Driveway Design Ideas to Compliment Your Garage

Garages are one of those aspects of a home that aren’t given too much thought unless they stick out like a sore thumb.  A poorly designed garage can be spotted from a mile away, while some of the more complimentary garages are made to match the house they stand next to, while being slightly hidden by it.



Driveways have a lot to do with a garage looking aesthetically pleasing, but why is this?  Driveways draw the eye of the passerby, leading their gaze up to the garage itself.  If you don’t want to change your entire garage design, consider simply changing the driveway.  This move can do wonders with your curb appeal. If your garage is something you want to illuminate through landscaping and driveway design, then there are multiple different ideas you can consider.  Of course, it all depends on what kind of look you want to display, which materials to implement and the overall layout of the driveway itself.

Use Paver Lights to Illuminate Your Garage

Installing lights in the material that makes up your driveway, like pavers, can add a nice sophisticated touch.  Reminiscent of a runway you would see at airports, installing lights leading up to your garage will highlight its best features (check out our article on garage light ideas). Lights immediately grab the focus of onlookers directly at your garage, making it truly stand out.  A little additional light will also bring out any architectural features your garage is adorned with. This may seem like an expensive design, but kits only cost around $300 and can be installed as a do-it-yourself project.  Incorporating lights in your driveway will also act as a security measure, and what homeowner wouldn’t want that? Protect your home and your garage with added lighting to scare off any would-be intruders.

Angles That Compliment Your Garage

If you're looking for a renovation on your current driveway, consider the option of reformatting the angle.  Different angles can highlight the best features of your garage. Circular and semi circular driveways make your garage the center point of focus.  The natural shape puts your garage as one of the main details of your house and landscaping. Leading angles create a nice sense of landscaping for your property and can really make a garage leap out as one of the best aspects.  A curving driveway peaks the right amount of interest to the gaze, following up and ending at the garage.

Gravel Driveway for Your Rustic Chic Garage

What kind of home do you live in? Are you a rustic farmhouse in the middle of a beautifully rural country landscape?  Then you may want to consider a gravel driveway. Forget about everything you know about gravel and entertain the idea that gravel will actually compliment that rustic chic look that's so very popular nowadays. No longer is gravel just meant for the industrial side of town, but it's now a look that many high-end wineries impress upon their patrons. For people (and businesses) that want their driveway, garage and home to give off a simpler, farm-life look, gravel is the way to go.  It's a low cost way to bring out the best features of a barn-style garage.  Gravel tends to give off a more neutral appeal, which will bring out the best in any garage.

An Intermix of Ground Cover

An interesting concept that has increased in popularity is incorporating ground cover with driveway materials like pavers.  Interspersing plant life within the driveway can give your garage a modern look that many people are after. This mix of nature and concrete is popular to do in city areas that don’t see a lot of plant life within the boundaries of tall concrete buildings and sidewalks.  Adding a dash of color will brighten up the forefront of any garage, and doing this in the driveway itself makes it cutting edge (check out our article on garage painting).

Play with Pavers and Patterns

Want a driveway that'll really stand out and compliment your garage?  Try going for pavers.  These cement blocks can come in any style, shape or pattern, which allows for limitless possibilities when deciding which one will illuminate your garage’s best features. Line the driveway with darker pavers and fill in the center with lighter ones, making a “landing strip” pattern, catching the eye directly towards your garage while also making it appear to stand a bit taller.  You can also use the pavers to create a diagonal pattern to draw focus from left to right, making a natural flow from garage to house. One of the best aspects of pavers is their high quality.  When using pavers as a driveway material, you can count on these concrete blocks to last a lifetime.  Choosing a material of this lasting condition that won’t break or crumble will also help bring out the best of your garage.

Shell Driveway Design for Beach Fronts

Have a beach house of live near a particularly sandy area?  A shell driveway can make your garage come to life.  There’s nothing more out of place than the design of a driveway that's black asphalt in the middle of a neighborhood full of light pastels. Beachy areas are full of Cape Cod styled homes with matching garages, and being out of place from this traditional look can throw off the feeling that the location provides. A shell driveway reflects the environment in which your home is in, creating a more natural landscape leading up towards your garage.  It makes the garage stick out from the rest of the environment, too. For an additional benefit aside from its looks, a shell driveway is one of the best materials to choose from when it comes to drainage.  This is perfect for the surrounding environment that tends to see a lot of storms.

The Best Option Blends and Compliments Your Garage

There are so many ways to compliment your garage by means of styling your driveway.  It's important to highlight the surrounding environment, like your geographical location, the architectural style of your home and garage, and the surrounding neighborhood’s atmosphere.  You want to make your garage stand out but also not stick out of place. Want to bring out the architectural features of your garage? Add some lighting to illuminate your garage and its best aspects at night.  You can also create patterns with certain driveway materials, like bricks or pavers, to draw the attention appropriately toward your garage. Driveway materials can also be a reflection of the architecture of your garage that can be selected in any color or style to further compliment it. Re-angling your driveway can do wonders for your overall landscaping, which will in turn compliment your garage.  Semi circles are a popular option when it comes to formatting driveways, and this will make your garage a center point.  A slight angle will also catch the eye, making a natural path towards your garage. When it comes to illuminate your garage, there are many options to choose from.  The easiest and most rewarding way to compliment your garage is through the means of your driveway.  This renovation will boost curb appeal, resell value, and the lifetime of both your driveway and garage. Looking fror a new custom built garage? Danleys has you covered. Get a free quote today.