Brick pavers bring timeless, and long-lasting, charm and elegance to outdoor living spaces. If you are thinking about what else you will add to your new landscape design besides new pavers—to introduce other complementary or contrasting materials for a fresh and more modern look—we have inspiring ideas here. To inspire your next project, here are a few ideas from masonry contractors that complement brick pavers in Canton, MI.
Related: How Masonry Can Contribute to a Macomb, MI, Landscape Design That Looks Good in Winter
Choices for a Character-Filled Patio
If your home currently features a brick paver patio, an ideal opportunity exists to add the rugged individuality of natural stone—or a close replica—to create a space that’s a stunning blend of artistry and function.
For example, if you want to add a fire feature (an outdoor fireplace, fire pit, or fire table), then you could contrast the small size of the pavers with an outdoor fireplace made of large stone blocks or veneers, to help create a more balanced look as well as add texture, color, and interest to the space. Treat the pavers as accents to the fireplace, and consider choosing a deeply contrasting color that lets the fireplace be its own “character,” to make it a stand-out focal point in your backyard. Or choose material that is more in line with your patio pavers, to more closely tie the two elements together visually.
Another way to add character to a patio using natural stone (or, if you prefer, brick pavers inspired by natural stone) is to do natural stone inlays. A newly installed patio could feature bluestone inlays to create geometric patterns or even outdoor “area rugs.” Just one or several strategically placed stone inlays can transform an ordinary brick paver patio into a work of art.
Or, you could start from scratch and create a patio that blends the two materials (for example, using stone slabs or pavers as the main field, and adding darker colored accents and borders).
Be Inspired by Your Home
If your home features stone on its facade, using the same type of stone will create a more cohesive appearance. You may want to avoid creating an overly busy outdoor space by not choosing, for example, stacked flagstone for a seat wall or fire feature if the home’s foundation is clad in natural or faux river rock.
The patio’s location matters, too, when choosing complementary materials for a brick paver patio. A dark, wooded setting could be brightened up by using lighter-toned stone—but how much lighter depends on the visual contrast you want to achieve for your patio (more for a dynamic space and less for a more tranquil space). Bluestone and granite can offer bluish and grayish coloring, respectively, that can offer a lighter contrast effect. For more drama, you could opt for buff-colored stone (or stone-inspired wall units and pavers).
Interesting Walkways and Driveways
For the look of brick throughout the landscape, you could choose the same design themes for your walkway and driveway, by using inlays or borders, or by adding a retaining wall along the walkway or driveway that brings a touch of grandeur and an elegant place to disguise landscape lighting fixtures.
As for a walkway, a stepping-stone effect could be achieved by setting square stone slabs a stride length apart. If your walkway and driveway already resemble brick, adding a new, complementary retaining wall would help carry the look throughout the landscape.
Related: How Masonry Can Accentuate a Classic Outdoor Fireplace in Macomb, MI
