Creating a paver walkway or redesigning an existing walkway with paving stones immediately increases the visual appeal of your outdoor areas and can even increase the value of your home. Deciding to go with attractive, durable pavers is the easy part; once you have made this decision, it is then time to get down to the details, including color, texture, style, and design.

There are a lot of options in terms of walkway paver designs, so before we look at some design and pattern ideas, let’s go over some of the basics that will help inform your choices.

Paver Options

The first step in deciding on your walkway design is to choose your pavers. To accomplish this, you will need to consider which texture, style, and color works best for your project.

To get a visual of your project to help you make these decisions, you can use your existing walkway or, if you will be installing a new path, you can mark the walkway with flags, tape, or paint so that you can look at the area and the colors and textures surrounding the area.

Paver Textures

Several texture options are available, and the texture you choose will significantly impact the overall look of your walking paths. For example, choosing flagstones will give you a very different look than going with the old-world charm of antique cobble pavers.

Textures include:

• Slate
• Flagstone
• Non-tumbled
• Tumbled
• Embossed
• Tumbled and embossed
• Antique cobble

Non-tumbled pavers are smooth, tumbled pavers have a weathered look, embossed pavers have a dimpled texture, and pavers that are tumbled and embossed have both a weathered and dimpled look.

Paver Colors

The correct color choice is integral to the look of your walkway and how well it complements other features. Because of this, you should consider the color of your home, your roof, other structures, and existing hardscapes. You can add a pop of color to your design by choosing different color pavers to use as a border or within the pattern, so you may want to choose two or three colors to include in your design.

One way you can ensure that your paver color goes well with your house is to look at the color of the trim and the roof. You can then look for a color that complements these colors and use it for part or all of your walkway design. With walkways, it is also important to look at the color of any patios or driveways the walkway connects with or that are nearby. These probably already complement your house and, therefore, will probably complement the color you choose for your walkway, but it is important to double-check this.

There are many color options available, including earth tones, reds, and terracottas. Some examples of popular earth tones include:

• Sandstone
• Limestone
• Cream
• Brown
• Tan
• Buff
• Brown
• Gray
• Moss
• Charcoal

Another consideration when choosing colors is whether you want to go with monotone or multicolored pavers.

Paver Styles

The variety of styles available ensures you will find a style that works for your project. But, in the off chance that you do not fall in love with any of the most common styles, another option is a special-order mold that will allow you to customize your design even more.

Some of the most popular styles include:

• Tile
• Brick
• Slate
• Flagstone
• Weathered stone
• Antique cobble
• Old-world cobblestone

Paver Patterns

Once you know the color, style, and texture you want to use, it is time to choose the pattern in which your walkway pavers will be laid. There are lots of pattern options from which to choose. Some will be dependent on the shape of the pavers you have chosen.

It would be impossible to go over all of the possible patterns here, so we will cover some of the most popular options that you might want to consider.

Popular paver walkway patterns include:

• Running bond
• Running quarter bond
• Basketweave
• Herringbone
• Parquet
• Random I
• Ashlar

Walkway Paver Design Ideas

Once you have looked at some of these popular patterns and have narrowed them down to your favorite, it is time to get into the design ideas that are going to make your walkway unique and more visually appealing.

Borders and Banding

Perhaps the most popular design idea that adds a bit of visual interest to walkways is including borders or banding (or both). To achieve this look, you simply work with your designer or installer to create a design where the borders – and perhaps also bands throughout the project – stand out from the rest of the design. This might be by choosing a different color, texture, or size and often includes angling the border or band differently than the rest of the design.

Varying Textures

As mentioned above, you may use a different texture paver in a border or band. You can also insert differently textured pavers in other parts of the pattern to add depth and visual interest.

Accent Colors

Either in a border or in an inserted variance in the pattern, using different color pavers can add a pop of color and increase the visual appeal of your walkway. Using one or two accent colors also can give you the opportunity to incorporate colors from surrounding hardscapes or structures to create a more cohesive overall look.

Angled Layouts

You can add visual interest to your walkway by angling the pavers in the layout. For example, you can lay the walkway pavers at a 90-degree angle or a 45-degree angle or include both angles in your design.

Pattern Inserts

Pattern inserts are a popular choice when homeowners are looking for a walkway design that is interesting and not monotonous. Walkways do not allow you as much space for this as a driveway or patio would, but you can still do smaller pattern inserts to bring a different look to your walkways.

This might include laying a section of the walkway in a different direction or at a different angle than the rest. It might also include a circular section where two paths intersect or a more artistic insertion, such as inset fish, flowers, leaves, or turtles made with colored pavers.