Color Of Your Outdoor Pavers
How to choose the color of your outdoor pavers
Stone pavers are available in a diverse array of colors and textures. The choice of color will have a large impact on how your outdoor space looks and feels, as well as functions.
Choosing the right color for your outdoor pavers can enhance the feeling of space and help unify the soft and hard landscape. The color of the stone can also be used to form a connection between the architecture and interior spaces.
There are several things to consider when choosing the color of your outdoor pavers, including:
Monotone or multi-color
Natural stone can come in a monotone palette with little tonal variation or multi-color with a natural variation of color hues adding greater movement and texture. Heron Bluestone, for example, provides a relatively consistent charcoal-grey color palette. Lichen Split Stone, on the other hand, offers a striking variation in tones from coppers and browns to deep grays.
Consider how well the color will wear over time, especially in high traffic areas. An outdoor paver with greater tonal variation can often be more forgiving when it comes to stains or dirt built up than pavers with no color disparity.
Sunlight
One of the important considerations when it comes to paver color is the effect of the sunlight. In a large, open area a light paver directly in the line of the afternoon sunlight may create an unpleasant glare. Likewise, a very dark paver in this space may get too hot to walk on.
In shaded areas consider whether a dark paver would feel too oppressive and whether a stone with light-dark tonal variation may be more suitable for the space.
Texture
If you’re leaning towards a monotone color paver but still after movement, consider a different format or surface finish to add greater texture. In the gray Fallow Granite pavers, for example, there are lots of natural flecks which add variation and movement without a great contrast.
You can also consider breaking up the surface with by combining two pavers of complementary tones or different formats to add interest and texture. This has been achieved in the driveway above where Outdoor Establishments have used Raven Granite in a modular pattern with Raven cobblestone edging.
Scale
When you look at a small sample of the stone it’s important to visualize how the color will look on mass. A paver with tonal variation, even subtle, can be more effective laid in a large area such as a driveway or expansive patio space than a monotone paver.
Surroundings
When considering a paver color, take into account the colors and materials of the surrounding space. Consider the color palettes of the architecture, interior, and the hard and soft landscape. You don’t need to necessarily match up with the color palette, but picking up a complementary tone can help create a more cohesive space.
Feature image: Torino Bluestone natural stone with pebble inset.
