Make an Entrance – Hallmark Driveways

First impressions count! We’ve got some great ideas on how to improve your entrance.

 

As our attention turns to summer and getting outdoors, we start to think about getting the driveway and garden ready. This normally focuses on the back garden, however don’t forget the front garden! This is the first impression of your property, so whether you are looking to sell your home or enjoy the space yourself here are some ideas to improve your entrance way.

 

KISS – Keep It Super Simple

Planting to frame a driveway or as a finishing touch really enhances a front entrance. Make sure you keep it simple – by choosing just a few varieties of plant rather than lots of different ones, and anchoring the whole scheme with some new trees, the planting becomes more of a feature and draws your eye to the planting rather than the driveway itself.

 

Be inviting

Make your entrance inviting using big planters filled with lots of seasonal flowers and foliage either side of the front door. Geraniums give a great scent and add seasonal colour lasting from spring through to late autumn – ideal if low maintenance is a priority.

 

Matching

You need to ensure your outdoor space is in keeping with the property, for example if you have a cottage, create a cottage garden. Terracotta pots, lavender, stacked logs in the porch all give the sense of a country cottage.

 

For modern properties, why not add some recessed lighting to the driveway to give that modern wow factor in the evening?

 

Pick your perfect paving

Think about the type of paving you use, both for the look of your garden and how it functions. For a driveway you will definitely need a good quality hard-wearing material. It’s also important to incorporate efficient drainage to avoid flooding, particularly in Wales! There are various ways to facilitate good drainage, and we can advise the best methods for you to use based on your property and location.

 

Flowerbeds can also help with drainage and combining this with a patterned driveway can give a great flow to your entranceway taking people right up to the front door.

 

Not Just for Cars

So often the front garden is overlooked as an outdoor space, but more often than not you might get sun out the front and be able to create a secluded terrace to make the most of every minute of sun!

 

Add some contemporary structure

If you have a modern property, you might want to use one or two structural plant or trees – use lighting to really wow the neighbours and passers-by when night falls.

 

Keep Clear

If possible, allow space for the car to be parked away from the front door – you don’t want to make the driveway and entrance look stunning and hide it all with a car!

 

It’s all too easy to have a huge driveway and then park right in front of the door. This solution moves the parking space to the garage side, leaving a pedestrian entrance to the front door.

 

Keeping up with the Jones’

Don’t keep up with the Jones’ create your own unique style or your front garden which makes it stand out (for the right reasons) from the rest on the street!

 

A very simple planting palette, pebbles and a characterful rock can give a distinctive look easily replicated with very little construction knowledge. Use contrasting edging to frame a driveway or path to really finish it off. It’s a style that would look good with both modern and traditional homes.

 

Light-Up

As already mentioned, lighting can look really dramatic and give your property the wow-factor when nighttime comes.

 

Recessed driveway lighting looks stunning at night and is unobtrusive by day.

 

Use uplighters against a boundary wall to create a simple effect that’s both practical and dramatic. You could even try this with simple, solar-powered path lights, which are low-cost and low-maintenance, but a great way to direct your visitors to the front door.

 

Give Hallmark Driveways a call on 0131 610 0393 for a free no obligation quote. Read more..