12 Railing Design Ideas for your Newport, RI, Beach House
Few things are better than waking up and watching the sunrise over the ocean in Newport, Rhode Island — especially when it’s done from the comfort of your beach house.
Having a deck with a well-constructed railing can make all the difference when trying to experience Newport’s coastal climate and landscape. Fortunately, certain railing materials and designs can keep homeowners safe without sacrificing the view.
Understanding Modern Railing Systems
Historically, railing systems were built of wood, as it was the easiest material to manipulate for thin, carved balusters and rails.
While wood remains a popular material choice, it requires regular maintenance and can be a headache over time, especially with the many pieces that make up even a small railing system.
The salt of Newport’s beachfront climate is also a concern, as it can lessen the lifespan of wood railings and lead to even more frequent cleaning and maintenance.
Luckily, modern materials are on the market that resist rot, mold and mildew and are more durable than wood. Besides their functional properties, these materials also offer more design choices, giving Newport Beach homeowners a larger palette to craft a perfect railing system.
For modern railing designs, consider exploring Russin’s:
However, if you are set on using wood as a material, Western Red Cedar is a natural, moisture-resistant wood type that can stand the test of time, even with little maintenance. However, you will lose the flexibility that some of the above options provide.
12 Railing Design Ideas for Newport, RI
There are countless material, color and style options when designing a railing system. Here are 12 design ideas to help you complete a beautiful railing for your Newport beach house.
1. Bronze Railing Design With Gray Decking
This beach house’s modern gray aesthetic is highlighted with light gray Deckorators Vista decking boards, wood-look shake siding and house trim.
While gray is often considered a gloomy color, it’s a popular choice in today’s designs as its neutrality allows for flexibility in other details. Homeowners can use accents, like wood beam columns or lush green plants, to add touches of brightness to tie the design together.
The muted and subtle aesthetic is an excellent foundation to let the beauty of the view take center stage, helped by the thin balusters of the aluminum railing system.
2. Black Railing Design With Grey Decking
Featuring light gray Deckorators Vault decking, this deck is adorned with light-colored furniture to match the siding and gray pillows to match the deck. A dark railing system was selected to balance all the light colors, providing a sturdy aesthetic for the lush yard and planters to pop.
3. Glass Railing Idea With Wood Flooring
There is something special about glass railing systems and the lack of balusters, especially when the backdrop is too stunning to be hidden. This deck uses square tempered glass panels paired with Thermory Kodiak decking to create a rustic yet modern deck.
The glass deck railing system helps make this deck feel expansive and open even though the yard’s foliage is so close — a fantastic design decision to make use of limited outdoor space.
4. Brown Handrail Designs With Lighted Posts and Light Brown Decking
This beautiful waterfront house uses Deckorators decking to craft a large outdoor eating area and a staircase leading to a second level. People often think about decks for daytime hang-outs, but there’s no reason they can’t be enjoyed after the sun goes down.
To make this deck even more appealing, the designer employed the Luna collection lighting on the railing posts, providing just enough light to keep the party going long after sunset.
5. Black Handrail With Beige Porcelain Floor
This deck opted against the typical decking boards and chose Mbrico porcelain deck tiles. These tiles are super strong and durable, as their density and uniformity make them impervious to staining and coastal weather conditions. With a variety of colors, they can blend into any aesthetic.
Here, carefully chosen tiles match the beautiful tones of the stone columns. A dark-colored aluminum railing system integrates to ensure a well-balanced color contrast.
6. Brown Handrail Design With a Nature-Inspired Theme
A lush inlet inspired the designer of this deck to focus on lighter wood tones with the decking and aluminum Deckorators railing system so that the plethora of greens and blues beyond could shine.
Deckorators railing systems are a great choice for durability and strength. They are also low maintenance and come in various color options. Small lights were integrated on the posts to keep this deck usable after nightfall, and bright green Adirondack chairs were added to connect it all to nature.
7. Classic White and Grey Handrail Design
This deck showcases a lightly colored deck of varying board widths and a gray runner board to break up the large space. The white Deckorators ALX railing complements the classic beach house style while the cable railing keeps the beautiful view intact.
Add in white planters, some lanterns and wicker furniture, and we may have the perfect deck overlooking the beach.
8. Black Handrail With Grey Composite Decking and Black Board and Batten
This deck takes advantage of the popular gray aesthetic by going even darker on the home siding, a surprisingly beautiful look when paired with the light-colored wood beams and ceiling boards.
Lighter wood-look gray Deckorators Vista decking boards help bridge the gap and offer a softer foundation on which to build. The literal centerpiece is the aesthetic cornerstone: a light wooden table top with black painted legs and black furniture to match the black railing. It is modern, powerful and elegant.
9. White Handrail Design With Brown Composite Decking
This modern yet rustic deck has dark-trimmed windows set against the stucco-esque siding, dark beams to match and lightly colored wood trimming the ceiling.
A strong white railing system interplays with the white furniture cushions to lighten everything up, creating a big mixture of styles and colors that all work together. Add in green from the planters, and this looks like a work of art.
This deck is also taking beautiful advantage of the growing trend toward mixed-width decking. Deckorators’ Voyage decking embraces this trend, with four widths available.
10. Clear Glass With Metal Support Posts
When this is the view off of your deck, it’s hard not to go with a glass railing system. This deck features the InvisiRail™ SLX railing system, a super minimal railing system with no handrail to maximize the visibility of the oceanfront beyond.
With glass, it’s best to keep things simple. Here, the designer leaned into simplicity and chose a standard wood decking and black wicker furniture with light cushions.
11. Deck Design With Mixed Railing Materials
This deck chose a more Mediterranean look with Mbrico porcelain decking tiles and a railing mixture that features a wall and railing together.
Light reds and sandstone textures create a different feel than normal for North Eastern coastal aesthetics but are great options if you’re looking to add a unique touch to your design. Wicker furniture and planters evoke the sense of Italian and French Riviera beach houses and buildings, bringing some of the old world into the new.
12. Glass Design With Grey Decking
This design example is another use of the InvisiRail™ SLX railing system partnering with a standard baluster railing for the staircase up.
Wood-look grays for the decking and furniture bring more interest than the classic white while not overpowering the overly large deck. The light blue and green cushions bring the beach house aesthetic to life, tying in the vibrant colors of the sea.
Create a Luxurious Deck for Your Beach House With Russin
At Russin, our goal is to bring luxury and elegance to homes in the Northeast, and helping customers perfect their Newport beach homes is one of our favorite projects.
From high-end wood species for decking, siding and interior paneling to the best in modern railing systems, we combine the best design ideas from the past and present to craft something beautiful and present.
Contact our experts today to learn more about modern railing systems that can enhance your Newport, RI, beach home.
