One of the most underrated and overlooked areas of the house is the driveway. This is ironic because this is the perfect spot to leave a great impression on visitors especially for the upcoming reunions this holiday season. Setting up an aesthetically-pleasing yet functional driveway is the perfect welcome for family, friends, and colleagues to one’s lovely home.
When it comes to driveways, there is a multitude of topics to cover. This will involve the material to be used, the design, and the combinations that the homeowner can choose from. It is because the driveway is not exclusively for cars but it can also serve as a path, patio, garden, or even gravel. Whatever the purpose it may serve, here are some of the driveway ideas 2022 to inspire that renovation project.
Before getting into detail on the trendy design ideas this year, it is vital to get to know the different materials commonly used to renovate driveways and choose the one that will work best to achieve the desired functionality of this area in your home.
As an increasing number of home furnishings have started since the start of the pandemic. It remained one of the top industries for the past two years and is still going to this day. One of the top trends that arose at the time is using the material aggregate for renovated driveways.
Some of the benefits of using aggregate is that it has a non-slip surface which is perfect for driveways. It is also a durable material and is expected to last long. Lastly, it creates a beautiful texture that can come in a range of attractive colors, shades, and sizes. No wonder it became a trend; it only needed people to find out about it and hop on the home renovation frenzy.
In the Philippines, asphalt is one of the most common materials being used for road construction. Many people in the field will attest on the superior value for money that asphalt has with its safe, smooth finish and extra durability. This makes asphalt, this dark yet smooth paved material, also a popular option for driveway renovations.
Driveways built using asphalt are expected to last indefinitely. On top of this, asphalt is fast to construct and maintain compared to most materials in the market.
Alongside asphalt is another common material in construction which is concrete. Like the former, it is also durable, permanent, resistant to decay, and definitely will last long. It is a material that requires little maintenance over time.
Unlike asphalt though, concrete is more versatile. Homeowners can opt for a poured concrete or stamped concrete. The poured one is pretty self-explanatory, while the latter is created using moulds that are being “stamped” while the concrete is setting. This gives the concrete a look of a different material, usually the more premium ones such as brick or stone for the renovated driveway.
If you are a homeowner who lacks enough manpower to work on an entire driveway, you can use a material that is easy to install. On top of the list of commonly used materials for home DIY projects is interlocking pavers. It is also quite easy to maintain, not as easy as asphalt or concrete but it can be considered medium-maintenance and adaptable over time.
This is also a perfect alternative for those who want cobblestones for their driveway design but are on a budget. Interlocking pavers look like cobblestone but way cheaper and can be arranged using combinations that will match the aesthetic of your home.
Homeowners who want a clean, smooth finish for their driveway, resin is the new and trendy material that hit the market. It is being used mainly for block-paving as it provides a notable aesthetic to one’s home. This also frees up homeowners from the worry of having loose stones clogging up their driveway.
Overall, resin is one of the options that requires lowest maintenance. It is expected to last long as it is a hard-wearing and durable material. On top of these, it is eco-friendly, it naturally drains water, and offers versatile design choices.
For those who are on a limited budget, an option they can look into is tarmac which is a great alternative for asphalt. This material is skid-resistant and is way cheaper to install than other materials. Since it is more affordable material that its counterparts, it does not provide the same smooth finish but can be enhanced through various methods.
Tarmac is a material known for being suitable for hotter weather. It also requires minimal maintenance and can also be versatile according to the homeowners’ desired aesthetic.
Now that you have the basic idea on commonly used materials on driveways, here are some of the ideas that emerged from 2022 to spruce up your driveway and make it brand new.
Usually with the use of concrete, block paving is making a hard surface that is durable, low-maintenance, comfortable to walk on, and aesthetically pleasing. This method is suitable not just for driveways but also for pedestrian areas and commonly trafficked areas such as aircraft hard-standing and container ports.
Paving blocks are products that are fully engineered and manufactured in factory setting, to help in ensuring the accuracy and consistency. Although, designers for block paving can also tap into its versatility by changing the colors, texture, and shapes to help in distinguishing the purpose of the surface. For large installation such as public roads, machinery are being utilized to save on both time and energy.
Even though block paving has been a method used for years, a trend that arose since 2020 is the use of light grey blocks that border and somehow edge the driveway and other central features of the home such as a roundabout, fountain, lawn, or pathway. A classic move is also using a dark grey paving block to fill in the remaining area which ensures a pleasing aesthetic that stands out whatever the trend is.
A monoblock driveway is another interesting design combination that recently arose amidst the pandemic. As the term implies, a monoblock driveway involves the use of two tones to create interesting patterns and textures. These two tones can consist of entirely different materials or two colors of the same material.
A few of the popular monoblock driveway combinations include a tarmacked driveway with gray block paving. Some opt for a dark resin driveway with light monoblock edging and borders. There are also homeowners who try out a large stone pathway slabs on top of a slate gravel driveway. Some of our favorites include gray and cream bricks that has bordering walls and a natural stone driveway with brick edging that borders a lawn.
If you have a fascination with stone blocks, gravel, pebbles, marble chips, or river rocks, you are in luck because there are currently on trend for driveway ideas 2022.
The items mentioned above are all types of stone driveway materials which are great options for homeowners who want to create a more custom driveway. Some pair it with other materials such as concrete stamps, stepping stones, or block paved borders. Stones are on top of the list for attractive and famous materials due to their durability and low maintenance requirements.
There are absolutely a bunch of pairing that will go well with stone materials. You can consider throwing in some ground lights, a few potted greenery, and with a pathway that will immediately turn your driveway from a snore to a stone throne you usually see on period films.
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