Pavers are a versatile material for patios, and apart from their flexibility and durability, they also present the opportunity to incorporate accents and borders into the design. These accent pavers can create contrast in color and texture and help to divide or highlight certain outdoor areas. If you’re looking for advice on how to incorporate accents or bordering into your Laconia, NH patio, look no further.
Matching Colors
One effective way of selecting pavers for use in borders is to match the color of the paver to one that is already present in your hardscape or the facade of your home. This helps to visually tie the patio to existing elements. For example, you can pick the color of your border or accent pavers to match that of the roof of your home, or the coping of your vertical features. Alternatively, you can accent colors found in your softscape, for example matching to the bark of a particular tree that is prevalent or to natural rock features.
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Contrasting Colors
To create a striking look for your patio, consider contrasting the color of your border or accent pavers with the color of the patio’s main paved surface. This serves to highlight the patio paver and can make both colors more effective than when they appear alone. Selecting contrasting colors is relatively straightforward. For this you can use a color wheel to determine which colors are exact opposites, alternatively you can follow the basic rule of thumb of pairing a dark border with a light paver body, or warm colors with cool. For added variation, consider a double border consisting of one complementary color and one contrasting color.
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Contrasting Textures
Color is not the only way to create variation for your patio space. You can also experiment with texture. Consider incorporating a border with a texture that offsets that of your main patio paver. For example, pair a smooth patio paver with a coarse textured border or vice versa. These pavers can either match, complement or contrast your existing patio pavers in color. When both colors are the same, a different textured paver used for a border can create a pleasing, subtle distinction and separation of the space.
Subtle Division
Borders and accents are ideal for creating subtle division between outdoor spaces of differing function. For example, accented borders can be used to separate an outdoor kitchen from the dining area, or a fire pit area from your seating area. Low walls can also serve this purpose, but if you’re looking to maintain an open plan and maximize flow, borders are the way to do it.
Creating Focal Points
Borders and accents are also an excellent way to highlight hardscape features. For example, by extending your border design to encircle your fire pit, permanent seating or fireplace, these items better serve as focal points. In these cases, the border serves to draw the eye towards the features by enhancing its visibility and prominence on the patio.
