It’s time to start thinking about your deck and your railings as two separate entities. They don’t have to match or be made from the same materials — they just have to look good together!

It’s easy to update your deck railings for a fresh new look. Here at Beaver Creek Home Center, we’re always ready to lend our expertise …

• Try removing the vertical wooden pickets, drilling a row of holes down each post, and sliding through pieces of electrical conduit. It will give your deck a fresh, modern look without spending a lot of money. Another fun idea is to build a stainless-steel cable rail it doesn’t block the view, and it has a funky, industrial feel.

• For a sleek railing that stands up to every season, consider aluminum railings with a powder coating to resist corrosion. They’ll maintain their colour year after year without fading.

• If the top portion of your current railing is a lattice, you know it’s nice to have the privacy from neighbours and to block the view of your garbage cans but it can look a little dated. You may want to replace it with something a bit more interesting, like a repeating pattern of floating squares.

• A trellis with lush vines is an attractive way to block unsightly views — your neighbour’s sad-looking half-built doghouse, perhaps?

• If you’re looking for privacy at deck-level, replace your lower railings with opaque, break-resistant glass panels. This is a super-modern look that allows lots of light to flood through onto your deck, while letting you sunbathe or lounge away from the prying eyes of next-door neighbours. When the view’s too gorgeous to hide, then clear tempered glass panels are a must.

• Building a new deck staircase is the perfect time to add some dynamic outdoor lighting to the stairs or their risers. It makes it safer for you and your guests to use the stairs at night, and it looks beautiful glowing after dusk.

• When you’re placing vertical pickets, consider creating a more intricate pattern than simply spacing them two inches apart all the way around. What about three pickets close together, then a wider gap, and then three more? Be sure to check with local building guidelines so your new railing meets the code — too big of a space and a child could fall through or get their head stuck!

• For really eye-catching railings, why not incorporate a bit of pattern? A geometric shape — like an “X” inside of a square — can break up the monotony of one picket after another.

• Who says pickets need to be vertical, anyway? Some houses look wonderful with railings that have horizontal boards stained to match the deck.

• End-caps are an easy way to add flair to your railings. They give the deck a polished, more expensive look.