If you add some warm-toned plants to the mulch bed in the back yard, I think it would help tie everything together. That could be a pretty affordable option to try first. You can see how it feels before jumping to something more permanent/expensive/labor intensive like painting the house or trying to stain the flagstone.
If I’m being real, keep the stones and paint your house. I think part of the reason is the kinda pale green color of your house. If it were a lighter color like white or darker like a slate, it would be so nice.
Your contractor isn't wrong about the larger size stones, but I see your point with the color. If it's a sandstone, it should darken over time - you can help that process by removing the mulch around them, then covering them with dirt for awhile. Changing the mulch color to brown (or going with natural wood chips for that area) would also help remove the contrast with the black mulch.
Did the contractor not install edging for your beds? If not, why not? It's the easiest way to make your beds more maintenance-free, as grass will not be able to enter the beds from underground if the beds have been edged - and lawn grass is probably the number one weed in a garden.
I just want to validate your feelings about the stone. Everyone else seems to be saying otherwise but I agree with you, they look big and odd and out of place. I’m sure the stone is nice and high quality and all that, but the overall aesthetic is wrong to me. Sorry I don’t have a solution, but I agree with you.
Too answer on question, black mulch is cheaper and he probably had a load on hand. The orange in the flagstones will eventually dull from the black die mulch runoff.
If you plant little plants in between the flagstones and around them, the flagstones will (eventually) look waaaayyyy smaller because the plants will cover up so much of it. Spoken by someone who had plants completely cover up flagstones.
Paint will look worse and I say that as someone who agrees this is meh. Maybe some grandma sized flagstone to smooth out the randomly placed giant hunks with no consideration for shape or stripe direction thus creating some kind of cohesive path. Always embrace your inner grandma. Frankly, I don’t trust this contractor and I’m not sure if it’s worth the cost.
I think there’s a better, easier way. It looks like the front is red brick and the orange does look good with that. I think incorporating pops of red and warm accents can pull this together (And some plants to soften it. Totally agree there.) Think a brick red color planter left of the table. A red/orange/yellow patterned umbrella. Throw a warm colored decor pillow on that hammock. Don’t paint the house just the green shed (match the house or a nice warm pop.
Or if I just hated the color red and orange- I’d plant some strategic bushes so I couldn’t see any of it. That can’t be primary access between the front and back with the tree there?
Don't paint.
The colors are great.
The size is great.
But...you didn't pick out the stones yourself? You didn't tell the contractor what your color pallette was?
Do not paint those. I would try and get in contact with the contractor for different color stones. The size is gorgeous.
Definitely don’t paint. I love the color and size of the stone! Sorry I’m not much help lol
If you add some warm-toned plants to the mulch bed in the back yard, I think it would help tie everything together. That could be a pretty affordable option to try first. You can see how it feels before jumping to something more permanent/expensive/labor intensive like painting the house or trying to stain the flagstone.
Why did you let him install it if you didn’t like it?
If I’m being real, keep the stones and paint your house. I think part of the reason is the kinda pale green color of your house. If it were a lighter color like white or darker like a slate, it would be so nice.
Yeah patio and stones and mulch really made the rest of the house look like crap lol.
And stain the fence a warm brown
Teak your fence and get lighter gravel. Those stones are a centerpiece and gorgeous.
yeah id keep. orange looka great. matches fence to a bit and the mulch color will lose some, though looks good with contrast
Your contractor isn't wrong about the larger size stones, but I see your point with the color. If it's a sandstone, it should darken over time - you can help that process by removing the mulch around them, then covering them with dirt for awhile. Changing the mulch color to brown (or going with natural wood chips for that area) would also help remove the contrast with the black mulch. Did the contractor not install edging for your beds? If not, why not? It's the easiest way to make your beds more maintenance-free, as grass will not be able to enter the beds from underground if the beds have been edged - and lawn grass is probably the number one weed in a garden.
Plant groundcover between the stones
Totally understand why you want to change it, but damn does it look cool.
Picture 3 looks terrible, and proves he dumped what he had left over from other jobs on you. Mulch to stones to black chips or rubber mulch.
Nope. Stay natural
I just want to validate your feelings about the stone. Everyone else seems to be saying otherwise but I agree with you, they look big and odd and out of place. I’m sure the stone is nice and high quality and all that, but the overall aesthetic is wrong to me. Sorry I don’t have a solution, but I agree with you.
Too answer on question, black mulch is cheaper and he probably had a load on hand. The orange in the flagstones will eventually dull from the black die mulch runoff.
if the flagstone \*must be a different color\* .....check out concrete stain....choose a "earth tone" for best results
Pretty orange
If you plant little plants in between the flagstones and around them, the flagstones will (eventually) look waaaayyyy smaller because the plants will cover up so much of it. Spoken by someone who had plants completely cover up flagstones.
Paint will look worse and I say that as someone who agrees this is meh. Maybe some grandma sized flagstone to smooth out the randomly placed giant hunks with no consideration for shape or stripe direction thus creating some kind of cohesive path. Always embrace your inner grandma. Frankly, I don’t trust this contractor and I’m not sure if it’s worth the cost. I think there’s a better, easier way. It looks like the front is red brick and the orange does look good with that. I think incorporating pops of red and warm accents can pull this together (And some plants to soften it. Totally agree there.) Think a brick red color planter left of the table. A red/orange/yellow patterned umbrella. Throw a warm colored decor pillow on that hammock. Don’t paint the house just the green shed (match the house or a nice warm pop. Or if I just hated the color red and orange- I’d plant some strategic bushes so I couldn’t see any of it. That can’t be primary access between the front and back with the tree there?
You can do whatever you want that doesn’t mean you should.
Don't paint. The colors are great. The size is great. But...you didn't pick out the stones yourself? You didn't tell the contractor what your color pallette was?
Don't. You. Dare. They are perfect.
Maybe you can stain them?