How would you design a driveway on a corner house?

by Sheila
(PA)

How would you design a driveway with a house on a corner? The front of the house faces a busy road. The side of the house has a garage facing a less busy road. However, as a homeowner, I would like to see who is pulling up to the house. You physically can't see the cars pulling up to the house unless you open the big garage doors. There are doors at the backyard we could use as an entrance, however the homeowner would like guests to arrive at the front of the house. The homeowner wants guests arriving to the house to be clear as to what entrance to use.

Hi Sheila,

You definitely want to bring guests to the front door, not the garage or back door. These entrances need to be used primarily for personal use. I have designed driveways on corner lots that have connected the front and side driveways or made them separate. It depends on the size of the parcel of land and what you like. If you make the garage driveway separate from the front, you can do a number of designs in the front. For example, some designs that I have done are: bringing the garage drive directly in from the street to the garage and making a U-shaped driveway in the front; starting the driveway in the front at the right corner, bring it close to the house and then have it curve around to the garage (an S-shape); if there's ample room, doing a circle or U-shaped driveway in the front that has a drive off it to the garage. The architecture of the house, the size of the parcel, and what you like that functions for your needs is what you should think about doing in the front.
Thanks for sending your question.