In this project, the choice was made to use a lot of natural stone for the steps, walls, and patio.

Initially, a concrete wall was planned behind the steps, but there wasn’t enough space for the formwork. A different solution had to be found, and after some consideration, corten steel was chosen. It takes up very little space, is durable, and looks aesthetically pleasing and modern. Corten steel pairs beautifully with natural stone and the green plants that will eventually be added. Over time, the corten will develop more rust compared to now when it’s still new.

In the corner, a concrete wall was initially planned to border the slate, but again, corten steel was used instead to create a much slimmer and aesthetically pleasing edge. Instead of a 20 cm edge, they achieved a 4 mm edge. The corten edge is used to elevate the steep terrain, creating a frame for a new slate patio. Additionally, the steel is used to frame flower beds. The slate patio will be cut into a clean curve, with lawn added around it.

When Elise and her colleagues lay flagstone, they try to avoid sharp angles and continuous joints. They also try to avoid intersections between stones being too close together, ensuring that a maximum of three joints meet at any one point. For jointing, they use a variety of products, most commonly hard mortar, sand, or sedum. The latter is a plant from the stonecrop family, which softens the appearance by adding colorful plants between the slate slabs.

Check out this video for the four unwritten rules to achieve the best results when fitting flagstone, and for five different joint types for flagstone laid in gravel.