Gather Here: Notes on Designing Intentional Outdoor Living Spaces, feat. Nikki Reed

Your home’s outdoor space is more than just a backdrop; it’s an invitation to gather, unwind, and reconnect with what matters most. It’s where life happens; where you create memories through meals, conversations, celebrations and mental resets.

For actor, designer, and sustainability advocate Nikki Reed, creating intentional spaces has become a defining focus. Now centered in a quieter life filled with family, animals, and mission-driven work on her farm, she’s become a natural source of inspiration for creating intentional outdoor living spaces that unify nature, community, and functionality.

Her philosophy? Design spaces that bring people together. In her words, “When you create spaces for people to gather, you create spaces that hold memories for a lifetime.” Trex® composite decking helped bring her vision to life when creating multiple decks in her home, and the lessons she’s learned along the way might just inspire your next outdoor project, too.

Lesson #1: Design memorable spaces that feel like you

Designing an intentional outdoor space starts not with trends, but with how you live. When building a deck, focus on what you need from the space day to day, rather than on how it will look in photos. Your space should invite quiet mornings and weekend gatherings.

For Nikki, that means a deck that holds morning coffee, Zoom calls on her laptop, arts and crafts with her daughter, and shared meals in the open air; it's a space to both connect and decompress. These everyday rituals are what transform a deck into a true extension of home.

Nikki believes that external spaces shape internal calm. Rather than chasing trends, she focuses on decluttering, minimizing, and choosing simple, tranquil details that prioritize feeling over decor.

For her, Nikki’s decks have come to represent connection and time together, becoming parts of her home where the moments that matter most naturally unfold. And with her love of animals and the outdoors, Trex’s nature-inspired browns, taupes, and rich wood tones blend seamlessly into Nikki’s farm setting. Her decks feel like inviting, comfortable, and peaceful spaces that family and friends alike gravitate toward.

When designing your own deck and outdoor space with intention, ask yourself: How much time do you want to spend outside? Who do you want to gather in your outdoor living space? What memories do you want to create there?

Lesson #2: Make the outdoors part of every day

In a society where everyone is constantly on their devices, finding a balance between screen time and spending time outdoors isn’t always easy.

However, an intentional outdoor space can support both work and play. Nikki takes work calls, sends emails, and hosts picnics all outside on her deck. Even a compact deck can become an outdoor office, wellness corner, or family hub when it's designed with comfort and functionality in mind.

“My dream is to have usable outdoor space, to enjoy, be in the sun, and counterbalance the amount of time we all spend with computers at our desks.” —Nikki Reed

Lesson #3: Choose lasting sustainability

Nikki prioritizes sustainability in every part of her life. Her luxury jewelry business, BaYou With Love, centers around “sustainability through the lens of luxury,” proving that recycled materials can be beautiful. For Nikki, that mission aligns naturally with Trex, with its composite decking lines made of up to 95% recycled and reclaimed materials.

For Nikki, sustainability is inseparable from durability, and Trex's low-maintenance composite decking delivers on both. A space is truly sustainable only if it can withstand years of use. So far, Nikki says, her decks have withstood rambunctious pets, spilled foods and chalk drawings, and relentless sun (and still look brand new).

Trex’s 25- to 50-year limited residential warranties put that durability in writing, offering peace of mind that she won’t be rebuilding or replacing anytime soon.

Your Personal Gathering Place

Intentional outdoor living means shaping your space so it supports how you connect and recharge. Like Nikki's deck, yours can also become an extension of your home, where you gather with loved ones to share a meal, steal a quiet moment, or simply soak up the sun. And with Trex, investing in a deck is really investing in a lifestyle that’s durable, sustainable, and built to hold a lifetime of memories.

Your “gather here” moment starts now. Discover more outdoor living inspiration here, or get started with samples from your favorite Trex decking lines today!