Deck design is a very personal task. Your home’s style should be a major factor, or it will feel out of place. Over the years, we have seen each metropolitan area develop its own style of design. One builder takes an idea from another and, eventually, you have a flavor all its own that develops in your city. Then, you have a wide selection of manufacturers that have created as many as 2-10 product designs for you to choose from. There has been no lack of creativity in the deck industry over the past 5-10 years.
Below are some killer tips to designing the ultimate deck, no matter what you decide to use it for.
Establishing your Wants and your Needs
Most people want to design their own deck but often do not know how to start. Try exploring the big picture. Don’t get hung up on details. Use your imagination. If you are still saying things like “I want a deck just like our last house,” you are not trying hard enough. Don’t be afraid to think big and bold. Perhaps you would enjoy owning your own private terraced oasis, an elegant veranda, or some other outdoor space. This approach will typically lead to better results than deciding on a replica of your neighbour’s deck. You probably won’t be able to fully realize all these visions but, in the end, it will be worth it if you can blend a few of them into the final design. Now, let’s decide upon what you really need to accomplish your dream deck. Do you need a way to access the backyard from an elevated patio door? Do you need a good place to keep your grill? Do you need a space for outdoor summer dining, relaxing and entertaining? Recognizing and negotiating your needs and wants will be a critical component in expressing your design intentions.
Plan for the Way You Live
Start with general ideas of what the deck can do to enhance your life. What will you really use the deck for? For instance, if you’re not a party animal, maybe you want to emphasize intimate gathering and dining areas. If you love to grill, go a little wild with an outdoor kitchen. Ask family members what they’d like from your future deck. Consider design elements, such as a friendly conversation pit, container gardening, a spa to soak in, or just a clear path for taking out the garbage.
Plan for Use Areas and Traffic
Once you’ve got your priorities right, plan a deck that allows enough space for the activities you enjoy, as well as comfortable traffic pathways between and around them. Often, these areas will be visible only after furniture has been set out. You can think of your deck as having specific “rooms” for dining, lounging, cooking and mingling. Make sure that there will be ample room for chairs around a dining table, small end tables or a coffee table next to lounge furniture and potted plants.
Materials You Will Maintain and Enjoy
For the finish materials – the decking, railing, fascia and perhaps skirt – many people today choose to spend a hefty amount for composites, PVC and other materials that are low maintenance. Others prefer to save their money and build with inexpensive treated or (somewhat less inexpensive) cedar. Wood surfaces often need to be pressure-washed and sealed once a year. But, if you prefer the natural look and don’t mind regular maintenance, it may be the choice for you. Some say that a deck should be no larger than 20 percent of the house’s square footage, so as not to overwhelm a house visually. But, if you spend plenty of time on it, and if it is divided up into clearly different rooms, a larger deck can look and feel quite at home. There’s nothing wrong with a rectangular deck but consider adding pizzazz with angles or even curves. They will take additional time to build but can make a deck feel special rather than cookie-cutter. Design with a “theme and variation” approach, so that a certain angle or curve gets repeated, perhaps with different sizes, at various places.
The Right Cooking and Noshing Spaces
If you love to cook outdoors and like interacting with people as you grill, plan an elaborate outdoor kitchen with a counter and several cooking appliances. You might want to include an eating counter with stools just opposite the cooking area, so people can snack, sample and offer advice while you cook. If you’d rather keep food prep simple, you may want to make a small alcove off to the side, with just enough room for a grill. Or you may choose to do all your cooking indoors. There’s no law saying you must own a grill.
Get the Views Right
Consider the view, both from the deck and from inside the house. If there is a bulky railing between you and what you want to see, your deck will be a less inviting place. Here are some possible solutions. Step the deck down with platforms or descending sections, which will lower the railings or perhaps make it possible to do without them. Or, choose railings with thin balusters, or even glass panels. Also, if a certain view pleases more than others, plan your deck’s “rooms” so that people will naturally turn in that direction. You may choose to build a deck in a style that blends with the house, or you may prefer to make your deck a clearly different place, emphasizing its outdoorsy ambience. Where the deck steps down to meet the yard, it often looks and feels best to have some transitional materials. Stones, pavers and bricks almost always look handsome next to a deck, whether it is built of natural wood or man-made materials. A deck-and-patio combination is a sure-fire winner.
Visual Elements
We think of a deck as basically a floor, but it’s the upright components – the railing, skirting and overhead structures – that make the most visual impact. There are a dizzying array of railing designs and components to choose among. Take your time to choose a railing that suits your space perfectly. If a deck is raised, you may want to install decorative skirting to cover its underside. If there is enough room for a patio below, consider installing a stay-dry system, so the patio can be a retreat when it rains. Unless you live in an area with perfect weather, you will likely enjoy your deck more in the summer if you have a shade structure. A pergola is the most common solution. It provides varying degrees of shade determined by how closely spaced the rafters are to each other. Where the sun is oppressive, consider an awning of some sort. Most decks also benefit from a planter or two. Or plan on setting out large pots for your plants. Planters can be placed as a part of a railing system, or they can be joined to a bench.
When it comes to the actual construction of your new deck, leave it to the experts at Maliview Homes with their many years of practical experience and excellent customer satisfaction ratings.
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