The welcoming outdoor spaces of this old town oasis in Fort Collins, Colorado, incorporates an eclectic mix of concrete pavers and natural elements. This striking project features the timeless look of Cambridge Cobble® pavers and garnered first place in the “Concrete Paver” (less than 3,000 SF) category at the annual Hardscape North America awards. Take a virtual walk-through of the award-winning design.
WELCOMING ENTRYWAY: A reclaimed wooden gate and terraced landing create a charming entrance to the home. Lush potted plants and shabby-chic wicker furnishings create a sense of casual elegance. SPRAWLING VIEW: This overhead view of the backyard outdoor living spaces showcases how all of the concrete, wood and natural stone design elements work together and coordinate with the native landscaping.ZEN FIRE PIT PATIO: A stone garden wall defines the perimeter of the fire pit area, incorporates ample seating for large groups, and includes a built-in planter to emulate the look of a vertical garden. Anchored and detached wooden benching help soften the look of the stone elements to create a more relaxed, casual atmosphere. A Cambridge Circle breaks up the modular paver pattern to add visual interest to the paver field.CASUAL FAMILY-STYLE DINING: The fire pit area looks over into the dining area, which functions as a separate entertaining zone. Multiple picnic tables provide seating for feeding large groups, with bonus built-in seating to accommodate larger gatherings. A built-in grill area includes oversized countertops for meal prep and serving. Low-voltage hardscape lighting is incorporated throughout the fire pit and dining areas for both safety and ambiance. MULTI-ROOM LIVING AREA: Dual arbors and a terraced level help create the look of distinct rooms to create multiple conversation areas, ideal for large parties.
Design and installation by Lindgeren Landscape of Fort Collins, Colorado. To view a flythrough video of the project, visit their website at LindgrenLandscape.com.
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CONTRACTOR’S CORNER: Create your own virtual project tour with free professional photography!
Do you have an outstanding project that you’d like to showcase with free professional photography? Belgard’s professional hardscape photographers know the exact angles, lighting techniques and staging strategies to properly capture the beauty and workmanship of a quality installation. These professional photographs can help elevate your company image and can be used for a wide variety of marketing efforts. Belgard contractors who would like to apply to have free professional photography can submit their projects for consideration by visiting OldcastleAPG.com/submit.
The Morgan Hill Homeowners Association of Temecula, California, takes pride in its impressive community amenity areas, and they should. In addition to the well-appointed community pool, the development includes an expansive clubhouse with pool tables, ping pong tables, tennis courts and an ample lounge area for watching sporting events.
When the homeowners association decided to upgrade the decking of the community pool, they meticulously perused the products, styles and color selections of multiple paver manufacturers, but ultimately settled on a selection of Belgard pavers at the recommendation of the installer, Modern Paving, of Rancho Cucamonga, California.
The group selected the “bishop hat” shape of Moduline Series™ pavers in the Toscana color blend for the primary paver field, accented with 6″x6″ squares of Moduline in the Sahara color. A total of 12,000 square feet of pavers were installed in a castle parquet pattern, creating an contemporary look that complements the elegant development’s modern architecture while blending well with the natural landscape. The project was installed during the colder months of the year so that use of the pool was not disturbed.
When designing a new paver patio, there are a number of options to consider with regard to paver laying patterns. From modular paver patterns to more traditional laying patterns, your choice will vary depending upon the style and shape of pavers you choose.
Below are some examples of paver laying patterns to help guide you through the process. You can even mix and match different styles, shapes and patterns to create unique and interesting designs.
Traditional Shapes and Paver Patterns
For those who like to go with the tried and true, you can’t go wrong with rectangular and cobble-style pavers laid into one of the following traditional patterns. These patterns work especially well in smaller spaces that can be overwhelmed by larger styles of pavers.
Running bond
A running bond pattern is one in which the pavers are laid in rows running in the same direction. You can either go with a classic running bond, or you can get creative with color tones, borders and pattern direction.
Herringbone
A herringbone pattern is one in which rectangular pavers are laid in a zig-zag pattern. To add additional pop to a herringbone design, consider adding a contrasting border along the patio edges.
Old York™
Cambridge Cobble®
Holland Stone
Basket weave
Basket weave patterns utilize rectangular pavers to create block designs. To add contemporary flair to this traditional laying pattern, you can alternate the color tones or laying direction to create modular designs.
Holland Stone
Holland Stone
Modular Shapes and Paver Patterns
Modular shaped pavers offer a variety of square and rectangular sizes that can be laid in multiple laying patterns that are less repetitive, visually dynamic, and create a contemporary look that works especially well for larger patios.
3-piece modular PAVER patterns
Lafitt® Grana Slab
Lafitt® Rustic Slab
4-piece modular PAVER patterns
Mega-Lafitt®
Urbana® Stone
Asymmetrical Shapes and Random Laying Patterns
Asymmetrically shaped pavers create a natural look and often incorporate false joints that create the illusion of multiple shapes laid at random. Multi-shape cobble-style pavers can also be laid in a multi-piece pattern that emulates a more random look, as an alternate to using a traditional laying pattern.
Mega-Arbel®
Mega-Libre®
Dublin Cobble®
Paver Patio Borders
Patio border selection can add an entirely new dimension to a patio’s laying pattern. Options can range from using the same paver at a different angle to choosing a contrasting color, shape and/or style of paver (or more than one). But the options don’t end there. Once the border paver is selected, there are a number of border laying pattern options, as well.
Soldier course BORDERS
The soldier course is likely the most-used laying pattern for a paver border. For this pattern, rectangular pavers are laid in a row, side-by-side.
sailor COURSE BORDERS
Another popular border, the sailor course lays rectangular pavers lengthwise in one or more rows. For additional visual interest, wide sailor course borders can be created using more than one type of paver.
Border: Urbana® Stone and Old World®
Border: Old World®
Urbana® Stone
Inlaid PATIO borders
Striking paver patterns and designs can be created by laying a contrasting patio border further inside the paver field.
The primary benefit of installing a hardscape patio is the lasting beauty. But precisely because it’s going to be there for a very long time, it’s important that you put a good bit of thought into the design. You want to make sure that the space will reflect your personality, as well as suit your functional needs. Below are some inspirational ideas for fabulous hardscape patios using Belgard pavers and wall products to reflect a wide variety of personal styles.
The overarching theme of contemporary outdoor living design is to apply interior design techniques to create outdoor rooms. We see this in every aspect of outdoor living, from furniture design to light fixtures to decorative accents. It’s all part of the effort to truly live in our outdoor spaces with the same comfort, style and ease with which we live in our indoor spaces.
When planning an outdoor living design, one idea to consider is utilizing paver patterns to reinforce the “room” concept. This can be done in a number of creative ways. Think of how you would use carpet or area rugs to define or accent certain living areas, and then apply those concepts to paver design. Here are some of our favorite examples of this type of paver pattern application.
Fireplace Area Rugs
A cozy living room is traditionally characterized by grouping furniture over an area rug near the fireplace. This look can be achieved outdoors by varying paver tone, texture and shape into an integrated design that mimics this look.
Creating Separate Rooms
Indoors, flooring material or pattern often changes when you step from one room into the next. For example, the kitchen may be floored with ceramic tile, and the living room may have wood flooring. Or sometimes, the same material is used, but the laying pattern changes as you cross the threshold. This technique can be done outdoors to create the illusion of separate rooms.
The Outdoor “Foyer”
Turn an open patio area into a grand outdoor foyer with contrasting colors and textures that create the look of a large decorative area rug. This concept can also be used to simulate an entryway runner that leads from one outdoor room to the next.
Defining Conversation Areas
In a large room, area rugs can be used to divide the space into smaller, more intimate conversation areas. The same can be done in an outdoor room. Place a paver “rug” where it makes sense to position a furniture grouping. For additional flare, a fire pit can be placed in the center of the design, creating the look of a flaming coffee table.
Designer Rugs
Contemporary block patterns, contrasting colors, arches and swirly designs can be used to emulate the look of designer carpets and area rugs. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
Incorporating Nature
Another idea is to incorporate grassy areas into your design to add the textural look of shag. This can be done in the form of a runner or as an integrated element of a faux rug design.
If you’re looking for a way to create unique curb appeal for your home, a paver driveway can present endless opportunities to add flair and individual personality to the entrance of your home through the use of various color combinations and laying patterns. This week’s blog will illustrate a few ideas for creating eye-catching driveway designs with paver patterns.
The intricate fantail design above was created using the hand-cobbled look of Bergerac® pavers and adds a whimsical touch to this elegant driveway.
Contrasting colors of Urbana® Stone pavers were used to create a contemporary design of interlocking geometric shapes for the parking pad of the driveway above, as well as add a striking border to both the drive and garden bed.
Contrasting patterns of Mega-Bergerac® pavers add interesting detail to the driveway above. The main field of the driveway utilized a four-piece random pattern laid at a 45-degree angle. The border was created by laying only the rectangular piece in a double soldiers course.
For the above driveway, irregular-shaped Mega-Arbel® pavers were used to create a natural flagstone look that seamlessly coordinates with the surrounding picturesque landscape. To add a tailored feel, the pavers were edged with stamped concrete stained in a contrasting color.
Different paver products can also be combined to create visual interest or coordinate with architectural detail. For the above driveway, Mega Lafitt™ pavers offer a cut stone texture and were chosen for the main field in a color that mimics the stone veneer of the home. A contrasting color of Urbana® Stone creates a striking border and mimics the color of the brick.
This contemporary driveway uses a modular ashlar pattern of Rinn™ Medino® pavers, augmented with a custom carriage drop design consisting of a double Bergerac® Circle inlaid with a mosaic stair created using the Rinn™ Medino® pavers.
This eco-friendly driveway also uses an ashlar pattern, but it’s laid at a 45-degree angle to create more visual interest. The permeable Eco Dublin® pavers are used in contrasting colors with a triple border and inlaid stripes to create an ultra-contemporary vibe.
