Coloured concrete is a timeless way for your home’s exterior to create visual impact and improve your kerb appeal. As there is a wider selection of concrete rather than just plain grey shades, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by all the tone choices available for a coloured concrete driveway. At A Better Driveway, we value using quality concrete so that your driveway can do more than simply provide practical access to your property. Our experts have compiled some inspiration for choosing appropriate colours and shades for your concrete driveway to suit your home, for a complete list of things to consider when creating your own amazing driveway design!
What is coloured concrete?
Coloured concrete uses pigment to create coloured driveways and pathways that are distinctive compared to the usual grey concrete shades. There are two types of coloured concrete, integral colour and topical colour, each of which has unique pros and cons. Integral colour mixes powdered, granular or liquid formula in with the premium concrete to produce colour. These colours are even and most often feature earthy tones. As it is mixed through, the colour is consistent when laid and will not lessen over time.
Topical colour is a stain or dye that is applied to the surface of the concrete. This method provides a wider range of colours with different finishes. Coloured concrete still requires maintenance but there are easy tips available to sustain your coloured concrete driveway. With many hue options available, coloured concrete is an easy way to personalise your concrete and match your driveway to your home’s aesthetic.
Complement your home’s cladding
A cohesive design seamlessly elevates a home’s style. The cladding of your home’s façade sets up an idea of what guests expect from your interiors and your coloured concrete can really enhance that palette. To match your driveway to your home’s exterior, choose a complementary colour that mimics the tones of your home’s palette for visual balance. Modern homes with monochromatic exteriors could have a white or black concrete driveway to tie the overall look together and match the contemporary feel. Alternatively, opting for a contrasting colour to your home’s cladding can create a striking impact!
If your home features stone, brickwork or masonry and you’re hoping to replicate this look in your driveway design, you might also want to consider the advantages of textured concrete to truly suit your design vision.
Match the intricate details
If the exterior of your home features a bright or bold colour that you think would be too garish for a larger concrete driveway, consider instead matching your driveway to the finer details or finishes of your home. This could be the colour of the window trimmings or the colour of the front door to exude the timeless luxury of a cohesive design. To further match your driveway design to the details of your home, you could draw upon great concrete trends for your front yard by combining concrete types. This could allow the opportunity for coloured concrete to be the border to a simpler concrete driveway in a matching tone to your home’s fencing or roof palette.
Play on the colours of your landscaping
If you have a brilliant garden or you’re proud of your landscaping, consider the shades of your plants in bloom when choosing a coloured concrete driveway. Bright red flowers and pots would match warmer shades, while terracotta-toned driveways would really pop against lush green surrounds. Coloured concrete driveways or footpaths are a great opportunity to emphasise your gardening skills!
Consider your driveway placement and size
The size and placement of your driving should also be considered when selecting a concrete colour. If your driveway does not have any shade and is constantly in full sun it might be best to avoid darker shades. Dark colours absorb more of the sun’s heat than reflective lighter shades, which would make it unpleasant to walk on with bare feet. Colours that are too light and reflective could also create issues with glare if they are situated in front of windows and heating your interiors.
Ready to create your coloured concrete driveway?
As experts in coloured concrete driveways and exposed aggregate solutions, the team at A Better Driveway is here to offer you their knowledge and experience in premium concrete services.
To add value and street appeal with concrete entries, footpaths, driveways and pool decks, contact us today by filling out our online enquiry form or calling on 0412 537 776.