If you’re looking to give your outdoor living space a rustic-casual vibe, the right paving stones will make all the difference. To inspire the kind of outdoor living space you and your family and friends will love, here are tips for using rustic pavers in Macomb, IL, landscape designs.
The word “rustic” conjures up images of campfires, happy kids and dogs running around, casual barbecues, wooden Adirondack chairs, sunsets, and of course good food and lots of laughter. But within the term, there are different ways to add rustic charm to your landscape. Let’s take a look at four inspiring ways to use rustic pavers to get exactly the look and feel you want.
Rustic Chic
The most sophisticated of all rustic styles, rustic chic is characterized by large-sized pavers in cool tones, with minimal texture and inconspicuous joint lines. These spaces often utilize granite-look pavers in mid-tone to darker grays. The pavers pay homage to natural elements in the landscape, but in a more formal way that is cool, serene, and understated. The paver shapes are square or rectangular, as are the outdoor spaces. It’s a look that can be absolutely fabulous next to a contemporary home that needs a more natural hardscape to help it blend seamlessly into the surroundings.
Farmhouse Rustic
Farmhouse rustic brings to mind the warmth and comfort of grandma’s kitchen. Pavers that mimic bluestone are huge favorites in this style. Here, it’s all about texture and color: the steel blue perfectly complements a white or red farmhouse for a timeless look. The type of pavers best suited for the farmhouse rustic style are often medium sized and laid in more or less random patterns, which gives these outdoor spaces a look that’s seeped in the history of the place, as if the material were handpicked on the farm. The joint lines are typically dark to keep the look simple.
Modern Rustic
Modern architecture plays with contrast, light, and shape. Each element in a landscape has a distinct presence—the home, the outdoor living space as a whole, and individual features within the landscape. Each element can stand alone yet perfectly complements the others. A sleek minimalist home is enhanced with pavers that bring to mind the roads found in ancient old world farm villages. Industrial and natural elements are often used together. Many modern rustic outdoor spaces tend to be as minimalist as the home. Large-format pavers are often used, in neutral tones that highlight the home’s architecture and special features like reflecting pools.
Cabin Rustic
This is what most people think about when they hear “rustic”: a log or timber frame cabin in the woods, overlooking a serene lake, with a canoe tied to the pier. The pavers for this look are typically earth-toned so that the outdoor living space blends into the surrounding natural landscaping. Pavers tend to be midsize, and the patio itself is rich in texture and color variation. Both visual and tactile texture is important, and pavers with flagstone textures and colors are popular. It’s not uncommon to see patios made using two, three or even four slightly different colors for a random and unique look. The patio itself is likely organically shaped to follow the contours of the landscape and mimic shapes found in nature.
