Estate Driveway Ideas

Landscaping

• To add elegance to your driveway, use shrubs and flowers to line the path up to your home. Flower beds add color and beauty to the space, making the estate look well-cared-for. Shrubs are not only used to frame the driveway and add a bit of luxury to the exterior of your home, they also can help establish privacy in the front yard. Look for tall growing shrubs for this purpose. Popular shrubs for lining this area are dogwoods, roses, mountain laurels and evergreen varieties that will look fresh for most of the year.

Pavers

• Brick pavers create an elegant driveway for your estate. While this surface is among the most expensive options for decorating this area, it is also the longest-lasting and requires the least amount of maintenance. Pavers can be installed over concrete driveways or in place of concrete. They are available in a variety of colors and styles to match the exterior of your home. To keep the pavers looking their best, sweep and wash regularly to remove oil stains, dirt or algae.

Paint or Stain

• Affordable alternatives to installing pavers are paint and concrete stain. Create the look of custom pavers by painting a repeating brick pattern directly onto the concrete driveway. Instead of brick, you can create the look of stone. Gone are the days of boring gray concrete to define driveways. Instead, look for colored concrete when installing, or stain the concrete after the fact with colored dyes that complement the home's exterior. Add a sealant coat once the paint or stain is dry.

Lighting

• Illuminate the driveway -- it will define the space at night while adding an elegant ambiance to the exterior of your home. Look for short lanterns that can be placed along either side of the driveway. Another option is to install lattice board along the sides and run lighting through it.