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"TimberTech decking is ofered in a wide assortment of colors, including some new deck options that take the look of interior fooring to the outdoor deck," says Shendow. For Trex Vice President of Marketing Adam Zambanini, tropical-hardwood col- ors still sell the best for the market-leading maker of composites. Beyond color, authen- tic looking streaking patterns and authentic grains are big points of diferentiation. In addition to staying on trend in color, their goal is to ofer new design capabilities along with introducing new categories of outdoor living brand extensions. BIG DESIGN WITH FOCAL POINTS As the deck has evolved to become a direct extension of indoor spaces, the size, scope and complexity of the average deck has grown. Decking manufacturers have moved to sup- port remodelers and deck builders by expand- ing their oferings into railings, lighting and pergolas. Trex, this year, expanded into a line of matching deck storage units and coolers to support the trend of expansive decks. "We want to be on trend. We want to be about what is next in outdoor living." Zambanini explains. "So we just introduced outdoor storage cabinets. If you have furniture on the deck, often there is no place to store the cushions. You don't want to spend $20,000 on a deck and then put a $100 deck box on it. We introduced outdoor storage solutions and vertically integrated it into the deck. So there are ice chests if you want to have a party along with a number of other outdoor accessories." Bigger decks with broader design horizons and more focal points are squarely where Viance has positioned its EcoLife pres- sure-treated product, says Viance's Director of Marketing Chris Kollwitz. According to Principia and others, treated wood is cer- tainly holding its own as a decking surface, particularly with the growth of hidden fas- teners, but the category is also growing as a key part of the deck structure, where treat- ed wood can connect with soil and support those bigger decks and new "focal points." "Outdoor living spaces today include fountains and hardscapes. Now people are building these incredible outdoor kitchens with grills, sinks, kitchens and pizza ovens," notes Kollwitz. "And so we see a lot more interest in arbors and gazebos and enhanced Meanwhile, the saying that gray is the new black is also accurate. A weathered, gray cedar that NyloDeck calls Coastal Mist is a big seller for the company this year. It was introduced in 2014 and has moved to the No. 1 spot for the brand. CEO Morse says the new color, along with new porch-board widths, has been a hot seller for the company. Rachelle Shendow, vice president of mar- keting for the newly merged AZEK Deck and TimberTech, says the later brand is doing well with its gray Stone Ash color that is part of its value-focused Terrain Collection. launched in January, are selling well — as expected — because they are consistent with the trend toward bringing the inside outdoors. Oak and maple are also colors that ft well with the resurgence of popular mid-centu- ry-modern designs. "Not a lot of the decking manufacturers of- fer a contemporary look," notes Camferman. "But if you go into Pinterest and Houzz, it is full of mid-century modern. It is contempo- rary. It is clean lines. It is metals mixed with wood, mixed with plastic. Nobody is doing that look well in decks yet." AZEK's Slate Gray decking product is shown here. The deck includes ballusters, lighting and a mix of colors to create a more designed finished product. Circle 7 on inquiry card 40 June 2015 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com | ForResidentialPros.com PRODUCT TRENDS: Decking