Exterior Worlds specializes in driveway construction and design for the purpose of upgrading home curb appeal and creating a link between home architecture and the surrounding landscape design. Because hardscape constitutes up to 80 percent of any given landscape, we put great time and effort into designing a driveway that will serve to introduce the various hardscape designs that will subsequently occur throughout the property.
We also make certain that whatever shape or size driveway we ultimately build for our clients introduces the home as a grand and central feature of theHouston landscape. Without ignoring the practical needs of a low-maintenance and durable surface, we assure the creation of a truly aesthetic landscape element as well.
Driveway construction is planned and undertaken in phases to ensure a proper use of time and materials. This protects the client from overspending and eliminates the possibility of investing in a material build that turns out to be inappropriate for the property after the fact.
The first phase of this process is a meeting with the homeowner(s). During this consultation, we learn as much about client preferences, lifestyle, desires, and plans for future home entertainment. This helps us intuit a basic conceptual approach to driveway and landscape design in terms of style, look, and overall feel.
We then initiate a careful study of home architecture. Because the driveway is so close to the house, its first and foremost aesthetic function is to support home architecture. In order to better compliment the house, we carefully study it from every angle and isolate the key motifs in its design that we can use to build corollary geometry in the hardscape below.
The materials used for driveway construction will be chosen partly on the basis of home design and partly on the aesthetic wishes of the homeowner for overall landscape design. Some materials, such as brick, work very well with traditional landscapes. On the other hand, more contemporary, eclectic landscapes, may call for brick driveways, gravel driveways, or decorative concrete driveways. It all depends on what works best with the landscape, and on what best unites the structure of the home itself with surrounding natural and manmade elements.
Other factors are then examined before driveway construction gets underway. To begin with, it is very important to take a close look at the overall size of the front yard because the driveway must be designed to introduce both the façade of the home and the yard that surrounds it.
We must also factor in the practicality of sufficiently accommodating the number of vehicles that will be using the driveway. Once these factors are all weighed and balanced in relationship with one another, we can determine the exact size and geometric shape that the driveway needs to be.
The materials we use for driveway construction can come from any number of sources. They range in cost from relatively inexpensive materials (like certain types of gravel) to very high-end items like quarried stone. Client budget is always taken into account before finalizing any purchase order on materials, and client preference is always respected as well.
Certain materials may require us to subcontract concrete experts or masonry professionals to expedite construction of the driveway. It is to the homeowner’s advantage to allow Exterior Worlds to act as the general contractor for driveway construction because this gives residents a single point of contact and payment that handles everything from design to final inspection of the hardscape.
It also ensures that the work of any subcontracted specialists will more harmoniously blend with home and landscape elements that have been developed by our landscaping designers in the landscape master plan.
For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.
Homes on small streets sometimes require gravel parking areas in the front. When guests come over, these graveled areas provide much needed overflow parking which is much safer than any attempt to park on a narrow one lane street. They also provide much needed room for additional vehicles that get...
A dull driveway subconsciously works against your curb appeal. This is unavoidably because the driveway is the first thing people see when they enter your property. Other landscape features will appear less significant as well because the emotional tone of the entrance is set toward the negative. ...
The term “circular driveway” can be misleading to some. It is not a semi-circle or U-shaped design. Nor is it necessarily what we would call a perfect circle. Technically, it can be anything from a loop, an oval shape, or an ellipse, provided it has no sharp angles, no breaks, and ultimately turns ...
A paver driveway is one of the most durable and attractive additions you can have added to your landscape master plan. Due to the sheer number of paver types, their use is not limited to one particular type of landscape design.
A flagstone paver driveway is made from special masonry blocks that look identical to real flagstone.
These pavers are used in many different types of hardscape design. Popular uses include patio design, walkway design, and driveway design. Due to its widespread popularity, it is one of the thing...
A traditional flagstone driveway is made using cut, irregular stones that convey a distinctively Old World European sensibility. In particular, it provides a superb compliment to French, Italian, Mediterranean, and other styles of Western architecture.
A motor court is not the same as a driveway. It designates a special area for vehicle parking. Equally important, it is often a much more sophisticated hardscape that contributes function and form to a residential landscape design by providing a stylish transition space for guests approaching the ...
The initial layer is composed of large stones, sometimes as large as a person’s fist, that create a near-solid foundation. While very stable, these stones form a surface that is too irregular to be safe for tires to drive on, or for feet to walk on. Two additional layers are needed to make the dri...
While such a driveway may be built by a company who specializes in building driveways, it is always best to let a professional landscaper handle the basic design work and subcontract the appropriate specialists.
Landscapers will see to it that the hardscape transitions smoothly into the surroundi...
A brick driveway can add character and curb appeal to any brick home.
Brick is much more aesthetic than asphalt and very easy to work with when creating customized designs. Because the majority of homes are built of brick, a driveway made from the same material with instantly make the property s...
By definition, driveway landscape design is the deliberate construction of a functional hardscape with a high aesthetic impact on the surrounding landscape. Walls and fences create vertical impact and style, while flower beds, shrubs, and trees soften an otherwise plain surface into a vibrant area ...
A driveway is many things: a welcome mat as you drive into the garage, a utility feature that allows easy access and parking on your property, and an element of curb appeal. For all these reasons, Exterior World believes your driveway design should be an important part of your residential landscape ...
If you are looking for a cost-effective and durable driveway option for your Houston home, call Exterior Worlds and get an estimate on a concrete driveway. Concrete is one of the toughest substances we can use to build a driveway. Only natural stone can endure equivalent amounts of wear and tear—a...
There are many types of Houston driveways. In terms of residential landscapes, a driveway, by definition, is a special hardscape that connects the street to the interior of the property. A driveway can either function as a motor court parking area itself, or it can lead to a designated parking are...
Exterior Worlds specializes in driveway construction and design for the purpose of upgrading home curb appeal and creating a link between home architecture and the surrounding 
