No matter the season, outdoor living in the New River Valley is in vogue. As spring approaches, here are some top trends that can influence the look, feel and function of your outdoor spaces.
Outdoor rooms: Thanks to advances in all-weather materials, furnishings and accessories, you can outfit an outdoor living space in much the same way that you would any interior room. As a result, expect to see decks with integrated benches, upholstered cushions, privacy walls and ornamental post caps and railings with decorative balusters.
Railings that rule: Another outdoor element influenced by indoor styling is deck railings. When it comes to selecting the best railing, design experts recommend using one of the “Three C’s” – coordinate, contrast or customize. To make the selection process even easier, Trex, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing, has introduced a set of curated railings that pair beautifully with the brand’s most popular deck colors.
Cooking with class: People across the NRV have taken backyard cooking and dining to a whole new level. Heading into the outdoor living season, expect this trend to continue with increasingly functional outdoor kitchens complete with cooking islands, pizza ovens, refrigerators and all-weather cabinetry and storage features.
Warming features: One of the hottest trends – literally – is the incorporation of warming features into outdoor spaces. From candles and tiki torches to fireplaces, fire pits and lighting, products that lend physical and ambient warmth are in high demand. Look for increased use of LED lights integrated into deck railings, stairs and yards as homeowners seek to enhance the ambiance and safety and extend the time they can spend enjoying it.
High-tech decks: Home automation is hugely popular, so it’s only natural that the tech trend should migrate outdoors. From lighting and music controlled from a smart phone to motorized rear-projection screens synced to outdoor LED televisions, homeowners are now able to bring their entire entertainment system outdoors, creating a drive-in like space for NRV youngsters to re-live what many NRV oldsters so loved.
Leisure without labor: For those that want to spend more time enjoying, rather than maintaining, their outdoor space, high-performance composite decking like Trex Transcend delivers all the beauty and aesthetics of wood without the time-consuming upkeep. Unlike wood, composite decking resists fading, staining, scratching and mold and won’t rot, warp, crack or splinter.
Image by Trex
