Trex Outdoor Living Products Bring VISION House® Into Focus

Green Builder Media’s VISION House® at Mariposa Meadows provides elegant, comfortable hospitality in a remote, pristine setting on the Western Slope of Colorado. Material used in the build of the demonstration home had to meet the highest sustainability and design standards for the compound that sits in the midst of a radiant aspen forest.

Central to the intentional set of criteria, and perhaps the most important expression of their desire to reconnect guests and visitors with the wild world, is the expansive Trex deck that emerged as the focal point of the project, says Green Builder Media President Ron Jones. Green Builder has built a number of VISION Homes throughout the United States over the past 20 years.

The compound’s remote location and topography, geology, flora and fauna, factored heavily in design decisions and product selections that had to deliver the best resistance to fire spread and weather threats. They also had to be extremely durable and resilient, requiring minimal maintenance given the location’s limited accessibility most of the year.

Besides meeting these standards, the Trex deck serves to welcome all users to a common location and promote interaction and relaxation among those gathered there while providing a safe, secure and enjoyable atmosphere that invites closer engagement with the natural surroundings, especially the canopies of the neighboring aspen trees that are literally with reach across the railings.    

“Standing or lounging on the deck one will frequently be eye-to-eye with the songbirds that inhabit the forest in season,” Jones says. “At any time, we might enjoy a visit from a resident moose, elk or group of mule deer."

Looking through the stand of trees, the deck views open to the rolling grassy mountain meadows that the facility is named for, as well as the surrounding forested hillsides that provide the foreground to the high peaks beyond.

When it came to selecting the manufacturer of the decking components and related products that they would need to crown the project, Jones and team chose Trex for its “careful approach to environmental solutions and long-standing commitment to sustainability,” Jones explains.

The Trex decking, railing and hidden fasteners not only provided the design team with great confidence in its ability to avoid fire related concerns, they also offered protection from insect infestations and damage from local wildlife, especially forest dwelling rodents and woodpeckers that inhabit the environment.

“We were unsurprised by the quality, consistent uniformity, expansive choice of design solutions, and technical support that Trex delivered,” Jones says. “Every deck board, trim piece, fastener and other hardware item is carefully and thoroughly integrated into a seamless set of parts that make it possible to achieve extremely professional results, whether the layout is simple or complex. It is truly a pleasure to work with products that are made to such high standards.”

Jones hailed the Trex Signature® aluminum railing system that made the construction process smooth and easily accomplished with basic skills and equipment. The team chose Charcoal Black posts and rails with mesh that enhanced the spectacular views.

The easy-to-install Trex lighting options, which Jones calls “well-conceived,” included versatile control settings and are a finishing touch that sets the stage for entertainment on a high level.

“What we might not have expected but were pleased to learn is that the Trex offering also includes a wide range of related product components and accessories that complete the project in ways that others simply cannot provide,” Jones says. “Through their brand partners, we were able to add a remarkable variety of matched products that sealed the deal.”

Those extras include a commanding pergola, a wide range of eco-friendly and sturdy outdoor furniture and gorgeous cushions, as well as a sturdy but easy-to-install metal spiral staircase from the Trex outdoor living collection.

“All of these products are produced with high precision and integrate beautifully into the overall presentation," Jones says. “Each piece, every element, compliments all of the others and helps us to succeed in creating an extraordinary tribute to outdoor living that feels like it is part of the landscape.

“We enjoy a sense of peace and ease into the mysteries of the aspen forest on each and every occasion when we get to spend time there.”