Adding an outdoor living space can provide homeowners with a change of scenery
You’ve been in tight orbit around your house during the quarantine. Escape the confined atmosphere with a booster to your living space right outside your door—it’s a great place to enjoy the sun or gaze at the stars. Enjoy it now and use it as a launch pad for parties in the brighter future.
Tim Stephens of Archadeck says homeowners have spent three months looking out their back door and now want an extension of their living space as part of the staycation plans the coronavirus has created.
“We’re building open porches that offer cover for rainy days as well as shade for sun,” he reports. “Often there are multiple levels—a deck with a few stairs leading down to a patio is popular.”
There are simple 12×12 rectangular styles or decks as large as 3,000 square feet.
“Everything we do is custom to how the homeowners want to use it. There is a lot of engineering in the solutions to working with the lot,” says Stephens. “Design is an important part of the project. If you have multiple levels, you want to make sure there’s a good flow so you feel like you’re at the same party.”
Outdoor kitchens are typically located right outside the door for convenience. Built in informal seating, eating areas and bars can all be zoned into the design.
“Maintenance is a consideration,” he explains. “We do as much composite material as wood. Composite has come a long way in color selection and texture. It is easier to live with.”
Wood is still very popular but needs to be sealed and stained.
