Landscape Design Ideas for Showstopping Entrances in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL Areas
What does your front entrance say to your guests when they arrive at your home? First impressions are lasting; putting forth a little effort to create an entrance that reflects your character will go a long way in extending a warm welcome to your guests. Try these landscape design ideas for showstopping entrances in the Hinsdale and Naperville, IL areas.
Walkway
Create a walkway that is both practical and beautiful. With many choices of color, size and shape for both concrete pavers or natural stone, you have endless options for turning your walkway into a work of art. Pavers will give your walkway a chic, modern feel, and come in a variety of patterns and geometric shapes for you to choose from. Flagstone is always unique as you fit together pieces of all different shapes and sizes, and will create an elegantly natural vibe.
Instead of just an outdated straight line from the driveway to the front door, create a more relaxed and inviting look with a gently curved walkway. Not only does this add dimension to your front yard, it provides more variety for how to add plants and garden beds to your front landscaping. A walkway with natural-looking curves invites people to linger and admire the scenery.
Landing
A landing can be a larger or smaller space at the end of the walkway by the front door, and it adds an even more welcoming atmosphere to your front entrance. Place a comfortable bench, seating wall or porch swing on this wider area, and consider adorning it with a bubbling fountain, a birdbath, a sculpture, or colorful planters erupting with cheerful flowers.
Steps
The steps leading to the front door add character to an entryway. Wood steps can be built in a stately way, but require more upkeep maintenance with staining and weatherproofing. Steps built out of natural cut stone can be built in a variety of different designs, with choices for smooth or rough cut stones in many different color choices. Stone is an elegant way to stay true to the natural environment around you, and gives your front entry a stately and welcoming presence.
Mailbox
Although a mailbox may seem like a small feature, it is a noticeable part of your entryway. An old and ragged mailbox, or one that doesn’t fit your landscaping decor, will stick out as something that doesn’t belong. Surround your mailbox with stone that matches the materials in the rest of your landscape.
Planters and Garden Beds
Potted flowers add bursts of color when used to line the steps or accent the corners of your patio. Hanging pots with falling ferns are eye-catching features that contribute to a warm welcome for your guests. Line your walkway with a narrow, winding garden bed and plant larger beds on either side of your patio that will frame your entryway.
Lighting
Line your front walkway with solar powered ground lights leading up to your entrance. Lights will act as a guide along your walkway in an attractive, clear and safe way, whether guests are visiting for the first time or you are walking up to your house with an armful of groceries. For a larger lighting feature that makes more of a statement, consider building masonry pillars topped with attractive light fixtures adjacent to your entrance.
Updating your entryway is a guaranteed way to transform the look of your home. Even small changes can make a big difference to create an elegant and welcoming atmosphere from the moment your guests arrive to your home.
