Walkways in your back yard or approaching the front of your property are both functional and visual in purpose. They help to guide people along the path you have chosen and kept them away from other areas, as well as create attractive features to boost the curb appeal and overall look of your home. Whether you’re looking to update your existing walkway or create a whole new path on your property, these 30 walkway ideas will be sure to offer some inspiration and guidance.
Walkway Ideas
1. Textured Trail
This walkway has been constructed from concrete slabs and given a rough, almost dappled looking, texture. There are several benefits to creating a textured surface on your walkway, namely that it will be slip-resistant, which is especially important if you have children who might be prone to running and falling over. As well as creating a safer surface to walk along, this type of textured surface looks attractive in a natural and unassuming way. The mottled effect, which features various shades of grey and brown, also means that footprints and other marks won’t easily show up, so the path will stay looking cleaner for longer without constantly needing to be swept or washed.
2. Paved Patterns
If you want a decorative patterned look on your walkway, there is a wide variety of paving slabs available to choose from, which typically come in square shapes so that they are easy to lay. The attraction of paving slabs is that you can use them to create a complex pattern with relative ease. Anyone with a little experience in DIY should be able to lay paving slabs, making them a good choice if you want to overhaul the look of your walkway without spending a lot of money on a landscaper.
3. Modern Monochrome
The stepping stones in this image have several features going on, which make a big statement, but you could choose to use this for inspiration and copy just one or two of the elements. The most impact comes from the monochrome coloring, which makes a stark contrast with the black stones set against the white pebbles. This is an inexpensive but impressive design, which can be achieved by just painting your paving slabs. Another interesting element of this walkway is the way the stepping stones are raised. This will encourage people to step from one stone to the other without standing on the pebbles beneath, keeping them from dispersing.
4. Red Herringbone
This herringbone pattern has been created with red bricks, making an interesting and sophisticated looking feature out of something very simple. In order for this pattern to work, it has to be properly measured out and laid with precision, as any bricks which are out of place would ruin the overall look. The color of the bricks contrasts well against the lawn, so red might be a good option to use if you want your pathway to stand out against plants or grass running along each side.
5. Circular Steps
Round paving stones lined up in neat rows gives a pretty and unusual pattern for a walkway. This is a simple idea which can be achieved very easily on lawn surfaces, by simply digging circles out of the lawn and setting in the stones. The drawback of this is that maintaining the lawn around the stones can become more difficult, and people may walk on the patches of the lawn itself, which fall in between the stones, and this may wear it back to bare patches of soil.
6. Neat and Neutral
This path creates an interesting characteristic which stands out amongst the background of the grass lawn. This sort of patterned walkway works well in gardens, which are otherwise quite simple and plain, so that it can be the central feature, to prevent it from becoming too busy. The bricks used in this walkway are different colors from a neutral palette, which creates a colorful and decorative look while still having a natural and earthy feel. Patterned walkways such as this give a professional-looking finish to a property, and can greatly improve curb appeal and potentially increase the value of your home.
7. Painted Planks
If you want to create a new walkway on a small (or non-existent!) budget, then laying down wooden planks amongst the lawn is a cheap and easy solution. If you have some pallets lying around, or an old bookcase you can disassemble, then you have got yourself a free DIY walkway. Dig holes in the lawn the same shape as the wooden planks, and tuck them in. This walkway has opted for a bright rainbow effect by painting their planks in different striking colors, but you could choose a color theme that matches your garden decor or use any leftover paint you have taking up space in the garage.
8. Stepping Stone Murals
This whimsical walkway is centered around large pebble-like paving stones that have been hand-painted with murals of flowers and foliage. These give a cute and country cottage feel to the yard, along with an abundance of flowers and smaller pebbles surrounding the stepping stones. The curved and winding nature of the walkway also adds to the magical feel, making the whole space reminiscent of a fairy tale or an enchanted garden. This type of walkway would be a great project for artists and anyone with a flair for creativity. By painting murals on your stepping stones, you can create a truly unique walkway customized to your own interests.
9. Tortoiseshell Inspired
This walkway has been made by pouring concrete along the path and then drawing in a pattern just before the concrete sets. This pattern is like that of a tortoiseshell and creates a wild and natural vibe for this space. You could draw any pattern into the concrete by using a sharp tool or the back end of a pencil. Just be sure to finish your creation before the concrete goes off.
10. Tucked-In Tiles
This easy to achieve walkway has been created by digging square holes into the lawn and then filling them by tucking in tiles of the same size. This simple solution for a path through your garden can be completed in the space of just a few hours, and on a fairly tight budget (depending on the tiles you pick). These tiles dotted along the lawn will encourage people to tread on the tiles rather than the grass, helping to keep your lawn in the best condition.
11. Contrasting Concrete
To make a feature out of your walkway, the easiest way to accomplish this is by using bright or bold colors. In this example, a path has been created using dark concrete tiles set against contrasting white gravel. To recreate a similar style, you could use a material that is naturally dark, such as slate or concrete, or you could even paint some paving tiles you already have with dark-colored paint to give them a new lease of life.
12. Irregular Brick Patterned Path
The bricks in this walkway are an unusual shape and have been laid in an intentionally haphazard fashion which creates a series of irregular angles and patterns. You could use regular bricks positioned in a non-repeating pattern to achieve a similar look, or create a geometric style with bricks laid out in an irregular style. The fine gravel filled between the bricks helps to give a dainty and elegant look to the walkway, which is modern in design without being futuristic or minimalist.
13. Brick Mosaics
The patterns you can make with bricks are only limited by your imagination. One interesting way you can unleash your creativity on your pathway is by producing a mosaic design. You can use bricks of varying sizes, or even just standard bricks, to create unique and unusual patterns. This walkway has used red bricks to make flower symbols along the ground. This sort of design provides points of interest on your property. You could create one large brick mosaic at a pivotal point in your walkway, or have mosaic designs dotted along at intervals in the path.