Pavers with Personality: Custom Stepping Stones and Mosaics

Embellished Brick Pavers

Designer-artist Kit Davey creates miniature pavers by decorating common bricks with found objects—pebbles, bottle caps, tiles, dominoes, sea glass. She wraps each brick's edge with gaffer's tape to form a shallow mold, pours a 1/4-inch mortar bed, embeds objects, then adds another mortar or grout layer for a level surface. Alternatively, glue objects with structural adhesive and grout around them.

Cast Concrete Pavers from Molds

Detailed bas-relief pavers featuring irises, tulips, and calla lilies are cast from concrete in manufactured molds (Florastone Collection, $19.95; 800/935-6722). Each mold yields a 15x15x1.5-inch paver; a 60-lb bag of concrete makes two. Add powdered or liquid pigment for color.

Tips from Testing

• Coat mold interior with silicone spray for easy release.
• Use a slightly soupy concrete mix for maximum detail.
• Brush a 1/2-inch layer of cement onto the mold before filling the rest.