Amazingly Simple Home Deck Design Ideas!

Crafting the perfect deck for your home is about more than what materials you use. A backyard escape should also tell a story through design — and invite you to become lost in the narrative. When it comes to building and designing an outdoor deck, there is a lot of planning and design-making. To get your creative juices flowing, we’ve put together tips and advice on how to plan out your deck.

Planning a Perfect Deck

When you plan out your deck, you’ll need to determine the size deck you’d like, establish a budget, select material, and determine whether you want to build it yourself or hire a professional.  Here are some tips to ease the process along:

1. Decide the deck’s purpose.
2. Where are you building the deck?
3. Check with your local zoning board to find out the building codes.
4. Are you going to add lighting to the deck?
5. Do you want built-ins or benches built into your deck?
6. Determine what are the type of railings you want as this will be your deck’s most visible part.

Design Ideas

1) Herringbone Deck Patterns – This elaborate, fun design that brings a dynamic look to your deck surface. To create this look you repeat laying two deck boards at a 45-degree angle. You can use different deck board widths or colors to create an inspiring deck pattern. Herringbone pairs best with larger decks that have space for the pattern to repeat.

2) Picture-Frame Borders & Contrasting Hues –

A picture frame border refers to boards laid around your deck perimeter perpendicular to the inlay boards. Choose one, two, or three boards for your picture frame to give your deck as subtle or as bold of a border as you desire.

Use boards of a contrasting color to your deck surface for one or more of your border boards. This will create a truly striking and eye-popping perimeter!

Love a dynamic, high-contrast look? You can also combine white elements in your deck design with richly-hued modern composite decking for a dramatic effect. Choose white PVC trim for your fascia and stair risers to create a crisp, clean border against the saturated decking. A white composite railing with black balusters adds further contrast to the design.

3) Contrasting with Curves – Choose outdoor furniture that will complement your deck design. A curved, modular couch echoes the rounded cascading stairs while a dark frame and light cushions contribute even more contrast to an already dramatic design.

4) Wide Railing for Cocktails

– Your deck railing is more than tasteful decoration and added safety to your deck. One of TimberTech’s more fun products is the Drink Rail – part of the Classic Composite Series.  The Drink Rail features a deck board as the top rail to tie your deck and railing together seamlessly. Plus, it’s the perfect place to rest your morning coffee or late-night cocktail. It’s perfect for anyone looking for sharp designs that complement their deck AND home!

5)  Think Outside the Box

– Rounded decks feel organic and merge well with natural settings. They also create separate areas for cooking, seating, or housing a garden or hot tub. Try creating new and unusual decking patterns, such as basket weave, or alternating diagonals. Just remember – it’s your backyard space and your design, so don’t be afraid to try something new if it fits your budget.

6)  Wrap Around Views

– Having a deck that wraps around the second story of your home will give tremendous access to views. These decks can also double as balconies for morning coffee and are a great place for anyone in the family to sit. And they provide as much aesthetic value from inside the home as they do from the outside.

7) Combined Deck and Walkway – It is important to consider the transition between the deck and backyard. Adding a paved walkway leading from your deck helps to visually join a deck and garden or large lawn area. This allows you to introduce harmonizing colors and shapes to pull the deck and yard together. Even better it provides a much-needed safe path back indoors in case of inclement weather.

8) Added Shade – Adding a pergola, canopy or a shaded archway can create a one-of-a-kind outdoor living space. It also provides relief from the sun and offers a safe place to stay outside in the rain. You can introduce shady nooks, such as planting a wall of trees or using cornered walls of your home as a framework. You can also add hammocks and shaded benches to the covered patio below a second-story deck.

9)  Make a Playground Deck – Why should kids have all the fun? Turn your deck into a grown-up playhouse with built-in climbing walls, slides and more! Nothing brings a gathering of friends and family together like a chance to have some good-natured fun and feel like a kid again. Check out this cool playground deck highlighted on HGTV.com:

And don’t forget! The expert staff at GNH Lumber is ready to help you find the right home deck ideas and work through the process! At the end of the day, we want you to create the outdoor space of your dreams and stay within your budget. Place your order today for a beautiful outdoor living space tomorrow.

Looking for more deck design ideas and inspiration? Here are some of our favorite styles from TimberTech to help spark your imagination:

Sources: TimberTech Deck Design Options; TimberTech Deck Design Ideas;