Dressy Driveways

The pavement's diagonal herringbone pattern complements the home's traditional design.

Even up close, it's tough to tell that this driveway is paved with asphalt, not with brick.

Using templates as large as 6 x 12 feet, an asphalt contractor applied a pattern to warm, newly-laid pavement. The surface was then sprayed with a colored sealer and brushed with a roller that removes excess material from grout lines and creates a skid-resistant texture.

Although the seal helps the asphalt last longer, a new coating usually needs to be applied every five years or so. The system isn't limited to new pavement: Previously laid asphalt can be rewarmed and treated if it's in good condition.

A semicircular detail near the garage lends the driveway the look of a carriage-house approach.

Two colors were used on the driveway, including a brighter red hue for the border. Colors can be custom-mixed to match most schemes.

The bulk of the driveway is paved with a 6-inch-thick concrete slab.

Conventional slabs of concrete serve as driveways for most of the homes in this neighborhood. But a grid of 4 x 6-inch New England bluestone dresses up this drive and better harmonizes with the adjacent carriage-style garage doors.

As masonry contractors poured the concrete, they left a 2-inch recess in the grid pattern where stone would fit into the slab. After mortaring the stone in place, they cleaned it with an acid wash and sealed it.