Design Ideas for Stepping Stones

Stepping Stone Landscaping Paths

• Use flat stones to create a pathway in your backyard. Use large, flat stones big enough for one or two feet to stand on for a single-person path. Incorporate a natural look by spacing the stones so grass or moss can grow between them. Use stones that are the size of your hands and space them about an inch apart to cover a path to be used by several people.

Adding Color

• Add color to your stones by using an all-weather paint to color stones of various sizes and place them on your walkway to the garden outside or strategically throughout your backyard. Use a single color or vary the colors of the stones. Paint several small stones all colors of the rainbow. Use waterproof glue to hold small stones in place.

Texture

• Use buttons, beads, marbles and small glass trinkets to give the stepping stones some texture. Spread a thin layer of wet cement on top of the stones. Press the items into the wet cement in a design of your choice and allow to dry for several days. Use toothpicks, your fingers or a small stick to scrape names into the medium or to trace hands or a date to remember on the stones before placing them in your path or garden.

Themes

• Use a theme to decorate your stepping stones. Tribal designs that celebrate your ancestry will give your stepping stones both meaning and practicality. Use a large, round stone to draw a Celtic knot, Pacific sand drawings or Chinese or Arabic script. Use, as an alternative, marbles or glass beads to mark the lines in your symbols instead of leaving them blank. Write the meaning of the sign underneath the design in small lettering.

Phrases

• Write your favorite short saying or phrase on your stepping stone and decorate the edges. Use, as examples, "I Love You" or " Take Time to Smell The Flowers." Write one letter or word on each stone and attach them to the side of a garden box or porch area above your flower garden for a decorative effect. Attach smaller painted stones between the larger ones for added effect.