Make Your Entryway Landscape Inviting and Welcoming

When we approach a front door or entryway for the first time, we want to feel invited and welcome. A well designed landscape for the front of your house can serve to draw your guests closer, creating a sense of movement and interest that they will naturally follow.

The photos show a newly landscaped entry where these goals were accomplished. In particular, the use of rocks, pavers and planters make this a successful renovation of what was originally a rather ordinary walkway and entry.

Interlocking Pavers

There are a variety of paving materials used in this project. The careful use of color keeps them from becoming too overbearing. The gray tone of the concrete unit pavers in the walkway ties in with the existing concrete porch surface by the front door. The beige and brown colors of the driveway pavers and on the middle level landing tie in very nicely with the brick color of the house.

Note how this mid-level landing begins at the front corner of the house. By bringing this landing away from the front porch, the entry space for the home becomes larger. There is a gradual approach to the front door instead of an abrupt short set of steps.

Boulders and Rocks

The use of large rocks and boulders creates a feeling of movement. The slightly irregular curve in the line of boulders makes them more dynamic. The ascending height of the boulders mimics the series of steps to the front porch. The eye naturally follows this line. Boulders are an effective way to add interest to almost any landscape. They provide visual contrast to plant materials and symbolize permanence and stability.

Planters for a Finishing Touch

The planters are an elegant final touch for this entry walkway. Their staggered placement also provides movement, directing the view toward the door. The varieties of plants in the planters serve to soften the brick walls and concrete pavers. Without the planters, there is nothing between the hard surface of the walk and the vertical walls of the house. Though they may not seem important, they actually make a significant contribution to the success of this landscape.

The entryway for your home should have a focal point and a sense of movement. As the eye is led toward the door, we are drawn closer; we feel invited. A gradual approach and a large, comfortable entry space make us feel welcome. A good designer will understand these concepts while also developing the details of the design, such as the planters shown for this walkway that make your landscape special and unique.

If you’re ready to take your entryway to the next level, we’d love to help!

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