#deckdreams

I didn’t expect to feel nervous filling out a contact form.

It’s weird, right? You click a button that says “Request a Quote” and suddenly you’re second-guessing everything—your budget, your house, your decision to even consider a project right now. I hovered over the “Send” button for a full three minutes last week.

But you know what finally pushed me to do it?

A quiet Tuesday morning. The same creaky step outside. The same nagging voice in my head whispering: “You deserve to love this space.”

So I went to Vermont Custom Exteriors’ Contact Page, and I wrote the message. I just said what was on my mind:

“Hi there. We’ve been thinking about adding a deck or improving our back entry, but we’re not sure what’s feasible. Our house is older, and we want something low-maintenance that fits with the feel of the property. Open to ideas and hoping for guidance.”

Nothing fancy. Just honest. And I hit send.

The Fastest, Kindest Response I’ve Ever Gotten

Not even an hour later, I had a reply.

It wasn’t a canned auto-response either—it was someone real, addressing me by name, asking thoughtful questions about my space, and offering to set up a time to chat. I didn’t feel like a “lead” or a “job.” I felt like someone they actually wanted to help.

And that right there? That’s what sealed it for me.

They didn’t try to upsell. They didn’t push for commitment. They just wanted to hear what I needed and talk through ideas.

The Consultation Wasn’t What I Expected—It Was Better

A few days later, one of their project leads came by. I half-expected a clipboard and a rushed walkthrough, but instead, he stood out back with me for almost an hour, walking the space, asking about our lifestyle, our routines, even how much snow we usually get packed in that corner by the maple tree.

We talked about different materials, drainage issues I hadn’t noticed, and how the deck could transition naturally from our sliding door without needing major structural changes.

He even pointed out that some of our siding might benefit from a little repair while they’re at it—not in a “gotcha” way, but in that “hey, while we’re here, let’s keep things solid” kind of way.

It felt collaborative. Like I wasn’t hiring someone—I was partnering with someone who cared about our home as much as we do.

Big Projects Feel Smaller When the Right People Are Involved

I’m not someone who jumps into renovations lightly. I overthink. I compare. I make pro/con lists. But this time, everything just felt... smooth.

And I think a big part of that is Vermont Custom Exteriors’ whole approach: clarity, honesty, and a genuine desire to make outdoor spaces work for Vermonters, not just look good in a brochure.

They made the “big scary contact form” feel like the easiest step. Because behind that form? Are real people. Neighbors, even. Folks who know what snowload and sun exposure can do to a deck. Folks who want you to enjoy your backyard, not just pay for it.

We Start Next Month. And I’m Ready.

The deposit’s paid. The materials are ordered. And I’ve already made a Pinterest board for deck furniture I can’t afford yet.

Will it be perfect? Maybe not.

But it will be ours—sturdy, intentional, and built with care.

And it all started with a little form and a leap of faith.

Saturday mornings in Elsmere are kind of perfect in their own quiet way. The sun filters through the neighbor’s big maple tree, birds are doing their thing, and the street’s still calm before lawnmowers and leaf blowers start up. My partner and I usually sip coffee on the back steps, which sounds sweet in theory… but in practice, it’s kind of uncomfortable. Just a few concrete slabs, no shade, nowhere to really relax.

It’s not that our backyard is bad. It’s just unfinished. Like a sentence missing punctuation.

Lately, I’ve been dreaming about turning it into something more — not just a yard, but a space we actually use.

🏗️ The Challenge: From Bare to Beloved

We’ve talked about adding a deck for a couple years now, but it always felt like a “someday” thing. The kind of project you start after the bathroom reno, after you repaint the living room, after life stops being so busy. But something changed this spring.

Maybe it’s how much time we’ve been spending at home. Or maybe it’s the fact that our friends down the block just put in a killer pergola setup and now every hangout ends with someone saying, “We’ve got to do something like this.”

Our yard isn’t huge, and there’s a little bit of a slope to contend with — plus the usual Delaware drainage quirks. I kept wondering: Is this even doable?

💻 The Scroll: Where the Ideas Started

That’s when I came across this local page from Prime Decks Delaware all about their Elsmere installations. Honestly? It felt weirdly spot on. They talked about Elsmere’s terrain and zoning like they’ve lived here forever (maybe they have?), and I felt like I was finally reading something that fit.

Not just general advice about “elevating your outdoor space,” but things like how to work with sloped yards, how composite decking can handle Delaware’s humid summers and icy winters, and even the benefits of privacy screens — which, hello, yes please. Our neighbors are lovely, but I wouldn’t mind a little less… visibility.

What I appreciated most? The way they framed decks not as a “construction project” but as a livable space. Like: Where will you have your Sunday coffee? Where will the dog nap in the shade? Where’s the best angle for string lights?

🪵 What It Got Me Thinking About

I started sketching. Again. But this time, I included actual features: a bench that wraps around one corner, a step-down platform for a little portable fire pit, some built-in planters for lavender and rosemary (because why not?).

I love the idea of using composite decking — something I hadn’t really considered before. Less maintenance is definitely a win. And I’d never thought about integrated lighting before, but now I can’t stop imagining how pretty that would look at dusk.

There was also something comforting in the fact that Prime Decks handles everything — permits, layouts, the stuff I’d 100% get overwhelmed by if I tried to DIY this with a friend and a YouTube video.

They seem to know Elsmere’s quirks — the tight driveways, the fence line negotiations, the way one yard might be dry as a bone and the next turns into a swamp after a thunderstorm.

🌸 Where We’re At Now

We’re not hammering anything yet, but the conversation feels real now. We’ve actually walked the yard and started measuring. We’re budgeting. We’re dreaming in possibilities, not just Pinterest pins.

The hope is to build something simple, maybe even this fall, that can grow with us — a place for dinners, naps, lazy Sundays. A space that invites people outside and makes being home feel like vacation at home.

And when we’re ready, I think I know who to call. I’m keeping that Elsmere page bookmarked.

I think it started with that first muggy June afternoon when the sun hit our back patio just right and suddenly, the whole thing felt… wasted. Like the space had so much potential but wasn’t living up to it. We’ve got a decent stretch of yard, nothing wild, but enough for the kids to play catch or for me to sneak out with a book and a cold drink. But the concrete slab? Meh. Cracked. Too hot. Not cozy. Definitely not deck-worthy.

So I started poking around online. Pinterest, of course. Instagram rabbit holes. And then I found myself deep in Kansas City contractor sites (as one does on a Saturday night 🙃). That’s how I ended up on this page from The Decksperts — Custom Deck Construction in Leawood.

Something about the way they described deck building in Leawood hit home. It wasn’t just about adding something to the backyard. It was about reshaping how you live outside. I loved how they talked about using the space differently — not just functionally, but intentionally. Morning coffee? BBQ parties? Shade and storage and seating that feels part of your home? Yes. Yes to all of it.

Their Leawood projects also made me think a lot about materials. I’ve always defaulted to the classic wood look, but reading about the pros and cons of composite decking vs. pressure-treated wood made me pause. I’m the type who forgets to clean the grill cover, so maybe composite is worth considering after all. Less maintenance. Longer life. Fewer splinters when the kids go barefoot (which they always do, even when I warn them not to).

The other thing that stuck with me was how they work around Leawood’s HOA rules and weather patterns. Our neighborhood has its own set of quirks—sun hits hard in the afternoon, and we definitely don’t want a design that overheats by 3 p.m. They even offer ideas for shade and smart layouts, and that got my wheels turning. Like… maybe a built-in bench along the edge? Maybe even a corner pergola?

I’m not sure if I’m ready to pull the trigger yet (gotta budget and all), but it’s really got me rethinking how I want our outdoor life to feel. Not just something to look at from the kitchen window, but somewhere we actually live. Somewhere that feels like summer, even in spring. Somewhere that holds stories and laughter and, okay, maybe a few spilled margaritas.

If you’re in that in-between space like me—somewhere between dreaming and doing—here’s the link that got me visualizing a whole new version of our backyard: https://www.thedeckspertskc.com/areas-we-serve/leawood-ks

Lately, I’ve been staring at my sad, patchy backyard like it’s a blank canvas I have no idea how to fill. We moved into our Hampden house last fall, and while the inside finally feels like ours, the outside is still… underwhelming. A slab of concrete, a few struggling shrubs, and a whole lot of potential.

Then, last weekend, my neighbor hosted a cookout on their gorgeous wraparound deck, and it hit me—that’s what’s missing. A space where we can actually live outside, not just pass through it. I started obsessively Googling deck ideas, which led me down a rabbit hole of composite vs. wood, built-in seating, and whether we could sneak in a fire pit. At some point, I ended up on Vantage Decks and Siding’s services page (link), and suddenly, my vague daydreams had structure.

They break down the whole process—materials, design, even how to prep your yard for construction. I had no idea how much goes into a proper deck build (apparently, "just slap some boards down" isn’t the professional approach). The idea of a low-maintenance composite deck is weirdly appealing—less time staining, more time grilling. And the photos of multi-level decks? Game-changer. Now I’m sketching rough blueprints on napkins like some kind of suburban architect.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how my backyard could be so much more. Right now, it’s just… a yard. Grass, a few sad patio chairs, and a folding table that’s seen better days. But I know it could be a real outdoor living space—somewhere to drink coffee in the morning, host friends in the summer, and just exist without feeling like I’m in a blank green void.

The problem? I have no idea where to start. Do I go with a simple platform deck? Something multi-level? Should it wrap around the house? I’ve been down a rabbit hole of design blogs, but everything either feels too generic or way too extravagant for my modest Bennington backyard.

Then I stumbled on Hunt Home Remodeling’s page on custom deck builds while searching for local deck builders. And wow—some of those projects look exactly like what I’ve been picturing. Not over-the-top, but thoughtful, functional, and actually designed for how people live. One of them even had a little built-in bench along the edge, which immediately made me imagine lazy Sunday mornings with a book and nowhere to be.

It’s got me thinking: maybe I don’t need to copy some Pinterest-perfect, magazine-worthy setup. Maybe the key is just figuring out what I actually want to do out there—grill? Lounge? Grow a container garden?—and building around that.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how my backyard feels… unfinished. It’s not that it’s ugly—it’s just there. A patch of grass, a sad little patio set, and zero personality. I want a space where I can actually live outside, not just glance at it through the window while doing dishes.

Then, last weekend, my neighbor threw a barbecue on their gorgeous new deck. It wasn’t just functional—it was an extension of their home, with built-in seating, subtle lighting, and this beautiful composite material that looked like wood but without the maintenance drama. Suddenly, my sad concrete slab felt even sadder.

I ended up down a Google rabbit hole (as one does) and stumbled onto Supreme Deck Builders of St. Charles’ Services page. They had this breakdown of different deck styles—multi-level, wraparound, even ones with pergolas—and it got me imagining what my yard could be. I’m not sure I need anything fancy, but the idea of a low-profile, modern deck with space for a fire pit? Yes.