(Family Features) Installing or updating a deck can transform your outdoor living area. Not only is a deck aesthetically appealing, but it also allows you to create additional space for a wide range of uses, whether it’s a lively entertainment zone or tranquil, relaxing retreat.

If you’re planning a deck build or renovation in 2022, consider incorporating one or more of these design trends identified by Westlake Royal Building Products, a leading manufacturer and distributor of materials for home remodeling, building and construction.

Creativity in Design

While decking design features used to be reserved for luxury upgrades, creative flair is increasingly mainstream. Some options for incorporating greater depth and style into your deck design include mixing and matching boards to create patterns, inlays and focal points or utilizing two-tone designs for more visually interesting aesthetics.

On-Trend Colors

Classic lumber-toned decks never go out of style, but adding some flair with an eye-catching color is a subtle way to elevate your deck’s aesthetic appeal. Some designs incorporate color throughout while another way to bring color to your deck is through distinctive inlay design or other design features.

Working with a product like Zuri Premium Decking gives you a selection of six on-trend colors, including Hickory, a true mid-tone brown, as well as Chestnut, Walnut, Pecan, Brazilia and Weathered Gray. The planks feature minimal grain repetition to capture the look of true exotic hardwood with no painting, staining or resealing needed, and all are backed by a 25-year warranty against color shifting.

Multi-Seasonal Spaces

Once you create an incredible outdoor space, you’ll likely want to use it as often as possible. That’s why many homeowners are designing decks with multiple seasons in mind. Features like retractable walls can help you block cool breezes and trap the warmth of space heaters or a fireplace while roofs provide shade and fans help circulate the breeze during warmer months. Decks built with clean, simple lines can offer a connection to nature as well as convenience for homeowners transitioning from indoor to outdoor spaces.

Popularity of Composite Decking

Weather patterns can cause substantial damage to a home’s exterior materials, including a deck where natural wood is prone to drying out. This creates an upkeep cycle that requires ongoing investments of time and money. An alternative to natural wood, such as Zuri Premium Decking by Royal, combines the low-maintenance, high-durability properties of composite decking with the exterior environment-defining presence of exotic wood. The result is an authentic look with zero-maintenance upkeep.

Bringing the Inside Out

A deck’s design elements were once limited to predictable furnishings like a picnic table and grill, but those days are gone. Homeowners seeking to create an outdoor oasis are bringing amenities of the indoors outside. You’ll find outdoor kitchens and weather-proof TVs, rugs and furniture, allowing homeowners to incorporate the convenience and comfort of indoor living rooms and kitchens into their outdoor spaces despite elements like snow, wind and rain.

Masonry as an Accessory

If you love the look of masonry but have your heart set on a deck, you can take the path of many homeowners and incorporate masonry as an accessory or design element. Mixing building mediums provides texture, which creates an immersive tactile experience through sight and touch. Options like a fireplace or firepit, pillars, skirting, bench seats, planters, water features, kitchen or bar space and walkways can all complement and enhance the decking so you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Clean Sightlines

A deck is an ideal vantage point when you have a beautiful view to enjoy and using the right materials can enhance that experience. Creating a clean, sophisticated and unobstructed view is easy when you outfit your deck with the right lighting and use cable or glass railings, which provide safety along with clear views of the landscape beyond.

Find more tips and ideas to spruce up your outdoor living space at liveabode.com.

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