Thanks to an increased popularity in custom decks, Handy Man Repairs, Inc. CEO David Carter says he is doing more of these projects for homeowners than ever before. Based out of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Carter is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the National Kitchen & Bath Association. In this article, he discusses the latest trends in custom deck designs.
Decks these days are more stylish than ever before. I credit this in large part to the increase in TV programs dedicated to home design and renovation. The programs on TV, such as all the shows on the DIY Channel and programs like This Old House, have gotten the average homeowner interested in these things more so than they may have been interested in the past.
Increasingly, I am seeing homeowners who are coming to be interested in getting a deck done with some of these exotic woods—things like Tiger Wood or Redwood. Recycled materials like vinyl or fiberglass are popular right now, too.
In terms of style, the herringbone design is really popular with homeowners right now, as are multi-level decks. Fewer and fewer people are asking for those blah square decks anymore. People want something that is unique and custom.
Especially down South, where more people are installing decks now than they were 10 years ago, custom styles are really the big trend right now.
I credit this new trend in the Southern states largely to a magazine called Southern Living. Many people are getting this magazine, and it really epitomizes what the South East looks for in decks and home styles in general. So homeowners who are living in the South are certainly looking for things that would not fly for homeowners in states like Michigan or Indiana.
Down South, homeowners are looking for decks to help facilitate an outdoors lifestyle. They want to be able to barbecue on their deck or lie out on a hammock or just sit out and enjoy the weather at the end of a long day. So the style of deck that a homeowner chooses should really facilitate what a homeowner is looking to get out of the deck.
Before someone calls me, it really helps if that person has looked at a couple magazines or photos of deck styles and determined what they like. With so many popular trends coming and going at any time, the best way to explain what you are looking for is really by finding a photograph of a similar design.
Even if a homeowner hasn’t done that, though, I will still bring photos, magazines, and a couple books with me to the initial consultation just to help them target their interests. And then we can refine that interest from there, depending on the overall size and budget. I always tell people that you should make sure and get a solid budget ready to work with right off the bat, because the budget you are working with is going to determine a lot of what you are going to be able to do with your deck.
Adding a custom deck really adds to the entire house—not only the style of the home but also the value, as well. Usually homeowners have got barbecues on their decks or hammocks so people’s decks are really becoming an extension of their own homes and the way their live their life. It is because of this that it makes sense that trendy and custom decks are becoming so popular, as people want to live their lives in unique ways and they want unique decks that reflect that.
