Beginner Gardening: Stumped on my stepping stone idea, 2 by Orangina

Orangina wrote:
Hi, first post on DG. I've been landscaping a fixer-upper with a neglected yard - doing as much as I can myself and then I'll hire a landscaper for the heavy duty and skilled stuff. I've already rearranged some ailing shrubs and I plan to have a border put in and fill with mulch. Here is where I'm stuck. What I originally wanted to do was put in stepping stones that start at the front porch, run along the border of the shrubs, then angle 90 degrees around the house and under the fence gate, run along the flowers against the house, and end at the gate in the back. However, the fence gate was installed farther to the right than what I expected, so it's not a 90-degree angle. I think it would look weird to run the stones over to the gate and then hairpin them back toward the house. I do want something under the gate though. I don't have the vision to figure this out. Any ideas?

The other question is what to do under the meters. I'd rather not have grass, which does not grow well there anyway. I was thinking gravel or rocks, but I'm not sure how to design that either. Trying to keep it as natural looking and simple as possible.