Mary & Patrick’s lake retreat
Chattanooga, TN | Deck By: Hatcliff Construction
When searching for a weekend retreat, Mary and Patrick Hatcliff fell in love with this 1940s cottage on Chickamauga Lake. After purchasing it in 2020, they expanded the home while preserving its historic charm, including the outdoor spaces. As seasoned Southern Living builders, Mary and Patrick know what materials work best in their area — which is why they choose TimberTech.
“We won’t put wood on the outside of our house. Since we found TimberTech, we haven’t looked back.”
Custom home builders Mary and Patrick Hatcliff work in the Nashville, TN area. Their business, Hatcliff Construction, has been a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program for 15 years. The divide their time between their home near Nashville and the lake house in Chattanooga.
Get the Look: Inspired by Nature
Vintage Collection
Coastline
A medium gray with warm tan and charcoal undertones for the inviting look of aged hardwood — used here in both decking and porch profiles.
Pinnacle Rail
White
Embrace the simple, classic beauty of a milled-wood look and the performance and durability of PVC — paired with Chippendale panels for a unique, striking look.
While some home design trends may come and go, porches are consistently welcoming and cozy. Mary and Patrick trust TimberTech Porch for all their builds, including their own home. “We’ve never been called back to repair issues with TimberTech Porch,” Mary said, “so we’re just sold on it.” For their lake home, they went with Coastline® from the Vintage® Collection.
Throughout the exterior of the home, classic colors with soft pops of contrast can be found — like the beautiful porch ceiling built with Hardie® Artisan® V-Groove Siding. “We really wanted that historical look,” Mary said, “and we got it with the Artisan Siding.”
Mary loves the durability and striking look of her PVC Pinnacle Rail with Chippendale Panels so much, she’s converted a fellow pro who claimed PVC would look like plastic. “Put your hands on it, you’ll love it,” Mary told them. “And, sure enough, they did — and now have Pinnacle Rail on their house.”
Between the humidity and the insects, southern climate can be hard on wood. So when it comes to his own homes, Patrick has a zero-wood policy for exterior surfaces. “We just have so many bugs and rot, that’s why he won’t put any wood on the outside of our house,” Mary explains. “Since we found TimberTech, we haven’t looked back.” Mary and Patrick’s home exterior still has the classic wood panel look — but with durable, climate- and insect-resistant Hardie® Artisan® Lap Siding painted in Sherwin Williams Dover White.
Real wood looks = repeat customers
With its exotic hardwood looks and rich, beautiful colors, the Vintage Collection has been the go-to choice of Mary and Patrick for quite some time. “Honestly, I haven’t looked at other composite brands in years,” she said. Plus, with Multiwidth board options, the Vintage Collection gives designers and builders the versatility they need to create show-stopping exteriors for their customers.
With it’s view over the lake, this cozy porch is a classic representation of the intersection of indoors and out that is a hallmark of southern home design. “It’s one of the most popular rooms in the house,” Mary claimed, “perfect for morning coffee, evening cocktails, and fall football games.”
Dependability and low-maintenance durability keep Mary and Patrick coming back to TimberTech. When asked about using other composite brands, Mary replied, “We are not fans — we had to replace a porch five years later.” And wood decks need to be re-stained every couple of years. “Since the first porch we built with TimberTech, it’s been our favorite.”
In the early stages of expanding their cottage, there was an enclosed deck with Weathered Teak® Decking off the kitchen. When a fire gutted the kitchen and damaged the deck, the fire-resistant Vintage Collection decking survived. As the exterior plans for the home were not yet finalized, the decking was stacked up in the yard for two years, then incorporated into this stunning, two-tone dock design.
When considering the cottage purchase, the dock was one of the big selling points. “It was a really pretty dock,” Mary remembers. “But five years later the wood sides were rotting, so we replaced it all with TimberTech.” Made with zero organic material, our Advanced PVC decking resists moisture that can lead to rot, mold, and mildew — making it an ideal choice for docks and waterfront properties.
Turning recycled materials into lasting beauty, one deck at a time.
This deck was built with 1,600 sq. feet of TimberTech Advanced PVC Decking made using:1
~3,200 lbs of recycled material
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See Mary and Patrick’s decking up close and explore other color options.
Get the Look: Inspired by Nature
Hardie® Artisan®
Lap Siding
Achieve a timeless, traditional aesthetic for your home's exterior featuring deep shadow lines with the Lap profile. Primed for your choice of paint color.
Hardie® Artisan®
V-Groove Siding
Add sophistication to your home with the V-Groove profile. Primed for your choice of paint color and can be used as porch ceiling and soffit in vertical and horizontal applications.
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Explore homeowner stories about their experience with TimberTech and learn why they chose us for their outdoor living space. Plus, get inspiration for your own space from their high-style designs.
Disclaimer:
1. Recycled material weight is estimated based upon the recycled waste and scrap material used in the manufacturing of TimberTech Advanced PVC Decking at the time of publication.