Can a new deck really preserve the charm of an Austin vintage home?
You love your eclectic, urban-chic neighborhood, and you love your charming, vintage home, but maybe your home’s vintage deck has seen better days. Is it time for an upgrade to a better deck? Archadeck of Austin, premier deck builder across many Austin neighborhoods, has the design sensitivity to create a custom deck that will not look out of place for your area.
Take a look at this unique home in the city of Austin near Mopac Expressway and 38th Street. Homes here have character, and the area is undergoing extensive revitalization. The homeowner engaged Archadeck of Austin to replace an existing deck that was aging, nondescript and lacked any shade cover.
Before we began the project:
This job was actually a redecking and expansion project rather than an entirely new deck. Once we determined that the existing deck’s foundation was strong and had not been compromised over time, we were able to use it again, with reinforcement. We needed to replace the decking boards as well as the wooden skirting that surrounds the deck and shields the underdeck area from view. Oddly, there was a gap between edge of the existing deck and the front porch stoop, so we were able to expand the deck by about two feet. Finally, the client wanted to add a pergola over the deck for much-needed shade.
Since natural wood was the client’s choice for decking material, Archadeck of Austin recommended clear cedar for the deck surface and the skirting. Clear cedar is a select grade of cedar lumber milled from the heart of the tree, and it is higher quality than the wood many other deck builders work with. For even greater quality, we used 5-and-a-quarter-inch boards as opposed to the competition’s nominal 2×6″ knotty pine. The clear cedar boards display a light wood grain with minimal (if any) imperfections such as knot holes.
Archadeck of Austin offers a choice of standard or premium pergolas, and this client selected the premium pergola, our most popular option. For our premium pergolas, we use 4×12″ beams, 6×6″ posts and 2×10″ boards for the rafters with 16” on center spacing. In contrast, our competition uses 2×8″ beams and posts and 2×8″ rafters that are 24” on center, resulting in a pergola that is less sturdy and provides less shade. The Archadeck of Austin premium pergola looks beefier, is stronger and will last longer than those built by our competition. Plus, our 16” on center spacing provides the optimum amount of shade on a hot Texas day.
For the finishing touch on this combination redecking and pergola project, we installed a metal screen on one side of the pergola to establish a privacy barrier. Vines and flowers will climb the screen to naturally obscure the view of the deck from the nearby downtown traffic. This innovative privacy screen was built using Cattle Guard panels.
If you are looking for a creative way to upgrade your existing deck while keeping it in character with the neighborhood, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
This Versatile Pergola in Bee Cave, TX, is Nothing Short of a Modern Marvel
A pergola is often designed as an outdoor room that provides a light, airy and inviting space to relax, dine or just admire. Pergolas are much larger than arbors and are generally freestanding, but can be attached to another building. You can also add amendments for more shade and to accommodate climbing vines. Because a pergola can be freestanding, you won’t need to make any complicated connections between the house or roof and the pergola, which is a definite advantage for many homeowners looking to add an outdoor space to an area within the landscape. Though this defines a pergola from a text-book perspective, the pergolas we design here at Archadeck of Austin are far from the generic description. Case in point is our pergola addition in Bee Cave, TX, that is nothing short of a modern marvel….
When you imagine a pergola, the first thing that probably comes to mind is an outdoor structure used to generate a variable amount shade and serve as a focal point to a backyard. These are certainly viable benefits of adding a pergola to an outdoor space, however, this pergola is so much more!
When we met with the homeowners to discuss their vision, their objective was to get as much covered space as possible within their budget. They were also very specific about where they wanted the lines of the addition to go. This two-story home sits on a hilltop amid their 10 acre homestead with an ” old Texan” feel. The placement of the covered space was at the end of their spacious backyard pool. The design we were asked to create for them needed to provide versatile functionality and bring more than just aesthetics poolside too.
Our talented design team here at Archadeck of Austin are experts at translating the needs and desires of our clients’ into our outdoor living spaces. For this project, we designed a pergola with a metal roof. The interior of the pergola is spacious enough at 20′ x 15′ to facilitate a changing area covered in cedar slats at one end. In addition, the addition serves as the perfect spot for the homeowner’s to store pool supplies when not in use.
The pergola also serves as a place for respite and poolside viewing for the family. Plenty of electrical outlets, a large ceiling fan and outdoor lighting make this space right for outdoor living anytime, day or night!
The homeowners agree — their new pergola addition scores a hole in one for satisfaction!
If you would like to learn more about our cutting-edge outdoor living space designs, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259 – 8282 or email us at jim.odom@archadeck.net.
Jim Odom Archadeck of Austin
A list of the top ten ways to create an outdoor oasis
Tigerwood deck at tree canopy
When you are looking for ways to create the perfect backyard often times we let our dreams of our ideal space be fall to the wayside. Homeowners need to realize that what makes their version of the perfect outdoor living space right for them comes from within. No two people view the idea of outdoor living the same way, that being said we specialize in customizing your dreams to suit your desired function within that space, the area you have available to create your space and your budget.
A covered patio, deck and pergola may fit the bill for your backyard.
We have compiled a list of the top 10 ways to create that outdoor oasis you have been dreaming of. This list will help provide ideas and insight into how you can make your outdoor oasis a reality.
Top 10 ways to create an outdoor oasis
This Circular spa with natural privacy barrier has clean lines and delivers a contemporary feel to the space.
1) Pick you own personal style – create a backyard that flows with style. Create everything from formal by using columns and classic lines, to more modern by using curvilinear edges on your patio or deck edge, sticking to monochromatic color palettes and even introducing metal into the mix. If you can’t decide on just one style, then you can use a combination of well-chosen elements for an eclectic unique look.
2) Embrace textures – this maybe the most crucial design element that is often overlooked when building an outdoor living structure. By mixing wood, composite, stone and other hardscape materials together within your design, you create a feast for the senses. Combining a hardwood deck in combination with a flagstone patio will leave you with a space that begs to be lingered in. On a simpler note, even adding a pergola of rough-hewn cedar in conjunction with a hardscape feature will provide the same stunning contrast.
3) Be creative – outdoor living design is not black and white. There are no set rules, so go ahead and think outside the box. Employ the use of unexpected design opportunities to add visual interest. From adding a seating wall around your fire pit to placing deck lighting in an unusual spot to create ambiance, these details make the difference. A little creativity goes a long way.
This Flagstone patio with fire pit, bench retaining wall and adjoining deck shows how mixing textures can produce a lovely outcome.
4) Work with what you have – take a good look at your backyard and cultivate your outdoor living space with ingenuity. Mature trees, a spectacular view, or the slope of your yard can all be used to your advantage to get the most function and enjoyment out of your outdoor structure design.
5) Live outdoors and still have privacy– by designing your backyard with intimacy in mind; you can still have a highly functional outdoor space that offers privacy. Retaining walls and privacy walls are a great asset to your space and add a way to keep prying eyes away. This can also be achieved through landscaping methods, such as borders that can add color and lush foliage to your space too.
6) Choose your function – in order to get the most from your space, it is important to decide what you want the primary use of your space to be. Entertaining, cooking and dining, relaxing and even a need for a shaded area are viable reasons to choose one structure over another. If you intend to use your space for multiple functions then a design that includes multiple outdoor areas that offers separate designated functions may be your best choice.
This Reading nook on Tigerwood multi-level deck at canopy level provides a place for intimacy and to spend quiet moments.
7) Borrow upon the elements of nature – the 5 elements of nature are water, metal, earth, wood and fire. By using one or more of these elements in your outdoor space you will create an atmosphere that blends with your backyard. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit adds an intoxicating feel to any outdoor design. The flame, the sound and the warmth bring out some primitive instinct that makes us want to be near it. Water plays on our senses in much the same manner. By adding a water feature such as a rock waterfall into your outdoor space, you will hear the soothing sounds of moving water on a regular basis which relax and renew.
8) Decide the amount of maintenance your material choices will require– many times homeowners convey their wishes to use certain materials without realizing the amount of maintenance their structure will require. For example an Ipe or Tigerwood deck requires annual maintenance, and sometimes more frequent in certain climates, to keep the wood looking new. In order to maintain your structure to get optimum results, it is important to decide the amount of time you are willing to put forth to maintain your investment. Many of the materials we have available require little or no maintenance and will remain looking new for many years to come.
Covered patio with custom outdoor limestone fireplace in Austin
9) Create an outdoor room – screen porches, covered patios and 3 season rooms can now be treated as an outdoor room with all the functionality and creature comforts that an interior living room can provide. Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, ceiling fans, outdoor televisions, recessed lighting and plenty of electrical outlets are some of the many options available in outdoor structure design. The hardest part is deciding what you want to include in your space.
10) The details make the difference– an outdoor structure without decorative accents or outdoor furnishings that individualize it is just an empty shell without character or personalization. By choosing furnishings that offer comfort and style to your space you will want to use it more often, and so will others. A comfy outdoor sofa with overstuffed cushions will create a place that you will never want to leave. The small touches that put the icing on the cake are the decorative touches like planters placed on your new deck stuffed with beautiful foliage and blooms, or maybe a reclaimed architectural piece placed as a focal point; these things are the glue that binds the perfect outdoor oasis together.
Jim Odom Archadeck of Austin
Whether you are ready for a new deck, yearning for a quiet spot to keep the sun off of you so you can read in the garden, or are ready to transform your entire backyard with an outdoor living combination structure, we can make it happen. Outdoor living is all about fun, friends and family; to us outdoor living is personal. Contact Archadeck of Austin to learn what the stuff of dreams are made of.
Call for a free consultation: (512) 259 – 8282
Email:Austin@archadeck.net
See more inspiring images of other outdoor living areas by visiting our shade gallery, outdoor living gallery and patio and hardscapes gallery located on our website.
A Round Rock, TX transformation nestled among the beauty of the trees.
These Round Rock, TX homeowners have one of the most beautifully lush backyards. Being able to incorporate an outdoor living structures within this backyard could seem like a challenge to some, but not to us. The mingling of the wood and flagstone we used to create this outdoor retreat is mesmerizing set against the beauty of the rush of green in this residence.
This Round Rock, TX pergola is used as a patio cover for the upper portion of the Flagstone patio.
These homeowners had an existing concrete patio that was not serving their needs. Our goal was to extend the patio and pour a whole new facet of enjoyment into their backyard. Our design included a covered patio extension complete with an outdoor kitchen and pergola-style roof and another patio that descends from the covered patio to the new outdoor fireplace.
In designing the master plan to transform this Round Rock, TX backyard into a paradise for the senses we first had to overcome some obstacles. The first challenge was to incorporate all the desired structures into the homeowners minimal backyard and also deal with the small elevated back porch. The design we decided upon that would work best was to actually create two structures out of one area by extending the small space to make it larger and adding another space to serve as the focal point for the outdoor fireplace.
We designed an extension of the existing concrete patio and added stone over the top of the concrete for seamless design. We then added the pergola with an extension as well over the patio and added a little slope to compensate for the existing patio being so high. The small round patio located in the design accents the large outdoor fireplace located at the corner. We used a round design for the patio and continued the curved design feature into the fireplace’s eyebrow and hearth.
The medium we chose to cover the patios with is gorgeous Oklahoma flagstone in buff peach. We also used block stone in the design using Autumn blend block stone. The element of the two separate stones working together along with the cedar pergola and the trees on the property is truly breathtaking.
Archadeck of Austin custom designed this cedar cabinet located above the mantel of this outdoor fireplace to safely and efficiently house a TV.
The outdoor kitchen is located inside the patio cover and includes a grill, refrigerator and plenty of electrical outlets. The countertops are finished out with a very nice tile that compliments the homes brick colors. The rustic outdoor fireplace is graciously equipped with custom cedar cabinets above the firebox made especially for housing a television and keeping it safe and dry from the elements.
These Round Rock, TX homeowners couldn’t be more thrilled with the transformation, they say it feels as though they have a whole new backyard. We can create a stunning transformation of your back yard as well, contact Archadeck of Austin to learn more (512) 259 – 8282
Austin@archadeck.net
Here is a slideshow of this Round Rock, TX backyard oasis that is a feast for the senses….
To see more stunning inspiration of outdoor structure designs visit our photo galleries
Jim Odom, Archadeck of Austin
For more design inspiration visit our Patio photo gallery
Visit our Outdoor kitchens photo gallery for yummy designs in outdoor kitchens
Austin Decks, Pergolas, Covered Patios, Porches, more 