Circular Drive Design Ideas

Wooded Properties

• Create your circular drive a minimum of 10 feet from the base of any small tree in your landscape; 20 feet from trees greater than 30 feet in height. Following this rule of thumb will help prevent tree root damage as well as future pavement breakup from the tree roots. You can use a tree as your centerpiece for the circular drive in lieu of a water fountain or statue, but make sure visibility of incoming and outgoing motorists isn't compromised.

Monogrammed

• Make your circular drive design distinct with a monogram at the entrance, especially if you plan to live at your residence permanently. Use a contrasting paver color for the monogram pieces, placed within a large section of your cobblestone driveway entrance. This adds an air of elegance and formality to your drive and serves as a way for guests to find your address more easily during the day. Choose a monogram color that matches the exterior color of your home and then trim the rest of the driveway with it, so the color scheme blends with the rest of the home landscape.

Inexpensive Design

• You don't have to sacrifice beauty in your circular driveway due to budget restrictions. Pour tinted concrete for your driveway if you can't afford natural stone. Add pebbles to the mix for texture and a more expensive look. Better Homes and Gardens suggests planning a drive at least 18 feet wide to ensure that adequate space exists for one car to be parked along the drive as another passes.

Considerations

• To help prevent accidents, build your circular driveway entrance at a spot in your landscape that will provide you and your neighbors good visibility as you enter and exit your home. Choose paving materials that will not devalue your neighbor's property and take care to stay in line with the general residential area decor theme. If, for example, brick is used for everyone's drive in the community, don't put down gravel. A circular drive will require adequate space. Don't cross over property lines to create this type of drive if space doesn't exist. Some cities require a permit before a hard surface driveway can be added to properties in residential communities, so be sure to check the laws in your jurisdiction before beginning this type of project.