Curb appeal is a term used to describe a home’s visual attractiveness as seen from the street. It’s what gives people their first impression of your home before they step inside. It’s also a term often used in real estate – great curb appeal can be a significant asset.

Your front exterior sets the tone for your entire home. Outdoor lighting fixtures, the front door, porch seating, and potted plants all work together to reflect your personality and create an inviting space. Hardscaping is also an important element of your home’s appeal. Walkways, the porch, and the driveway not only add texture and interest to the front of a house but can add significant curb appeal as well.

Using interlocking stone provides you with a low-maintenance option with a wide range of choice in colour, shape, and pattern so you can create a truly unique front entrance. Concrete is another option, and some people are still surprised to learn the number of options available with concrete. We’re used to seeing the more common grey brushed concrete, but there are so many more choices available to you. There are colour, style, and texture options in concrete to suit any home.

If you’re looking for a front entryway update, here are some things to think about.

A Well-Defined Walkway to the Front Door

Guide your guests to the front door from the street or driveway with a beautiful, low-maintenance path. A well-defined walkway to the door is welcoming and is a great way to add some texture and character to the yard.

Exposed aggregate walkway from the driveway to the front door

Interlocking path and steps from the driveway to the front door

Interlocking stone driveway extension and walkway

Interlocking stone driveway extension and walkway

Lawns Without Grass Advantages

Revolutionize your outdoor space with innovative landscaping that transcends the traditional grassy lawn. Imagine a front yard or backyard that embodies beauty without the backbreaking work: no more relentless mowing, watering, or battling weeds and pests. Instead of the usual grass lawn, consider the charm of effortless perennials, the elegant touch of interlocking stonework, and the modern touch of limestone-finished concrete with artificial turf. Your home will boast curb appeal with a unique, low-maintenance yard that’s not just visually appealing but environmentally conscious, saving water and eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. Reinvent your personal oasis with a grass-free landscape—where beauty meets practicality.

Grass-Free Alternatives

There are many options to be had when designing a yard without grass. Homeowners who don’t like the barren look of just concrete or interlock can interlace the space with flower beds, shrubs or other evergreen plants. Some may opt to incorporate a cozy sitting area for people watching in the front yard or trade in the back yard turf for a private retreat complete with water falls & fire pits. If having grass as part of your back lawn is important but not the maintenance, then artificial turf may be your solution. It looks and feels like grass without the upkeep required. Bear in mind installing artificial turf in the front yard may have some limitations. Before installing, make sure you check the bylaws to ensure it is within city limits.

Gallery of Lawns Without Grass

Transformation Photos: From Grass to Grass-Free Front Yard & Side Walkway

Before: Removal of Existing Front Lawn

After: Installation of Concrete Front Yard

Before: Removal of Grass from Side Walkway

After: Hassle Free Concrete Side Walkway

The front entrance & walkway is an important part of your home. It is the first point of contact your friends & family will have and also gives the first impression to passerby’s. Therefore, many homeowners enhance the landscaping to these areas to add curb appeal and also to provide an inviting welcome to guests. When remodeling the front entrance landscape, the design should be carefully considered in conjunction with your preferences (e.g. do you prefer a grass-free front entrance so you don’t have to spend weekends mowing and weeding?)  Of course, the material choice should not be overlooked as well since these areas bare a significant amount of traffic.

At Markstone Landscaping, we have been transforming hundreds of front entrances & walkways for more than a decade. And in recent years, there has been an increased interest in using interlock pavers for remodeling front entrances & walkways. This has become a popular choice amongst homeowners because of its durability, low maintenance and endless design possibilities, unlike asphalt which is only available in black and requires resealing. And by following our simple annual Spring maintenance tips for interlock pavers, your landscape will look brand new for years to come. Click here to find out everything you need to know about interlock pavers.

Because front entrances & walkways come in all different shapes and sizes, we have categorized the projects we have undertaken into 6 common elements. These projects can provide inspirations to aid in designing your perfect interlocking front entrance & walkway landscape.

• Shallow Interlocking Front Entrance Designs
• Long or Wide Interlocking Front Entrance Designs
• Tiered Interlocking Front Entrances
• Interlocking Front Entrances with Flower Beds
• Unique Interlocking Front Entrances
• Unique Interlocking Front Entrance Patterns & Trims

Shallow Interlocking Front Entrance Designs