Front Door & Stone Walkway Ideas

Front Entry

• The transition from outside to inside a house is a priority in landscape design. The front entry should nurture a sense of arrival and welcome but establish private boundaries. Features such as a front porch, generous steps and a graceful walkway complemented with strategic planting shape the experience of crossing the boundary from public to private space. The transitional elements draw attention to the front door and play a significant role in creating curb appeal.

Door and Walkway

• As a prominent architectural element, the front door should be distinctive and compatible with the house's style. It may be scaled larger than the home's other exterior doors but still appropriately sized and proportioned. A stone walkway can be used for formal or informal effect to emphasize the house's character. Mixing it with other materials keeps it from overwhelming the site in certain situations.

Walkway Layout

• The stone walkway's layout helps to dictate the way people experience the transition from outside to inside the house. Curves encourage a more leisurely pace; geometric forms are architecturally distinctive and appropriate for formal design. Widening the walkway a few feet from the door or door steps makes room for visitors to gather briefly and adds interest to a direct route. Specimen planting or ornaments to view along the way is another technique for shifting attention from one space to another space.

Stone Types

• Flagstones are usually used to reinforce a traditional, formal style. They're especially suitable where stone is used elsewhere, such as for exterior walls or skirting, or retaining walls. Repeating materials connects the house with the landscape for a harmonious effect. Stepping stones are used in informal, rustic settings and are compatible with houses with touches of wood and cottage-style detailing. They invite the walker to pay more attention to the physical journey and the surroundings.