Before & After: How Building a Deck Changed How I Felt About My Home

After years of dragging people and lawn furniture to the middle of the yard, I knew I wanted a deck, but what I didn’t want was something high-maintenance. I wanted the short bob version of a deck—clean and easy to uphold. Wood might be classic, and I was yearning for classic, but I didn’t have the time—or frankly, the patience—to deal with sanding, staining or sealing each year. That’s why I landed on TimberTech.

I didn’t realize I could use sustainable materials in construction like this, so I appreciated the fact that when all of this new “wood” landed in my driveway, it was actually from 65% recycled materials. Secondly, it looks good. I’m talking real-wood aesthetics without the splinters. And most importantly, it’s ridiculously easy to clean. The first night after the deck was finished, I lay out a blanket on the floor (furniture had yet to arrive) and enticed the kids outside with cookies and milk. Within three seconds, my son Charlie had knocked over an entire glass of milk. The deck had been operational a full 10 minutes, but thanks to the materials, the milk just bubbled on the top and I wiped it off quickly. It’s a dream date of a deck. 

Before? It was a space we avoided. The kids played wiffle ball in the back on occasion, but I certainly didn’t feel inspired to host anything outside. Now? You can find us outside three seasons of the year. 

Furniture finally arrived. We opted for a large dining table from Serena & Lily with very deep, stay-a-while chairs where we have dinner on warm evenings. A small sitting area has been the host of several glasses of rosé with friends and some cozy convos with the kids. I even added some planters where I buy store-bought arrangements and drop them in without letting myself feel guilty about not having a green thumb.

My favorite thing? We invite friends and family over more often. The kids are outside more. It works for my family—and happens to look really good. 

If I’ve learned anything from renovating, it’s this: You’ll only regret changes to your home that don’t start with how you truly live. I could have done a lot of different things with this backyard. What we did works precisely because I introduced what we needed.