Have a Romantic Getaway on your Deck

If you are in a relationship, there can be a lot of pressure to plan the perfect romantic evening for Valentine’s Day. It gets so busy and commercial out there, sometimes the most romantic thing you can do is stay in. But that doesn’t have to lack creativity.

valentinesdeckUtilize your outdoor deck to make the perfect secluded spot for a special Valentine’s Day. In northern Virginia, it can be cold out there in February, but as we’ve discussed in a previous post, having a fire pit or outdoor heater can make your deck enjoyable even in the chill of winter. A fire pit will give off an ambient glow and create a centerpiece for you to cozy around. Make sure you have plenty of blankets and pillows for comfortable seating and added warmth. A bench or love seat would be the ideal seating for two.

Think about grilling outdoors for a fancy meal, e.g. surf and turf or filet mignon. Have plenty of candles around to create a romantic ambiance. Use nice china outside with cloth napkins for an added touch of color and flair. Think about having outdoor speakers to play soft, romantic music.

At the end of the day, you’ll be glad you decided to stay in and enjoy the romantic holiday with your loved one on your secluded outdoor deck, enjoying the stars in northern Virginia night sky.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

A Deck in Northern Virginia is for the Birds!

In the middle of a northern Virginia winter, having a beautiful outdoor deck can be frustrating. The cold may keep you inside, but there are plenty of ways to get the most out of your custom built deck in winter.

winterwren201312009Northern Virginia in winter offers excellent bird-watching opportunities. With the right environment, you can transform your deck into a perfect winter wonderland for the variety of birds that call Virginia home in the winter months. Backyard bird feeders can be a life saver for small birds when the food sources are scarce in the winter. Even more important for attracting birds than a feeder is a water source. So make sure you have an unfrozen source for clean water on your deck and the birds will come from miles around. Winter gardens can provide both food and cover for birds like the Winter Wren, who eat the ample supply of bugs found there. Small birds, like the Brown Creeper, whose diet is primarily insects found in the bark of trees, will eat seeds from a feeder when bugs are in short supply. Some might hesitate at the thought of attracting birds that could make a mess on their deck, but with a Trex composite deck, any clean up is a finch, er, cinch!

winterbirdatfeederNaturally, all the small birds enjoying the water and seeds you place out on your deck, attract larger birds of prey such as the Cooper’s Hawk. Keep an eye out for these larger blue-gray to reddish hawk’s with red eyes. Some consider it to be one of the greatest fliers on earth!

If you find yourself particularly inspired by watching all of these birds from your backyard deck in Virginia, you may be interested in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which begins on February 14th this year. The GBBC is a nationwide four-day citizen science project where volunteers record the birds they see. It is a huge undertaking and scientists appreciate the help in documenting the distribution and movements of birds all over the United States.

Choosing the Right Color for Your Deck Design

Late winter is often the time of year new homeowners in Virginia start thinking about building up their outdoor space so it’s ready for a summer of grilling, entertaining, and relaxing in the fresh air and sunshine. A custom built deck in Virginia is often the starting point to creating such an outdoor retreat.

twotoneddeckWith so many options in decking material these days, it can be rather overwhelming to choose. Trex composite decking offers easy maintenance throughout the year, as well as resisting insect infestation or the all too common pain of a splinter.

In addition to eliminating these common issues with traditional wood decking, composite decking comes in such a wide variety of styles and colors it is easy to match the look and feel of your homes’ exterior.

Homes with painted or vinyl siding offer an easy choice: either match the color of the home, or go with a contrasting color to make your deck pop. Trex composite decking even offers the ability of a two-toned deck for a more elegant, striking contrast.

brickhomedeckWith brick homes, finding a color that compliments your brick that can tie the fence, deck and house together can be tricky. Brick is anything but monochromatic! You can choose to highlight a specific color in the brick to make that color pop, or you can choose to match the brick’s mortar for a more subdued look.

When choosing a color for you deck, don’t forget about the other colors used on your house; the trim around windows, colors used on downspouts, and even the roof color! Ideally you want all of these colors to complement each other.

Deck Privacy in Northern Virginia Winter

If you had your Trex deck built in the spring or summer months, you may be noticing some gaps in the overall look of your outdoor space in the dead of winter. With all the bare trees, you may not have as much privacy around your outdoor deck as you originally thought. Never fear! Even in the dead of those northern Virginia winters, there are options for added privacy.

privacy-screen-07Perhaps the most common deck addition for added privacy is an outdoor trellis. A trellis is meant to be a permanent structure and can be made from a variety of materials in a variety of styles. Trellises typically need built-in back support or may lean against or be attached to a supporting wall or fence. A trellis can be made with the same composite decking material as your Trex deck. During the growing months, your trellis can be covered in lovely flowering vines, but still provides a privacy barrier when those plants are no longer blooming during the harsh northern Virginia winters.

With so many options for styles and colors, a trellis made with Trex composite decking materials can be the solution to your privacy problem in the dead of winter