While natural stone is often associated with naturalistic and traditional landscape design styles, there really is no landscape design theme in which natural stone pavers can’t play a central role. With the range of Premium Quality Natural Stone from Unilock, you can ensure that your chosen landscape design theme is complemented by the luxury and refined character of an appropriate material.
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Naturalistic and Rustic Themes
Landscape designs that seek to emulate natural forms and textures rely heavily on materials with a high degree of character and detail to continue the variety created by dense vegetation. For these sorts of landscape designs, the coarse grain and rugged texture of Unilock Sandstone is ideal. While many rustic themes focus on the warm colors of wood and brick, a muted color can help to draw out the vibrance of surrounding elements, such as the deep greens of plantings, the cool blues of a water feature, or the warm hues of rustic wooden furniture. Consider, for example, Unilock Sandstone in the Stone Cliff Grey variation for carving a walkway through a wooded softscape or surrounding an organically shaped pool, complete with a waterfall feature. Unilock Sandstone is also available in Natural Edge Step units for helping to make a naturally undulating landscape easier to traverse.
Traditional and Formal Themes
Traditional landscape design focuses on elements that are tried and true, placing an emphasis on authenticity and simplicity, rather than elaborate features and embellishments. And what could be more tried and true than the timeless aesthetic of natural stone? Whether your traditional home is a sprawling manor or a quaint suburban dwelling, nothing complements traditional architecture like a neat natural stone patio or walkways. The fine texture and gentle coloring of limestone is ideal for complementing the simplicity of formal and traditional themes, particularly when encapsulated by low walls that clearly demarcate the hardscape. Unilock Limestone is available in the gentle grays of Hearthstone and Winter Mist, as well the deep charcoal of Black River — perfect for these sorts of designs. In addition, the pillars and vertical elements that are prominent in traditional and formal designs can be topped with Unilock Limestone Pillar Caps, and Fullnose or Natural Edge Coping to continue the motif and create a uniform appearance.
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Modern and Contemporary Themes
Modern and contemporary landscape design relies on the aesthetic qualities of the building materials incorporated into the space to provide visual interest. Modern design often features sleek surfaces, crisp lines, and a strong horizontal emphasis. The rectangular 12 x 24 inch slabs in which Unilock Limestone is available is ideal for creating this sort of linear aesthetic. Precisely cut edges and a subtle texture are other features of Unilock Limestone that make it perfect for achieving a sleek modern effect. With its deep smoky coloring and subtle beauty, the Black River color variation is particularly well suited to a modern design aesthetic. However, it is not always the case that refined surfaces are required for a modern design. Occasionally, visual interest is created by juxtaposing typically sleek surfaces with rich texture. Consider, for example, complementing the smooth surface and contemporary appearance of Lineo Dimensional Stone with the rich textures of Unilock Sandstone using the Stone Cliff Grey color variation.
English Garden
Natural stone and brick pavers are a popular feature of English garden-style landscapes. These hardscape materials are typically complemented by finely textured plantings and a myriad of small, colorful flowers. The English garden style can range from an English countryside feel where hardscape materials with bold textures are contrasted with fine shrubbery and walkways meander through the picturesque setting, to a more formal and cultivated appearance featuring neatly contained rose beds and long, straight walkways. Whatever your interpretation, consider incorporating the warm and inviting combination of Unilock Sandstone in the Stone Cliff Grey color variation with the realistic brick appearance of Copthorne or Town Hall pavers. Because these pavers are modeled on historic brick street pavers, their character is undeniable and ideal for complementing the natural textures of Sandstone in an English garden setting. Consider using Copthorne as a border for a Stone Cliff Grey walkway, or as an accent for a patio tucked away in the yard and reserved for afternoon tea parties.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean style is sunny and sophisticated, and is centered around a luxurious outdoor lifestyle. The theme predominantly incorporates a color scheme of sandy colors combined with rich greens of abundant vegetation, cultivated fruit trees, and vines that weave around trellises and over pergolas for shade. For pool owners, the Mediterranean theme can help to place the pool at the center of the landscape design. Highlight the sparkling blue water with the beachy colors of Autumn Harvest Sandstone from Unilock. This color variation is ideal for contributing the golden-sand aesthetic of a seaside Italian villa. Complement this aesthetic theme with features such as a pizza oven or outdoor fireplace at the poolside. White fabric and wrought-iron furniture are also common features of this design style, coming together with the character of sandstone to form a perfect harmony of Mediterranean flavors.
Japanese Zen
Zen-style landscape design draws its cues from traditional Japanese design along with infusions of modern minimalism and functional beauty. Complete the look of a Zen rock garden with the warm and peaceful Indian Coast color variation of Unilock Sandstone, or use Winter Mist Limestone to go with the kind of water feature that is used extensively throughout Japanese Zen-themed landscape designs.
The title image features a patio incorporating Unilock Indian Coast Sandstone.
