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Jill's House

How to Design a Timeless & Low Maintenance Outdoor Space


When it comes to outdoor spaces I’ll be honest, there’s really only one look I really love, traditional! When we started working on the outside of our home, I thought for sure that I would want a beautiful traditional white WOOD deck and railing, but after mulling it over we came to the realization that this would end up being another make-work project. Considering wood chips, peels, and cracks, it’s inevitable we would have to strip it and re-paint it every other year. Especially with the extreme climate we have here in the Okanagan! From our hot summers to cold winters it’s no joke that wood decks, railings, and patio furniture ultimately turn into another maintenance project to keep them looking beautiful!

So, while we were trying to figure out what we were going to do, thankfully, someone suggested Trex to us! Now, Trex isn’t a new company to me, in fact, we’ve used them many times before for Love It Or List It! However, it didn’t dawn on me until then to explore their options a little further and after doing so, it didn’t take me long to fall in love with their products!!

I’ll tell you why, below!

Our Deck

Trex carries composite decking which is made from RECYCLED materials!! In fact, it’s made from 95% recycled wood and plastic film. Plastic film is things such as plastic bags, overwrap on paper towels, sandwich bags, dry cleaner bags, etc.

Fun fact: Trex saves 400 million pounds of plastic film and wood from landfills each year!! How amazing is that?!

On top of their product being eco-friendly, it’s also insanely durable and it looks like real wood!! However, the bonus here is the fact that since it’s not real wood which means it’s not going to peel or chip! Trex composite decking is pretty much maintenance free … it also won’t give you slivers!! LOL! Needless to say, all of the above totally had us sold and we moved forward with the composite decking for our home and we LOVE it!!

Jillian Harris Home Tour Series Exterior
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details
Jillian Harris Home Tour Series Exterior
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details

Our Outdoor Furniture

When we were discussing our decking with Trex they also mentioned they carry outdoor furniture as well! I was beyond excited to hear this given the quality of their decking considering my past experience with patio furniture was always sort of lackluster. I find that patio furniture is really hit and miss. Not to mention, by the end of the first or second season most of the time it’s already starting to crack and fade.

So, I decided to give Trex Outdoor Furniture a try and see how well it held up … and so far it has been AMAZING!!! I ordered sun loungers, rocking chairs, a porch swing, and our chairs and coffee table on the downstairs patio from Trex and every single piece of furniture has held up brilliantly! We even left it outside for the entire winter and when spring rolled around all we had to do was just hose them off (cushions included!) and everything looked completely brand new!! I’m so shocked at the quality and I can’t wait to have these for years to come!!

Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details
Jillian Harris Summer Sunshine Details on our Pool
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series Downstairs Patio
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series Downstairs Patio

Our Railing

Originally I was toying with the idea of doing a glass railing but then couldn’t stand the thought of how many little fingerprints would end up all over it. I also knew I didn’t want to do a metal railing because I find they can look a bit cold. So, while I was going back and forth on what to do with our railings, I luckily stumbled upon railings on Trex’s website!!

After exploring what they had to offer, we ended up going with the Trex Transcend Railing in Classic White!! The style of railing we went with is the cocktail railing system! The Cocktail Railing system is great (especially for entertaining) because the top of the railing is the same width as a flooring plank (they actually use a floor plank FOR the railing!). The fact that it’s so nice and wide is perfect for resting your arms on and it’s even wide enough to hold a drink! Not to mention, just like our decking and patio furniture, the railings are also extremely durable and maintenance-free!

Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details
Jillian Harris Home Renovation Series: Our Deck Details

We honestly couldn’t be happier with the durability of everything! Not only does it look amazing but it’s also so refreshing knowing that our decking, railings, and patio furniture will last for years to come without us having to continually spend time on upkeep!!

xo

Jilly

Thank you Trex for sponsoring this post. All comments and opinions are my own.


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    1. It’s called the AKZ 13’ Cantilever Umbrella and I got it right HERE in Kelowna at our local Beachcomber!! XO

    1. It’s called the AKZ 13’ Cantilever Umbrella and I got it right HERE in Kelowna at our local Beachcomber!! XO

  1. Jillian, everything looks gorgeous! Also love the fact that Trex is available at most home improvement retailers as well (I checked, concerned that it would only be in Canada). I was wondering where you got the little tiny “happy” sign by the front door. Do you happen to remember the source for that?

  2. Love the Trex deck colour, is this Island Mist, and are the centre boards the same colour, they look a bit darker or is that just because they are turned at a 90 degree from the rest of the boards? Looking for the same effect on my deck to break up the run of boards.

  3. HI! Love everything about this. Do you mind letting me know what material you have on the back patio and deck? Thanks so much!

  4. Hello….I am contacting you in regards to your Trex decking and Patio furniture.. We live in Calgary and we were wondering who your supplier was and who installed it here in Canada.
    Kindest Regards,
    Land and Brian Skrudland

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