More pictures including one of the front of the driveway which leads out to the road

Location?

Georgia

(Outside of Atlanta, GA )

Do you need that whole area paved? Any chance of some greenery somewhere?

No we could definitely do some greenery by the 3 large windows - but do need the area in front of the garage door and a turnaround area paved or stone bc we have to back up the cars and do a 3 point turn to drive forward down the driveway

I would do pavers. You can't go wrong with pavers that complement the house style and colors. The advantage of pavers over stamped concrete is that if you have any settling, the stamped concrete will crack and be difficult to patch. The pavers can be easily lifted, leveled out and re-installed.

I agree with pavers, for aesthetic and ecological reasons as they help manage runoff. And with that large space, there must be a lot. Also add landscaping.

We did chevron pavers and love the look!

Thank you! May I ask what the pavers ran you per sq ft? Trying to get a sense of cost - thank you

It's a bit hard to see - is the existing drive and turnaround area already concrete?

This was in Central VA and part of a new build. Pavers are Belgard Aquiline set in a double herringbone (I think) pattern. About $20/SF, if my napkin-math is correct.

Yes existing driveway is concrete and the pad you see for the turnaround is also concrete (but about 1.5 inches lower than the rest of the driveway bc there were once brick pavers there on top of the sub layer of concrete

You desperately need some green to break up all that gray concrete. I'd jackhammer up half of it. If you're thinking of a smallere area, look at native, evergreen groundcovers. Bearberry is great. Ferns are an option, too.

I too had a hard time telling what is there now, with no big step to garage or street apron (after they've been removed). If they were 1.5" thin brick on top of concrete, and probably a clay-fired product, that is why they didn't last through other wheeled vehicles and why you feel pavers are not as durable as concrete.

Pavers are made from concrete, but are 2 3/8"+ thick. Since you only have 1.5" to fill, have a cedar shake look siding (lots of joins and shadows), have a brick retaining wall/cap (lots of joins and shadows), have very contrasting colors of siding and trim with large offsets in the building massing (lots of joins and shadows), I would probably choose a muted consistent material that kind of blends into the background of your viewpoint (without lots of joins and shadows or brick logos in it). Decomposed granite fits that criteria.

Don't place flower pots by the garage service door...it's not the front door.

If you provide photos of the front door area and driveway areas you might get specific landscape and hardscape design advice. Maybe provide an overhead sketch or plan of the front of the house area, front yard and driveway?

I’m strongly against stamped concrete. The pigment is just on top and it always fades where driven on and to me looks terrible. If all paver is too much I’d rather have poured regular concrete with brick borders and inlay. Anything to avoid stamped concrete.

You (realistically for a homeowner) can't fill the 1.5" space with a topping of concrete anyway, too thin.

This is a picture of the long driveway connecting to the back turnaround garage area

And here is a picture of the backyard so you get a sense of landscaping and the “English” vibe that we were striving for

Thanks for the sweet photo of the dogs: )

Gorgeous grounds and I think Carriage House Courtyard would be a good concept theme so keep the concrete pad but reduce the footprint and add trim and detail in the same sandstone brick as the rest of the property.

The gray concrete fits in with your neutral gray slate and gray stone. The eye will go to the new brickwork so lead the eye to the front door and the plantings there.

Whatever paver thickness you find locally, I'd cut out the existing concrete to make a decorative apron including the area across the service door and space to the left of the garage door. This can give the depth you need and the slope to the existing concrete. You can also choose the cut and replace with new concrete to avoid a thin transition.

OP should specify if they must fill the 1.5" recess existing on top of concrete, or if they plan on removing the existing concrete. If topping, the choices are limited.

And if "cottage" is the desired look, that would be decomposed granite. OP's #1 and #2 statements are misinformed about stone, pavers, concrete, and gravel.

@3omthetree - I’d welcome your input if I’m mistaken. I would love English pea gravel or decomposed granite but how do I stabilize it with just 1.5 inches of recess on top of the existing concrete? I do not want to bust up the existing concrete there so what options do I have realistically if I want to retain the existing pad and have the 1.5 inches recess to work with that would last a long time? Thank you

If you don't ant to rent he concrete saw and jackhammer to remove the necessary several feet of existing driveway, get some bids. With the tools it's a couple hour job of prep.