Modern vs. Traditional Hardscape Styles: What Best Fits Your Arlington, VA Home?

One of the best ways to upgrade your backyard is with hardscaping.

Incorporating a patio or walkway makes your property more functional and also more appealing. But it will be important to consider the hardscaping style that will best fit your needs.

Jump to Section

• What Is the Difference Between Modern and Traditional Hardscape Design?
• How Do I Choose the Right Hardscape Style for My Home?
• What Hardscape Style Works Best for Older Homes in Arlington, VA?
• What Materials Are Used in Modern vs Traditional Hardscapes in Northern VA?
• What Hardscape Features Work Best for a Timeless Backyard Design?
• What Should I Consider Before Building a Custom Patio or Outdoor Space?
• Choosing Landscape Design & Hardscaping in Northern VA & Arlington, VA

When adding hardscaping to your outdoor living design, one decision you’ll have to make is whether to choose a modern or traditional patio design. This is dictated not only by the style of your home but also by your personal preferences and plans for your future space.

To help you get started with some backyard hardscape ideas, we spoke to Amanda McNiff, our Landscape Designer. We’ve asked Amanda to share her thoughts on patio design styles and answer some of the most commonly asked questions about making these decisions.

What Is the Difference Between Modern and Traditional Hardscape Design?

With any patio design style, there’s always some level of subjectivity when it comes to determining what might fit a particular category. But generally speaking, there are definitely some characteristics that separate modern hardscape styles from traditional ones, says Amanda.

Here are a few differences between modern vs. traditional hardscapes.

Traditional Hardscape Styles

When you think of a traditional style, you tend to think of curved lines and natural materials. This style is typically more ornate (compared to modern styles being simpler).

“Traditional landscapes typically include things like English gardens, Mediterranean landscapes, and multiple layers of plantings,” says Amanda. “To complement that, traditional hardscape styles tend to feature natural stone and brick designs.”

Modern Hardscape Styles

Conversely, modern landscapes might be more minimalistic with fewer plantings, says Amanda.

“You might see more of an Asian style garden or a lot more open space,” she says. “When thinking about modern hardscapes, we’re usually thinking about large format pavers and sleeker and smoother surfaces.”

With modern, it’s also more about clean lines, geometric shapes, and an overall linear look.

How Do I Choose the Right Hardscape Style for My Home?

Choosing the right hardscape style for your home combines your personal hardscape design preferences with elements that complement your home.

“It boils down to what’s most important to you,” says Amanda. “It’s not just matching the home’s style but also your vision for the space and how you plan to use it.

Amanda says that a lot of the time, people assume they have to match everything exactly, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, she tends to do just the opposite when creating an outdoor living design.

“If you have a brick house, that does not mean you have to do a brick patio,” she says. “In most cases, I would contrast that for a more appealing look. On a brick home, I might do a flagstone patio. That’s still giving you the stone element. A lot of people these days do paint their bricks. That opens it up to any style.”

What Hardscape Style Works Best for Older Homes in Arlington, VA?

With many of the older homes in Arlington, VA, being brick, it’s generally a matter of contrasting that brick in a complementary way, says Amanda. Making it too matchy-matchy is not usually the optimal approach.

But it all comes back to what you’re looking to achieve. These days, many homeowners are trying to marry modern and traditional. Amanda says that painted brick is a perfect example of this.

“The painted brick gives a modern farmhouse vibe, which is taking a more traditional look and making it modern,” she explains. “But there are many ways to combine two styles. For instance, if your brick has beige tones in it, and you want a more modern feel, you could use larger format beige-colored pavers. That’s going to make things look modern and bright by not just keeping to the muted reds and browns.”

What Materials Are Used in Modern vs Traditional Hardscapes in Northern VA?

The materials used obviously play a key role in patio design styles. Amanda says it’s not only the material type but the size, color, shape, and finish. There are endless choices when it comes to your hardscape design.

In modern hardscape styles, you’ll usually see concrete, larger-format styles, and smooth finishes, says Amanda.

Traditional hardscape styles would be smaller pavers, brick, and natural stone, she adds.

But certain materials can easily crossover. Flagstone is a material that will be timeless, Amanda says, so it will work with either style.

“You can have a very modern patio with flagstone, but you might avoid brown stones and instead use more gray or a darker color, probably in a larger format paver,” she explains.

All of this also applies to wooden structures like decks, pergolas, and pavilions.

“For wooden structures, like pergolas, people are modernizing them with black iron or shiny steel, for a lighter feel instead of just one giant wooden structure,” says Amanda. “Another way to modernize wood is to paint it charcoal gray or black.”

What Hardscape Features Work Best for a Timeless Backyard Design?

According to Amanda, flagstone is a great material choice if you’re looking for something classic for your Arlington, VA home.

“Using flagstone or a mix of medium to large pavers are two ways to create a timeless look that you can’t go wrong with,” she says. “Just choose a simple pattern. Often, it’s features and patterns that can date things.”

If you’re worried about keeping things timeless, Amanda also advises being cautious about anything super trendy right now. Just like a backsplash in a kitchen, if you choose something simply because it’s the “in” look right now, it might have a dated appearance down the road.

That said, Amanda stresses the importance of choosing something you love.

“Just make sure that you don’t get so caught up on the future ROI that you aren’t thinking about what you’ll enjoy yourself. It is important to think about how you’ll use the space and how long you’ll be in it.”

What Should I Consider Before Building a Custom Patio or Outdoor Space?

Building a custom outdoor living area is no small undertaking. There are many factors to consider before you get a project like this underway, which is why it’s so beneficial to work with a pro.

In addition to the choices about what style you want, there are other considerations, including which features and add-ons might make your patio even more enjoyable.

High-end patio additions might include an outdoor kitchen, a retaining wall, a structure (pavilion or pergola), synthetic turf, fire features, and more.

Getting the most out of a landscape design really does boil down to working with an experienced and highly qualified professional. While some homeowners have turned to AI for their outdoor living design, there are many ways this can go awry.

AI can be a useful tool, but it shouldn’t be seen as a standalone option or a “workaround” for using a pro.

“AI can be helpful for some brainstorming or for some general ideas, but it will not replace meeting with a professional landscape designer,” Amanda says.

Choosing Landscape Design & Hardscaping in Northern VA

Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas to help you brainstorm the best backyard hardscape for your outdoor living space.

By working with a landscape professional in Northern Virginia, you’ll be able to take the burden off your shoulders and let them help. Any great patio begins with expert design and then transitions into meticulous installation.

A landscape professional can blend your ideas with their expertise and experience to deliver a custom result.

At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we have the experience and know-how to work on projects that use both traditional and modern hardscaping styles. We are ready to help you get exactly what you want and need for your hardscape design.

Are you ready for an outdoor living area that lets you make the most of your time at home in Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA? If so, request your consultation, get your customized plan, and relax as you get the royal treatment.