3 landscape materials you’ll love for your new patio design
The great thing about patio design is its endless possibilities. They can vary significantly in size, shape, and materials used in their construction. The final form your patio takes has a lot to do with your personal preferences, the architecture of the home, functional considerations, and the overall landscape design intent. Beyond size and shape, a patio's look is determined by the material chosen to build it.
Here are three great options when it comes to material choices for your patio:
- Dimensional Bluestone
- Pine Hall Pavers
- Goshen Stone
Dimensional Bluestone
Dimensional Bluestone is a popular natural stone product that is quarried in the Northeast and cut into rectilinear shapes. This form makes it ideal for a more formal patio design, courtyard, or walkway.
As the name implies the color is predominantly an earthy blue but can also have hues of violet and rusty brown mixed in. Dimensional Bluestone comes in "Full Color" and "Blue Select" options with the former being more monotoned and the latter displaying a greater range of earthy colors and tones in random organic patterns in each stone. There is also the choice of a thermal finish giving each stone a uniform flat appearance or a "natural cleft" surface which has more undulation on the surface for a more rustic finish.
Dimensional Bluestone generally comes in various sizes and is laid in a random geometric pattern., although some patio designs may call for predominantly (or exclusively) one size. This makes it a great choice for patios that call for straight lines and edges. Bluestone is an excellent choice for a New Hampshire landscape design and gives any patio a high-end look.
Pine Hall Pavers
Clay pavers are one of the most common materials used for landscape designs in Bedford, NH, and throughout the region, and The Pine Hall Brick Company is the largest producer of clay pavers in the nation. Clay pavers are traditional, durable material that creates a classic look to any patio space.
Pine Hall pavers come in a large variety of colors. The earthy red and orange tones are excellent when more contrast is called for and can play beautifully against bright flowers and lush green perennial gardens. Their brown pavers are closer tone to the natural surroundings allowing other landscape elements like freshly quarried or antique native New Hampshire Granite to be more of a focal point. Pine Hall pavers combine perfectly with the coloration and texture of local fieldstone as well.
Because they come in a standard size they can be set in a variety of patterns. The most common patterns we use in our patio designs are running bond and Herringbone. They can also be used in more complex patterns including custom inlays or border patterns. Overall, Pine Hall Pavers are a versatile landscape material that works with a wide variety of patio styles.
Goshen Stone
Goshen stone is a layered, mica schist type of granite from the Goshen formation found in Western Massachusetts. It has become a popular material for landscape designs in the lakes region and wooded settings of New Hampshire due to its weighty appearance, flecks of mica that catch the sunlight in interesting ways, and its overall blue/gray and brownish hues.
Of the three materials in this article, Goshen Stone requires the most experience, skill, and aesthetic eye from the landscape contractor that installs it. This stone is delivered in large, individual slab-sized pieces 3- 4 inches thick and anywhere from 3-6+ feet in size. It requires an artistic eye to maximize the square footage of each piece during installation and is not a product you'd ever see a novice installing as it often requires multiple machines to handle and hoist into place.
A patio made from Goshen Stone has the feeling of weightiness, solidity, and a timeless appearance even when newly installed.
There you have it!
Three great landscape materials choices for your new patio design. Each one has its own unique look and feel that can contribute to the overall design of your landscape. Contact Nest Outdoors to discuss the style of patio material that best suits your needs.
Our mission is to design and build beautiful landscape projects that get you outdoors and expand great home living experiences to your backyard.
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Patio Material FAQ
Q: Which of these three patio materials is right for my project?
A: Many factors go into answering this question including existing conditions, construction budget, and design intent to name a few. We can easily arrive at the right material for your patio through our design process.
Q: What patio material is best for a lakeside property?
A: Goshen Stone would get our top vote but all three would work. The mica flecks in the Goshen Stone have a way of making the sunlight dance that seems to fit how light is reflected on the water. The scale and color of each piece work nicely in lakeside settings.
Q: What patio material is best for a formal aesthetic?
A: Dimensional Bluestone or Pine Hall Pavers generally fit a formal aesthetic better than Goshen Stone.
Q: Which material holds up best over time?
It's difficult to surpass the durability of Bluestone or Goshen Stone but the durability of Pine Hall Pavers is measured in decades so, for all intents and purposes, we will call it a three-way tie.
Q: What is Nest Outdoors' favorite patio material?
That is like asking who is your favorite child! Our favorite is the one that best fits the design intent for your project and gives you the most for your investment.
Q: Which patio material is most commonly used for landscape design in Bedford NH?
A: Bluestone and Pine Hall Pavers are used more commonly than Goshen Stone for landscape design in Bedford NH.
Q: Is it true a patio great patio design can improve your quality of life?
A: Yes. we believe this to be true! There are several reasons we have formed this opinion and you can read more about it here: 5 ways a patio can raise your quality of life