Contemporary Paving Ideas for 2014

CONTEMPORARY PAVING

As our busy lifestyles dictate our tastes in home decor, trends move towards cleaner, less fussy materials in our homes with smooth, uncluttered surfaces and simple, elegant lines. Our gardens become a continuation of our homes and as such, need to follow the same simplicity of design. Materials include exquisite detail, yet subtle, understated colour variations to provide a calming influence to help us unwind and relax in addition to strong, dark, sultry shades to make a bold statement using contrasting planting shades. Examples of paving styles suited to a contemporary theme including smooth and sawn sandstone, granite, yorkstone, quartzite and new modern polished concrete products with terrazzo styling. Clean and crisp lines and either subtle colour variations suited to simple, elegant design  or strong statement colours are key attributes in this range of paving styles. Larger paving flags are often used to create an uncluttered appearance and sawn, straight edges amplify the simplicity and understated design influences.


Smooth, Sawn Sandstone Paving

 

Smooth, sawn sandstone paving is used extensively in the design of clean, crisp contemporary styled gardens as its neutral colour pallet with soft, subtle hue variations blends seamlessly with other natural materials such as the rich mahogany tones of hardwood decking and the smooth tactile texture of tumbled, sea-worn pebbles. The matt, often slightly textured surface of the sandstone does not attempt to compete with other bolder features within the design; preferring to simply form an elegant back-drop to the garden.

To look at our entire range of contemporary style paving click here, or click on your favourite picture from the small selection of our range below to find out more.

 

     
Natural Paving Sawn, Honed Sandstone - Ivory
Available in 750x500 & 500x500
Global Stone Sawn Sandstone Linear Planks
Shown in Buff Brown Colour
Stonemarket Avant Garde - Caramel
Extra large 1m x 1m paving flags
     
Global Stone Artisan Mirage - Mint
Smooth, honed finish & various sizes
Natural Paving Sawn Sandstone - Walnut
Smooth, attractive finish
Paving Superstore Pro Range Sawn Sandstone
Sandblasted, slip resistant texture
     
Marshalls Kingsize Sawn Sandstone
Extra large flag sizes
Several size options & extra large 1m x 1m
Stonemarket Avant Garde - Silver
Lightly textured for slip resistance

Smooth, sawn sandstone paving is generally available in neutral shades of cream and soft beige, peach and warm brown and silver to mid greys. The surface is smooth and level and often includes a sand-blasted finish to increase non-slip properties.


Smooth, Sawn Limestone Paving

 

Limestone is has an interesting mottled texture and is available in light grey to buff shades and dark grey to black shades. Although it has a flat surface, the finish is usually gently textured to aid slip resistance. Limestone offers less colour variation than sandstone and is a popular choice when looking for a gentle colour palette. 

The following images show examples of the sawn limestone products available.
Click here to see all sawn limestone paving products or on the small selection shown below to find out more.

 

     

Stonemarket Indigenous Stone - Ingleston

British limestone

Natural Paving 'Fired Earth' - Moonlight
Lightly textured sawn limestone

Strata Sawn Limestone - Venetian Azure

Lightly textured surface


Granite Paving

 

Granite paving is known for its strength and hard-wearing properties and has been used for many years as a core product in commercial applications requiring a paving product offering longevity and durability. For this reason, granite paving has often been overlooked as an attractive product in the domestic market and yet it has far more to offer than just its robust, hard-wearing qualities. Granite is an igneous stone formed as a result of volcanic activity and its structure is therefore very consistent with a speckled colouring. The speckles are usually formed from a variety of minerals, but also include a range of crystallised minerals giving the stone a sparkle.

To look at our entire range of granite paving click here, or click on your favourite picture to find out more.

 

     
Stonemarket Arctic Granite - Glacier
Lightly flecked silver & grey
Marshalls Eclipse Granite - Graphite
Choice of three shades
Paving Superstore Pro Range - China Black
Basalt (similar to granite with fewer crystals)
     
Brett Granite - Graphite Grey
Linear Planks
Strata Granite - Volterra
Mixed size packs
Global Stone Granite - Graphite
Single size options

The uniformity of colour within granite paving appeals to many seeking a stone suitable for a contemporary scheme. Granite paving is generally available in silver to dark greys and almost black (often known as basalt). Other colours include pink and beige. The surface is level, but textured to make it an ideal option around swimming pools or other areas where a non-slip surface is essential.


Terrazzo Paving

 

Terrazzo paving is a form of polished concrete stone and in many cases, includes real stone chippings of marble of granite in the surface layer. Traditionally, terrazzo style paving was created by Venetian stoneworkers who would use leftover marble stone chippings from large palaces and homes and embed them in the clay around their own homes. They would polish the stone until it became smooth. These days, terrazzo paving styles are manufactured in a range of black, grey, white, cream, beige and chocolate brown shades to offer a very cool and sophisticated look to your garden. They are generally available in both smooth and textured finishes.

To see all terrazzo, polished concrete style paving click here or click on the pictures below to find out more.

 

     
Stonemarket Opera Black
Available in smooth or brushed (textured) finish
Stonemarket Opera Buff
Available in smooth or brushed (textured) finish
Marshalls Argent Paving
Flat, textured finish
     
Stonemarket Haus - Dune
Four colour options & smooth or riven
Global Stone Terrazzo 
Smooth surface
Brett Moderno
Three colour options