Perfect Pavers

I recently helped a client choose Perfect Pavers hardscape and a fire pit rock for her exterior. Pavers refer to the outdoor floor or superficial covering in a yard.

We originally met at her home where I helped her choose colors for her exterior. Here are her home and the colors that she is using to update her house.

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  Sherwin Williams Tin Lizzy for siding

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  Sherwin Williams Natural Choice for trim

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  Sherwin Williams Row House Tan gables

Exterior Home

With all that busy stone, she needed extra help in choosing the Perfect Pavers leading up to her home. Since it was going to be stone as well, I didn’t want it to match what was already on the house. I also couldn’t have it contradict it.

The hardscape was to wrap around to make a patio in her backyard. She was overwhelmed with color choice, style, and texture, so she asked if I could help.

Yes, I help with more than just paint! I help with color on other finishes such and exterior design all the time!

This specific client’s options were not vast, but there were a few things we narrowed down before settling on the perfect paver.

1. Size

We determined she needed a larger Perfect Pavers because her kiddos would be riding their bikes and playing on them in the backyard. Small pavers have more gaps to be filled with grout, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make child’s play a little more dangerous. Larger pavers are also better for tables and chairs. There is less likelihood that the chairs and table legs will get caught in the grout spaces as well.

2. Texture

We needed a smooth floor for the kids to play, and for chairs and tables to sit on. One of the main reasons this client wanted Perfect Pavers was so that she could host friends and family over in her backyard. I don’t know about you, but smooth pavers remind me of summer bar-b-qs! Is there anything better?

3. Color

This needed to blend well with the current stone on her house (above). It has a lot of color and variation, which made my job a little more challenging. If you know me, you know I’m always up for a challenge! You will see our choice of pavers later on in the post, but I went with a very neutral palette. I did this because I didn’t want to clash or take away from the stone that was already in place.

Aside from the Perfect Pavers, my client really wanted to have a fire pit. This went well with her idea for a backyard full of hosting potential! We chose a large onyx stone from Arizona. The stone will be used to make a fire pit like this.

When we were choosing this stone, we also had to pay attention to all the things listed above. The color we chose for the fire pit is very close to the colors of the pavers.

You can also choose to purchase a fire pit from any home good store. This is a cheaper and easier way to go for sure. I have listed a few of my favorites here.

While that was an option for us, my client really wanted stone, and I couldn’t blame her! It looks beautiful in her backyard.

The choice!

​Here is the final stone we chose, Pavestone Vintage Antiqued Winter Blend. This was the most difficult part of the process because the labeling for the stone was not clear. Can you believe it, they almost sold her the wrong one!

Take note of this when shopping for pavers. You will run into obstacles, so be prepared, but always know what you’re looking to walk away with!

This is what we ended up in her backyard! As you can see, the pavers are very neutral. This helps them blend in with the bold brick she had on her house. It also involves the warm tones from the brick and the cooler tones from her paint color.

The stone is large and smooth, which matches the functionality that we were looking for.

I began this post by showing you the paint swatches we had chosen for her home. If you have taken my Exterior Paint Color Course, then you would know that it is essential to match your new paint colors to your fixed elements.

If you are adding elements to your exterior, but don’t plan on painting the house, then you have to match those elements to the paint that is already there.

Takeaway-

1) When I was thinking about which stone to use, I made sure to keep in mind the functionality of the stone. The two primary activities on the stone are entertaining guests and for the kids to play on. Therefore, it needed to have a smooth, almost solid-looking surface.

2) I also had to pay attention to the texture of the stone. This goes hand in hand with the functionality. Bumpy stone will not do well with small chairs. My client wanted tables in the backyard, so chairs were essential. This allowed me to rule out several types of stone.

2) Finally, you want to take into consideration the color of your home. This includes the paint color as well as any stone or brick. You want to make sure it creates a cohesive look and feel.

Overall, I am very happy with the way this house now looks, stay tuned for the updated exterior photos with the new colors! For any kind of help please contact us.