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Creative Deck Design in Framingham Centers on Convenience, Fun
“We spend our summers outside,” Linda said. “And honestly, if we can be out during the spring and fall, we are. We moved to Framingham because we love it and want to enjoy this great environment.” Linda’s not alone. Outdoor living has become a top priority for many homeowners, who intend to derive maximum enjoyment from their outdoor living spaces. This is influencing creative deck design in two primary ways: an emphasis on convenience and fun-boosting features.
“I don’t want to run into the house every time one of the kids wants a drink,” Linda said. “And let’s be real, with three little ones, someone always wants a drink.” She worked with her deck designers to create a versatile outdoor kitchen space. “We can grill. There’s space for entertaining. But my favorite, favorite part is the little fridge and the sink. It makes dealing with all those on-the-go snacks and clean up so simple.”
Other convenience boosting features include built in storage integrated into the deck’s seating. “Everyone’s not completely toilet trained at this point, so sometimes you’ve got to do an emergency change,” Linda explained. She flipped up a seat cushion to reveal an area stocked with diapers, wipes, and kid’s clothes. “This way, I don’t have to bring all of the kids indoors to change a diaper.” After her kids are older, Linda plans to use the compartment for toy storage. “As you can see, we have no shortage of toys!”
Linda’s deck isn’t just for the children. “Bedtime can be the best part of the day,” she said with a laugh. “Once the kids are asleep, my husband and I love relaxing out here under the stars.” Fire features are extremely popular deck upgrades right now, ranging from simple fire pits to built in fireplaces. In more urban areas, wood burning fire features are replaced by units that burn bioethanol.
Spring Brings Beginning of Outdoor Living Season
Some people like snow, cold and freezing winds. And for much of the year, Western Massachusetts delivers exactly what those people love. But now spring is here, and those of us who love sunshine, warmth, and being able to go outdoors without ever once thinking about developing frostbite can begin enjoying the great outdoors. Here are some tips for getting your deck ready for spring:
- Start with a Spring Cleaning: PVC and composite decking is a snap to clean. A quick spray with the hose will leave everything looking good. Patio furniture should be thoroughly wiped down with a cloth to remove any loose dirt or cobwebs. Any toys that spent the winter outdoors should be inspected to make sure they didn’t break or crack. If your child has outgrown a toy, donate it & reclaim that space in your deck storage bins.
- Look at Your Lighting: Spring days are shorter than summer days. Stretch the amount of enjoyment time by having your Massachusetts deck builders add features that brighten your space, such as illuminated deck columns or an outdoor kitchen. Choosing the right outdoor lighting fixtures is so important.
- Go Green: Pantone’s color of the year is Greenery, a natural verdant shade outdoor living designers love. Expect to see this cheery green color in patio furniture cushion covers, umbrella and outdoor linens. Another way to add greenery to your deck is with the addition of living plants. Your Massachusetts deck builder can install custom planters and flowerboxes to your deck design. Grow roses! Grow tomatoes! Grow whatever makes you happy – that’s the point.
- Everybody Eats! BBQ is only the beginning of enjoying outdoor cuisine. Talk to your Massachusetts deck builder about your outdoor kitchen options. Features can be added to an existing deck, or you can choose to have an outdoor kitchen designed as an integral element of a new deck you’re adding to your home – back yard decks are the top choice for families who have kids who play in the back yard!
Master Bedroom Addition Make Nighttime A Joy
“I was just sick and tired of sharing our bedroom with Nick’s business,” Tara said. “He had the dresser pushed up into the corner of the room so he could get a desk and chair in there. It made sense to keep his work stuff away from the kids – believe me, they are more than capable of spilling juice all over his laptop, they’ve done it before! – but he’s a night owl and I am not. After a long day at the hospital, I want to just close my eyes and go to sleep. He’s really good about being as quiet as he can, but papers rustle, there’s the light from the computer, his phone goes off. We needed a different solution.”
“My first idea was to convert the basement into a home office,” Nick said. “The kids never go down there, and it’s really private. But we started looking into it, and the costs of moving the furnace and addressing the dampness issue down there were pretty high.”
“We could have a first floor addition put on for the same money,” Tara explained. “A nice, big master bedroom addition, with two walk in closets and a bathroom.” She laughed. “That was the easiest decision we ever made!”
Needing more space is the number one reason homeowners in Framingham are having master bedroom additions built. Some couples find it’s challenging or painful to access an upstairs bedroom on a regular basis, while other homeowners want to reward themselves with an upgrade to the room they sleep in every night.
“I hadn’t realized how much more relaxing the new bedroom would be,” Tara said. “Our contractors did an exceptional job making the master bedroom addition look like it had always been there. It’s warm and comfortable and quiet. Now Nick has our old bedroom for his office – we’ve put in some filing cabinets and bookshelves for him, and had some storage built in – and everyone is happy!”
Front Entry Decks That Impress
The entrance to your home communicates so much about your family and your sense of style the world. From warm and inviting to confident and classical, there’s a front entry deck that’s ideal for you. Here’s what you need to know when choosing your front entryway deck design.
Details Matter, Inside and Out: An entrance way is a transition point, bringing people in from the wide, wild world into the comfortable embrace of your space. Small details matter, from the choice of light fixture and seating positioned just inside the door to the special exterior flourishing your custom deck builders can provide.
Smart Builders Do Interesting Things: Covered entrance way decks are highly desirable, given Framingham’s wild weather. Arched and peaked deck roofs are intriguing, high end details – but you need a skilled builder to make them happen. If this type of feature is important to you, make sure to interview your custom deck contractor ahead of time, and ask to see any decks with similar features that they’ve built.
Use Deck Design To Complement Your Home’s Style: Boost curb appeal with a creative deck design that reinforces your home’s aesthetic strengths. Front entry decks often incorporate strong vertical lines as well as wide, easy to climb porch steps. Choose deck colors to accentuate the colors of your home’s exterior, or go monochromatic for a very sleek, on-trend look.
Choose Composite Decking To Eliminate Maintenance Worries: Front entry decks get a lot of use. Choosing composite decking eliminates the look of heavy traffic, as PVC and composite decking keeps its color without fading. Additionally, composite decking doesn’t sag, warp or twist the way wood can. Taken together, these factors eliminate a lot of maintenance worries from the Framingham homeowner’s plate. There’s never a need to paint or stain composite decking. Periodic pressure washing keeps your home looking great!
Creative Decks for Creative Families
“Our deck is truly a multi-functional space,” Emma said. “As a family, we love to be outdoors. The neighborhood is lovely – there’s a reason we bought a home in Framingham! – and we want to be able to enjoy it. My daughter paints. Right now she’s doing a landscape of the side yard over here, by where the forsythia bushes grow. It’s very pretty, and as a Mom, I’ve got to say I get a kick out of seeing her out there on the deck with her easel and paints.”
“Our youngest child is a bookworm. He’s transformed one edge of the deck into his own personal reading nook. We had the Framingham deck builders build storage into the deck benches. I’d been thinking we would use them as toy boxes, maybe some garden storage, but no, Ethan has one filled with books. He has all his favorite ones out there and he’ll happily just hang out there, reading them over and over.”
“My husband loves the grill. All winter long, he’s watching Food TV. All of these barbecue competitions and brisket cookoffs and all of that? Steven is the one sitting in front of the screen, taking notes. You don’t even want to know all the spices and rubs and whatnot he’s got in the kitchen. As soon as the snow stops falling, he’s out here cooking. Our creative deck design includes a nice elevated area, where Steven has his grill. There’s a sink built in up there, and a small refrigerator unit – he really loves it, and there’s plenty of room for all our friends to gather around and enjoy his cooking!”
“One of the things I really love about our deck is how it’s big enough that we can all be together without being right on top of each other. When we first started talking about a deck, and our Framingham deck designer started talking about dimensions, I was hesitant. It all sounded really big. But then when you start actually living with your new deck and using it as part of your home, it turns out that you use every inch of that space. I even think if we had to have a new deck built, I might even go a little bit bigger!”