatically, while still ensuring high function from this hardscaping component.  Slate is also a great option if you want natural stone.

Consider Optimal Placement

There aren’t endless options when it comes to adding a walkway to your front yard, but you do have some wiggle room to create an aesthetic that appeals to you.  Functionally, you’ll probably want the walkway to start at the street or somewhere along your driveway, depending on the layout of your property.

From there, you can align it in a straight, direct fashion, create a curved pathway, or even go for irregular edges for a more organic look.  You don’t necessarily want it to have switchbacks, but as long as it gets people to your front door, you have some latitude to get creative with placement.

Add Lighting for Safety

Once you’ve decided on the placement of your walkway and the materials you’ll use, take a moment to consider adding hardscape lighting along the path.  It’s important to do this before you break ground and lay pavers because you may need to install hidden electrical components beneath the walkway.  This feature will not only add to the ambience of your Rock Valley, Iowa yard and elevate overall curb appeal, but provide a safer way for visitors to reach your front door after dark.