The 2025 Southern Living Idea House: Classic style meets modern materials
“The Charlottesville area is rooted in tradition and rooted in design,” said Allan Pettit about the location of Southern Living’s 2025 Idea House. “There’s just such a rich legacy of architecture here in this area,” added Keith Scott. “We’re always drawing inspiration from it and interpreting that in a modern way to accommodate the way people live today.” So when it came to this home’s beautiful exterior, they carefully selected innovative products like TimberTech Decking — for the timeless look of traditional hardwoods engineered to meet the demands of a modern family.
About the Idea House
“One of the things we like about TimberTech is it looks and feels like real wood — that’s important.”
– Keith Scott, Partner, Rosney Co.
For more than 20 years, Southern Living has brought together top interior designers, builders, woodworkers, landscape architects, and more, to build or renovate dream homes from the ground up. Idea Houses showcase fresh thinking and innovations in building, interior and exterior design, and home decor across the Southern US — this time, in Charlottesville, VA, where we talked with Allan Pettit from Alexander Nicholson and Keith Scott from Rosney Company Architects.
Get the look
Vintage Collection
English Walnut
A woodland-inspired warm brown that resembles the rich tones of exotic walnut wood.
Impression Rail Express
Black
TimberTech aluminum railing delivers a durable, corrosion-resistant design with classic, wrought-iron-inspired aesthetics.
The quality of TimberTech Advanced PVC made it the perfect choice for the Idea House’s front porch, breezeway, and screened-in deck. “TimberTech looks like real wood, is super durable and fits in with high-end architecture,” Keith said. To complement the home’s timeless style, they chose English Walnut from the Vintage Collection and paired it with Impression Rail Express in Black with a Classic top rail.
“The things we’re looking for in porch material is not only the durability but the aesthetics,” Keith noted. Our Porch boards delivered — with all the benefits of Advanced PVC, tongue-and-groove assembly, and a traditional hardwood look. “TimberTech looks like authentic old porch floors, which is what we’re looking for.”
Durable Impression Rail Express in Black with the Classic top rail added a striking blend of modern and tradition to the home’s exterior. “Details matter, and I think that’s where TimberTech really succeeds,” said Keith. “Wood railings often fail and TimberTech Railing is a perfect solution.”
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“What drew us to TimberTech was our search for products that are going to fit in with our architecture, be durable, and that are going to look good on the day we install them and for many years after,” Keith said. TimberTech Decking and Railing are engineered to endure beautifully and are protected by industry-leading warranties. Plus, they create a seamless look paired with equally durable Hardie® Artisan® Siding and Trim.
The warm, rich hue of English Walnut is a perfect fit for the classic style of the home — and the lush surroundings. “One of the things I was pleasantly surprised about TimberTech’s decking is how much it looks like real wood,” Allan said. And unlike wood, fade-resistant TimberTech Advanced PVC maintains its color for decades1.
The 2025 Idea House held true to the architectural style Charlottesville is known for. Features like tall ceilings, large windows, and big porches bring daylight to the home and create a strong connection between the indoors and the surrounding landscape.
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“Historically, this was an area where people would come from Richmond and elsewhere to escape to the country and retreat from the city,” Keith told us. Built on five-acres of lush, wooded land, the Idea House is definitely a retreat — with an inviting screened-in deck, plus a smart covered breezeway that connects the outdoor spaces and gives easy access to both the house and the deck.
The breezy screened-in deck creates an easy, natural flow between the home’s interior and the surrounding landscape, so the connection to nature is unbroken. And with stain-resistant, easy-to-clean TimberTech Decking, it’s also the perfect spot for casual get-togethers with friends and neighbors.
Allan pointed out that their clients don’t want the maintenance wood decks require. “It is time-consuming, a lot of work, and it is expensive,” he said. Low-maintenance TimberTech never needs sanding, staining, or sealing. “So that’s a perfect product.”
“The local climate is particularly challenging. We get a lot of rain, humidity, harsh sunlight,” Keith said. “TimberTech Decking holds up really well to this environment.” From blazing summers to snowy winters, TimberTech Advanced PVC is made to stand up to any weather without splintering, cracking, peeling, or rotting. Plus, it’s the best decking for moisture resistance — made with no wood or organic fillers, it won’t hold moisture that can lead to rot, mold, and mildew.
Turning recycled materials into lasting beauty, one deck at a time.
This deck was built with 2,100 sq. feet of TimberTech Advanced PVC Decking made using:
~4,000 lbs of recycled material2
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See Southern Living Idea House decking up close and explore other color options.
More TimberTech Stories
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.
1Depending on environmental conditions, TimberTech Composite Deck colors may appear to change over time as part of the natural weathering process consistent with the warranty guarantees where applicable.
2Recycled 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.
