First Impressions

“We try to create a sense of entrance at the sidewalk and driveway for a guest to feel comfortable to stop at, as well as   give them enough space to open car doors,” Kopfmann says. “We want to be sure they’re not pulling all the way up to the garage and backtracking to the sidewalk.” Also important is making a circle driveway or a pull-off for visiting vehicles so that guests don’t have to move the car when someone is coming home and needs to get into the garage.

Perhaps the most popular products used in both sidewalks and driveways are concrete pavers. Unlike bricks, paver stones are installed without mortar, which is also known as dry laid. “Pavers in Minnesota are better than concrete,” Otto says. “Concrete cracks over a period of time with the freeze-thaw cycle, whereas pavers already have their own built-in areas where they can move.” Furthermore, pavers can stand up to the wear-and-tear of driveways because the stones sit atop a heavy rock base, and thus are able to support the weight of vehicles.

Pavers also offer design flexibility. “Our clients are going more for a tumbled look, which has a softened, more natural edge,” Kopfmann explains. “Pavers also come in a range of sizes and in pieces that allow you to make a pattern.”

Another material option is stamped concrete, in which a stone-like pattern or impression is pressed into colored concrete. However, like poured concrete, the stamped version is prone to cracking due to the cold weather. And asphalt still has a place in driveways. The key, Kopfmann recommends, is to break up the black mass with pavers or stamped concrete at the curb, garage doors, and sidewalk entry.

Homeowners should also take care to ensure that the materials used in the sidewalk and driveway properly complement the home’s façade. “If you can’t match the existing stone and brick of the house exactly, do something that will contrast,” Iverson advises. “If there’s more yellow in the paver than in the stone on the house, we recommend pulling in a gray color versus trying to make it all blend.”

Additionally, plants and shrubs can combine with drives and pathways to help direct guests to the front door while coinciding with the home’s style. “As you go up the sidewalk, there may be hedging to help guests feel ‘cozied in’ while still seeing the front of the house,” Kopfmann says. “Landscaping should not block the windows or hide architectural elements.”

Going for the Garage

Due to the lack of alleys and the prevalence of smaller lots, garages have become a major part of the streetscape in homes built during the last few decades. In many cases, the result has been garages that unattractively dominate the front yard. But as they remodel or build new, homeowners are making more efforts to minimize the garage’s overpowering presence. “People are going to extremes from both a design and economic perspective to create interesting and intriguing garage doors,” Aulik notes.