This Landworx project is located in Orange County, NY region of the Hudson Valley. The design includes the masterful use of natural stone walls and real bluestone pavers, with colorful accents made from Copthorne—a concrete paver from Unilock's Select line.
For Hudson Valley homeowners looking to achieve great curb appeal, there are few things more effective than a properly designed and installed landscape. The hardscape—encompassing the paved surfaces such as patios, walkways, and driveways—is key to defining the structure or “bones” of the design. Artisan stonework, including patios and retaining walls, can truly transform the look and feel of the home.
In the market of concrete pavers and natural stone, there are so many options to choose from. Like all products, these different choices come with their own advantages and disadvantages. With so many different shapes, textures and colors to choose from, it can often be confusing and frustrating for homeowners in the Orange County, NY area to decide. Unsure about which way to lean? The best first step is to look at the differences between natural stone and concrete pavers and walls.
Natural Stone
Stone is Mother Nature at her best. Harvested from formidable rock quarries, the use of natural stone can offer a sense of timelessness and integrity to the residential landscape that is hard to match. Strong and durable, natural stone products, such as bluestone and flagstone, are great choices for the Hudson Valley hardscape.
With all of this beauty however, comes the challenge of controlling the colors and textures of the material. Natural stone can have a large variety of color within the same batch used on one project. So before choosing, homeowners should accept this irregularity and let the material work it’s magic in the landscape.
Related: 6 Alternatives for The Orange County, NY Lawn
Concrete Pavers
Concrete pavers and wallstone, on the other hand, are manufactured products offering more control over colors, shapes, and finishes. Modern manufacturing has propelled the interlocking paver market drastically over the last 20 years, resulting in a great deal of choices for Hudson Valley landscapes. When compared to natural stone, concrete pavers offer a much wider range of design choices. Extremely well made and long-lasting, concrete pavers and walls by manufacturers such as Unilock in Chester, NY, are often times the best choice for many residential landscape designs.
While natural stone and concrete pavers are certainly the two main categories of hardscape materials to choose from, sometimes the best outdoor projects are the result of landscape craftsmen using the two materials together. The integrity of natural stone, mixed with the forward-thinking designs of Unilock pavers, can work together to create beautifully when in the hands of artisans.