Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1120507
22 Philosophers have long held that those seeking happiness can find it in their own backyards, but in this province — where even the warm weather tends to the extreme — that's really only true for a few short months each year. Luckily, Deck City's Jennifer Thiessen subscribes to a similar school of thought, and has the expertise to help homeowners make the most of their outdoor spaces for as long as possible, putting them on the path to a state of backyard nirvana. "Here in Manitoba, everybody loves to spend time in the backyard," says Thiessen, Deck City's architectural designer since 2011. "But if you build a beautiful space and it's scorching hot in the middle of the day and nobody feels comfortable enough to sit out there, then you're not going to be able to enjoy that beautiful yard. "We want to make it comfortable at all times of the day, so you can maximize how much you're going to be out there." Thiessen and the team at Deck City — a company launched in 2004 by her husband Jason, a journeyman carpenter — provide a full slate of services aimed at enhancing backyard experiences via tailor-made environments that combine newly designed decks and fencing with landscaping upgrades, three-season additions, sheltering gazebos, pergolas and even pizza ovens. And they've got their work cut out for them here in Manitoba, where truncated summers make backyards a serious business — to the point that a growing number of homeowners prioritize their yards over even that most Canadian of assets, the summer cottage. "I have a number of clients who've told me they sold their cottage and now they're investing in their backyard because they want it to be just a couple of steps out their backdoor," Thiessen says. "They want their kids or their grandkids to be able to come home and spend time with them there." Having handled a variety of customer service roles since Deck City's inception, Thiessen says she was increasingly drawn to the design side, based on her dealings with contractors and clients alike. She studied architecture at the University of Manitoba — and later worked for cabinet installers E.G. Penner Building Centres — before returning to Deck City in her current role, where she's able to apply both the design and JENNIFER THIESSEN Owner and project designer, Deck City designed for outdoor living PLANNING MAKES PERFECT BACKYARD SANCTUARIES