It’s all about planning and research when it comes to home improvement projects and this is as true for the exterior of your property as it is for the interior, no matter what design ideas you have in mind. Renovating can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavour, so you need to know that you’re going to like the end result – or rue the day!
When it comes to choosing your patio paving slabs, it certainly pays dividends to investigate the various materials and styles out there, so you can decide which one would suit your needs the best and which would tie in well with the overall aesthetics of the rest of your home.
To help you get it right at the outset – and help you avoid spending lots of money on something you’re not going to love for years to come – here are a few top tips from us here at Gardenstone. Let us know which slabs you go for in the end!
Decide on a budget
As with any project, your decisions will largely be dictated by how much money you’re willing to spend, so make sure you come up with a realistic budget and then see what you can find that works within its parameters. Leaving a contingency of ten per cent is wise, so you’re covered if something goes wrong.
Consider your home’s style
Take a look at your house and try to find paving slabs that complement your other design decisions. Your outside areas should be an extension of your home’s interior and it’s important that the two marry well together, so they don’t feel disjointed. Is it traditional? Contemporary? Rustic? Working this out will help you choose the style of paving you need.
Style over substance
While you may be taken with the look and feel of a particular material, it’s important that you select the right kind of paving slab to suit the part of the garden it’s going in. Think about how much footfall and through traffic the slabs will have to deal with, as well as how much weight they’ll have to bear, as this will dictate which materials are best for the job at hand.
Think about the size you need
Something else to consider is the size of the area you’re having paved, as this will also have an impact on the slabs you choose. Generally speaking, the larger the area you’re paving, the bigger the slabs you need.
However, don’t be afraid of thinking outside the box a little and you could always go for different sizes of paving slabs and arrange them in a beautifully modern and unique design.