Whether you live in a townhouse or single family home, adding a deck can increase your space, and provide an oasis for relaxing and having fun with friends and family. At Tri County Fence & Decks, we’ve seen and built all kinds of decks in Maryland. But even with our many years of experience, we still come across deck design ideas that wow us. To stay on top of the trends and stay inspired, we’ve created a place on Pinterest to collect and share great deck ideas. Click here to see our Cool Deck Ideas board. Be sure to follow our boards, too. We’re always finding new ideas to share. Here are some of the ideas we love…
Built In Lighting
A great way to make your deck the perfect place for entertaining at night is to include built-in lighting. Lighting along stairways is not only attractive, but offers safety on dark nights. Other areas to add lighting are under deck railings and under built-in deck seating. If you already have a deck that does not have lighting built-in, you can always add lighting to the tops of posts. You can also run string lighting underneath of overhangs, railings and built-in seating. You can even attach hooks to deck railings to hang solar lights.
Multiple Deck Colors
When considering ideas for your composite deck design, consider building it with 2 or more different deck colors. Creating accent areas with alternating colors adds aesthetic appeal without taking up an extra space. Deck flooring, railings, posts, and under-deck areas can be alternated for a unique look. We often see homeowners carry the style of the outside of their house into the deck, creating a seamless look. If you have a wood deck, the same look can be achieved by using alternating colors of deck stain and paint.
Storage Areas
From HGTV on Pinterest
Chances are that the area in which you live will have at least one season that is not conducive to leaving out patio cushions and accessories. Finding a place to store these items during the off season can be tough, particularly if you live in a neighborhood which does not allow storage sheds. You can solve this problem by creating built in storage areas into your deck. If you’re adding bench seating to your deck, why not make the area under the seat double as a storage area?
No deck seating? No worries! You can have your deck builder create an under-the-floor storage area. Sort of like a trap door built into the deck floor, this area can be as large as needed to hold all sorts of deck cushions, toys and accessories.
Sunken Social Area
From gardenandhome.co.za on Pinterest
Remember sunken living rooms in the 70’s? Well, that trend was thrown out, but it didn’t go far…it landed right in the backyard!
Homeowners are finding great ways to foster conversation and good times by adding sunken social areas into their decks. Often seen as a second level built onto a deck, this area generally has three or more sides that contain built-in seating. At the center, we often see a table or fire pit.
Or, if you’re a fan of South African bomas, the sunken deck can be built right into your backyard with a fire pit as its centerpiece. How cool is that?! Of course, with a fire pit, extreme caution should be taken. Gas or propane fire pits are the safer choice, and should be checked often during use to ensure that the deck is not overheating.
Under Deck Outdoor Room and Play Areas
From gardenphotos.com
If deck on your home is on the second story, you most likely have an opportunity to get two great outdoor areas for the price of one. The space underneath of your deck can double as an outdoor room. By adding a ‘ceiling’ to the underside of your deck floor, you can create a space that you can use even in the rain. Many homeowners add play houses and sandboxes to create a way for kids to play in the shade on hot days. We’ve even seen decks with built-in slides. So much fun! Another idea is to add chandelier style lighting to the ceiling, hang fabric on the sides, and add lounge seating to the area to create a breezy outdoor oasis.
