Brown deck with white railing that has a horizontal cable infill with colorful fall trees in the background

Michelle’s amazing backyard re-do

With rotted wood railing blocking her view, Michelle took a railing-focused approach to her deck renovation.

Pinckney, MI

When Lonny editor and co-founder Michelle Adams and her husband bought a new home to renovate, the backyard quickly became, in Michelle’s words, her “obsession.” Set against beautiful, protected wetlands, their backyard had amazing views that were spoiled by a splintery deck with chunky, rotting railing. “The deck was really bumming me out,” said Michelle. “It was visible from most rooms, and it was the first thing we saw when we looked out the windows.” Determined to improve her view, Michelle researched options and discovered TimberTech.

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Meet Michelle Adams

"Talk about an upgrade! The new deck and railing modernize our home and add to its future resale value."

– Michelle Adams, Co-founder & Editor in Chief of lonny.com

As co-founder and editor in chief of online lifestyle magazine lonny.com, Michelle has made it her business to know beautiful, functional homes and sustainable living. Drawing inspiration for her backyard makeover from the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, it made sense that she was drawn to the classic beauty of TimberTech.

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Before

Old, rotten railing on a wooden deck

“Before, thick deck railing dominated the view of our yard and cheapened the look of our home,” said Michelle. With this in mind, Michelle’s deck research focused on railing first.

After

New railing installed, it is Classic Composite Series Drink Rail in Matte White

Michelle chose Classic Composite Series Drink Rail in Matte White and paired it with horizontal cable infill. “Now we can enjoy the view of our property.”

Before

Rotting and discolored deck boards

The wood deck needed structural repair and was plagued with nail pops and uneven deck boards. “We didn’t want to hang out there barefoot and we worried about our pups getting splinters,” said Michelle.

After

New decking with a sunset backdrop, the decking is TimberTech's Legacy Collection in Mocha

The durable, splinter-free surface of TimberTech’s Legacy Collection in Mocha is another big plus for Michelle’s family. “Our TimberTech deck is incredibly low maintenance and will look just as good 20 years from now — decision made.”

A small dog lays on a dark brown deck, lounge chairs are set up around a modern coffee table on one side of the deck while a dinner table is on the other side

Michelle loves to host friends and family, and her TimberTech deck is the perfect place for it. “We finished off our deck with a drink rail that’s great for entertaining,” said Michelle. “The thin profile also keeps our view from being blocked.”

When you entertain as often as Michelle, details matter — and so does ambiance. To illuminate posts, transition points, and stairs, she added accent lights and lighted island caps that automatically turn on when the sun goes down.

Side view of the lounge area on a deck

For Michelle’s family, sustainability is just as important as style. “What completely sold me on TimberTech was that their deck boards are engineered to look and feel like wood, yet are primarily made from recycled materials,” she said. “Our deck alone is made from over110,000 plastic bags that would have otherwise been diverted to a landfill.”