I am a big fan of mixing materials, to too great an extent in the opinion of others here when I've posted photos. We have a paver patio (two types of paver) bordered with a natural rock wall, and we have a flagstone walk bordering other materials. There are some ground rules for mixing materials. Although I can't always articulate them, I think they are the same as for mixing patterns, colours, and textures indoors. I think it has to do with a balance of harmony and contrast. Certainly the colours have to harmonize on some level, while the materials need to contrast perhaps in terms of piece size or pattern or texture. For example, brick and flagstone could work. The brick is a small uniformly repeating pattern, so I would use larger pieces of flagstone in a complementary colour with it. Recently someone posted here with a brick house fronted by a paver pathway in a swirly pattern. To my eye those two did not work together as the patterns, both using small units, competed with each other. If you do stamped concrete together with brick, I would not use a brick-like pattern but rather something uniform or a large motif. Flagstone can follow curves. Here is a picture of a work-in-progress (most of the planting wasn't done, nor was the clean-up, etc) flagstone walk we did that used the shape of the pieces to make curves. Curving can be done by cutting and breaking the pieces to your specifications as well. Around the fountain, the flagstones actually extend under it though this is risky; it might lever the flagstones up and cause breakage, not really recommended. Incidentally, this photo also shows an example of a failed hardscape combination - actually at both ends of the flagstone (although others might argue there are more mismatches than that). The walkway that intersects with the flagstone one is made of granite bricks. The bricks might be OK with the flagstone, but the walk itself is too rigidly rectangular to work with the flowing shape of the flagstone walk. We'll probably replace that with flagstone someday (after the other 40,000 things on the to-do list are done). At the other end, the pebbled concrete slabs don't harmonize too well, but we wanted to use them as they have sentimental value and having placed them already when we put the flagstone in... well, they're heavy, and they ain't goin' nowhere. So, I'd say materials can definitely be mixed, but with some thoughtfulness. KarinL

Thanks everyone. I think the landscaper is familiar with the code but I should check to be safe (area is NY). I think we can get 3-D but he wants to charge us a few hundred more if we do, so not keen to do it. Thanks for the advice on stepping stones. That' good to know. I would like the firepit to be welcoming and accommodate a number of people. I tried to draw over the plan a bit to possibly clear things up. It is new construction so there are no existing plants or trees. Also, this is just the hardscape plan. Once we approve one he will add the plantings to the plan. Here is a photo of the yard from the back right corner (not as far back as the land goes but it give the idea of the elevations). The land still has to be graded so that it will be flat below the deck, then there will be 2, 4ft retaining walls, rather than the 2 widely spaced ones you see in the picture now. The brown board (ledger board) is where the deck will go. The deck is on the first level of the house an the stairs would lead to the elevated area of the yard (so basically it is only 3 steps to reach land). To get to the under-deck patio area from there you would take the steps through the retaining wall (which he forgot to add....I will sketch and attach below). That area is at the level of the basement. I actually wanted to adda slide from the deck to the patio area for fun but we weren't planning a large staircase. The retaining walls die into the land and beyond them, the yard will be sloped. The sliding door in the kitchen and the mudroom door both connect to the deck. Sorry if this is still unclear.

I see some greyish flagstone, blond flagstone and some dark flagstone. Only the dark seems disturbing enough to care about. The grey and the blond seem generally compatible and not enough to worry about. Look around Europe, some other old places and Disneyworld. You'll see all kinds of patched in paving that is the result from centuries of fixing and patching things. (In the case of Disneyworld, it's a purposeful attempt to re-create the centuries old distressed look.) The look can be very charming. Now in the case of the very dark pavers, they seem out of place. You're asking for a cheap solution. I would go to Home Depot or such and by a small box of tile grout, matching as near as possibly the grey scheme, which is the majority color in your photograph. I would mix a thin wash of the grout and carefully paint the dark stone with it, not splattering the solution on the surrounding stones. You could also work with wet stone and sporadic sprinkling of dry grout. This is experimental so don't blame me if it doesn't work. And go lightly at the beginning in order to get a feel for what the result will be prior to going whole hog. I would try a sample in an unimportant area first. The fact is, a wash of grout would definitely stain an masonry product if it spilled on it. I'm just suggesting this staining possibility may be worked to your advantage if you are careful about it. Can't say how long it would last, but while everything is gradually weathering (and changing) you might be able to get a result that satisfies the worry you have now.

Basically, I don't know what I want, other than to fix the drainage issues. I'm just not sure logistically if option 2 is even an acceptable/appropriate option. I basically have been asking people what they would do to fix how it's settled. Budget is on the basic side as we still have to regrade and replant the front and fix the leaking cracks in the basement. I don't really want to excavate the front and reparge the foundation wall because we're in a townhouse, so that gets really complicated. And there's not enough leaking to need an interior French drain. Was hoping that regrading the walkway and the dirt/plants would be the first thing to try as it's not crazy expensive. I could wait on the walkway and just do the regrading and plants, but that seems a little silly.... The whole row of townhouses has had water issues this past year and no one has excavated anything. Companies want $20k to do that. The HOA is working on implementing some kind of drainage solution for the entire row, so I also don't really want to excavate till we see if that solution helps our basement. I hate basements. :-\