“When I get outdoors, it’s like a weight slips off of my shoulders,” Jordan said. “There’s something about having a blue sky overhead and the breeze blowing that is so relaxing. All the stress of the day disappears and I can just be in the moment.”
Creating relaxing, restorative outdoor living spaces is what custom deck design is all about. In the Metrowest area, many families use their decks for yoga, meditation, and quiet contemplation. Designing for these spaces can include decks that have adequate space for everyone to participate, decking options that maintain their visual and tactile appeal through many years of extreme weather exposure, seating and storage, and, if desired, privacy elements such as decorative screening.
Seating is especially important on a deck. There are many types of deck seating, including arm chairs, lounge chairs, built in benches, and suspended seating, such as gliders, swing chairs or hammocks. Identifying what types of seating will make it easy for your family to engage in relaxing, restorative activities should happen early in the process, so your deck builders can integrate these elements into your custom deck design.
There are other activities that families find relaxing, such as cooking a meal or enjoying a night time fire with friends. Custom deck design can incorporate these elements, by building in grilling or food prep areas, which can include running water and refrigeration; fire features come in a variety of styles, including popular sunken fire pits and free standing fire pits designed to be used on a deck.
The presence of green plants can be very relaxing. Custom deck design that includes built in flower boxes or planters for tomatoes, roses, or other favorite vegetables, herbs, and flowers is very popular in Massachusetts. These features can be built to suit any home aesthetic, from classic to casual.