5 Dramatic Driveway Design Ideas for Naperville and Wheaton, IL Homes

If you’re tired of your driveway - the straight shot to the garage, the boring asphalt or poured concrete, and the overall cookie cutter look; or if your driveway is in need of a complete replacement or renovation - then now is the perfect time to plan a driveway that will not only turn heads, but put a smile on your face every time you come home. To inspire you, here are 4 dramatic driveway designs for Naperville and Wheaton, IL, homes.

Honor the Landscape

Your driveway doesn’t have to be strictly utilitarian. It can also become a thing of beauty that blends attractively into the landscape. If you have the space for it, consider a longer, more undulating driveway that follows the contours of the land and/or creates its own interest. It’ll make a statement.

A less direct approach to the home will encourage people to drive slower and take more notice of the landscaping, and it will give your driveway a more thoughtful feel: more deliberate, and more artistic.

A Grand Entry

If you have the available space, a horseshoe driveway, or a driveway with a circle or entry court, near the home will add to the drama and sophistication. The area within the circle can feature a sculpture, a beautiful tree, a dramatic fountain, a rock garden, or other prominent focal point.

This approach can allow you to narrow the driveway itself to just one car width - preserving more of the landscape - and allow space for multiple cars to turn around by the driveway.

A Wagon Wheel Track

Muddy, rutted wheel tracks are one of the reasons people started paving driveways in the first place. And yet, the look is charming and works well with a rustic or relaxed home. You could use concrete pavers in lieu of dirt for a much more durable and beautiful look; the center of the driveway could be grass, which will also make for a more eco-friendly driveway.

Choose Pavers

Any driveway, whether short or long, straight or curved, can be made more dramatic with the use of concrete pavers. You’ll get the timeless look of virtually any traditional driveway material (brick, granite blocks, or cobblestones) as well as in an expanded palette of colors and finishes.

Or, the driveway could become a modernist work of art using concrete pavers and contemporary mixes of sizes, colors, and textures. A trendy approach is to create an edgy, industrial look, by mixing and matching various shades of steel-grey pavers that range in texture from brushed, stippled, to smooth.

Pavers give you options in sizes, shapes, and laying patterns, including trendy plank-style or hexagonal pavers. These materials can be carried over to walkways and patios as well if you want the same look throughout; or, you can tie these various hardscape areas together using a unified border theme.

Concrete pavers can also be installed as permeable, with larger spacing between them to allow water to seep through. This is a more water-wise option that allows water to return to the aquifer instead of flowing down the driveway.

If you want to retain the look of an asphalt or poured concrete driveway you could also add a paver border, accents, or apron (a paver area where the driveway meets the street). This will add interest and sophistication. An apron can have a functional purpose as well; it can extend the life of your asphalt driveway in the high-impact area where cars are turning and accelerating.