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Kristen Marquette

Kristen Marquette has been a professional writer since 2009 when FireLight Books published her debut novel, "The Vampiric Housewife." Since 2000 she has helped students hone their written and verbal skills in English as a tutor. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University.

Give your home curb appeal by adding or revamping your walkways. Walkways add interest, color, design and convenience to your front yard. Don't forget to decorate your front step as well. This makes your home seems warm and welcoming. When designing a walkway and front step, make sure the two complement each other.

When installing a walkway from the sidewalk to your front step or from the driveway to the door, choose between two basic designs -- a straight walkway or a curved walkway. Straight walkways give your front lawn and your guest direction to the front door of your house and can add a formal, traditional feel to your house. Curved walkways meander a bit before taking your visitors to the door as they swerve around bushes and flowerbeds. The curves of these paths please the eye, add interest to your yard and provide a casual, informal appearance.

The material you choose for your walkway adds color and pattern to your yard. Choices abound in durable materials that hold up to the elements. Natural stone can complement your house in both color and style. Bluestone is an interesting mix of blues, tans and sometimes purples. Travertine generally consists of beiges, caramels and grays. Alternatively, design your own pattern with brick, or fill in your walkway with concrete. To add color to a concrete walkway, stain it. Pavers can resemble stone or brick. To create a congruent look between the house and walkway, continue your walkway material up the front steps.

Once you have your walkway in place, make it really stand out by adding decoration. Outline the walkway with wood, stone or concrete trim. Plant colorful flowers along side it. Give your front yard a little romance -- and security -- by adding lights along the path. Use rope lights, stake lights or solar lights that charge during the day and glow at night. Add a bamboo or metal trellis over the walkway for a quaint, cottage feel, or place benches next to the path so you or your visitors can sit outside and admire the lawn and neighborhood.

Your front step connects to the walkway so you want it to make an impact on guests and passersby. Plant colorful and fragrant flowers in terra cotta and decorative pots, and place them on your front steps. Show a little whimsy and let a gnome or statute of a woodland creature welcome your guests. For a formal touch, flank your steps with regal lion or sphinx statues or large decorative urns.

Front Step & Walkway Ideas. Give your home curb appeal by adding or revamping your walkways. Walkways add interest, color, design and...

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