See 3 Homes Dramatically Transformed by Decks
Designers use these popular and versatile structures to enhance outdoor spaces and indoor-outdoor connections
Installing a deck can be a great way to enhance your outdoor space, bridging the gap between home and garden. A wide range of materials, designs and bonus features to choose from means you can have a deck that perfectly complements your outdoor needs, design preference and home’s architecture.
The following three backyard makeovers from designers on Houzz show how new decks transformed the outdoor spaces they are in, adding plenty of style and functionality.
The following three backyard makeovers from designers on Houzz show how new decks transformed the outdoor spaces they are in, adding plenty of style and functionality.
After: In the total backyard redesign, a new cedar deck is a standout element. It’s a gathering and entertaining destination, a playground, a privacy screen and a corridor for getting from the home down into the yard. It breaks up the lot into smaller areas, reducing the feeling of being in one long, narrow outdoor space. The deck is finished with a clear-coat sealer and will gray over time.
The irregular edge and unique shape also direct movement to different areas of the yard. Steps down the left side lead to a path of in-ground cedar planks. The radiating portion in the center guides people to the concrete walkway on the right side of the yard and forms casual amphitheater-style seating.
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The irregular edge and unique shape also direct movement to different areas of the yard. Steps down the left side lead to a path of in-ground cedar planks. The radiating portion in the center guides people to the concrete walkway on the right side of the yard and forms casual amphitheater-style seating.
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The steps’ decking alternates direction at each tread. Radutny says he did this to add design interest and to make the steps more visible. It’s easier to see the edges, he says, with the wood running in opposite directions.
New outdoor lighting illuminates the space at night. LED-wrapped cables crisscross above the deck in a pattern designed to slightly mimic that of the decking.
See more of this deck and backyard in Chicago
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New outdoor lighting illuminates the space at night. LED-wrapped cables crisscross above the deck in a pattern designed to slightly mimic that of the decking.
See more of this deck and backyard in Chicago
Shop for outdoor string lights
2. Plant-Filled Deck Replaces a Worn-Out Concrete Lot
Designer: Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design
Location: San Francisco
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters)
The owners of this San Franscisco home wanted an outdoor space where they could lounge in private and have dinner. Landscape designer Beth Mullins converted their decrepit plot of concrete into a lush outdoor escape, providing plenty of space for them to eat, entertain and play with their young daughter.
Before: The existing outdoor space was nothing more than a rectangle of old concrete surrounded by fencing and other buildings. But existing underground parking on the property provided a better place for cars and opened up this prime outdoor space for other uses.
Designer: Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design
Location: San Francisco
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters)
The owners of this San Franscisco home wanted an outdoor space where they could lounge in private and have dinner. Landscape designer Beth Mullins converted their decrepit plot of concrete into a lush outdoor escape, providing plenty of space for them to eat, entertain and play with their young daughter.
Before: The existing outdoor space was nothing more than a rectangle of old concrete surrounded by fencing and other buildings. But existing underground parking on the property provided a better place for cars and opened up this prime outdoor space for other uses.
After: A new ipe wood deck nestles into the reimagined yard’s corner. Designer Beth Mullins built the deck over the existing concrete, which saved money since she didn’t have to demolish the patio or pay to have it hauled away. The team needed to pull up the concrete only under the deck where it installed the posts and footings.
Built-in planters filled with succulents, grasses and other low-water plants frame the deck and serve as a boundary for the 3-foot drop.
Built-in planters filled with succulents, grasses and other low-water plants frame the deck and serve as a boundary for the 3-foot drop.
Mullins considered turning the whole backyard into one big patio but added the deck and built-in planters as a way to mix materials and heights. “I wanted to make them feel like it wasn’t just a long, open space,” she says. The deck also brings up the ground plane, reducing the perceived height difference between the floor and the wall.
See more of this San Francisco backyard
See more of this San Francisco backyard
3. Two-Story Porch Improves a Home’s Exterior
Architect: Ryan Duebber
Location: Cincinnati
Size: Upper level of 400 square feet (37 square meters), lower level of 230 square feet (21 square meters)
Architect Ryan Duebber worked with a family in Cincinnati to transform the exterior of its somewhat plain suburban home and underutilized backyard into a modern-inspired backyard destination. Upgrading the home’s existing back deck was at the center of the renovation, to enhance both the home’s outdoor living and exterior architecture.
Before: This home’s existing deck added outdoor living space but didn’t do anything to enhance the home or backyard. “The old deck didn’t fit their aesthetic,” Duebber says. “The house’s lack of style made it easy to plan something more interesting.”
Since the existing deck was in good condition, the architect was able to reuse its structure for the new deck’s construction.
Architect: Ryan Duebber
Location: Cincinnati
Size: Upper level of 400 square feet (37 square meters), lower level of 230 square feet (21 square meters)
Architect Ryan Duebber worked with a family in Cincinnati to transform the exterior of its somewhat plain suburban home and underutilized backyard into a modern-inspired backyard destination. Upgrading the home’s existing back deck was at the center of the renovation, to enhance both the home’s outdoor living and exterior architecture.
Before: This home’s existing deck added outdoor living space but didn’t do anything to enhance the home or backyard. “The old deck didn’t fit their aesthetic,” Duebber says. “The house’s lack of style made it easy to plan something more interesting.”
Since the existing deck was in good condition, the architect was able to reuse its structure for the new deck’s construction.
After: Duebber expanded the old deck, reshaping it into a more modern square and adding a roof. A new staircase leads down to the new patio and landscape.
The sloping roofline of the deck’s cover and the beams that extend past the deck’s edge add more architectural detail to the home’s plain exterior. “I wanted to add the strong horizontal elements to balance out the verticality of the porch,” Duebber says. “This detail also nods to midcentury modern style, which the homeowners love.”
The architect painted the deck’s fascia boards and step risers the same color as the home’s trim to tie the two structures together.
The sloping roofline of the deck’s cover and the beams that extend past the deck’s edge add more architectural detail to the home’s plain exterior. “I wanted to add the strong horizontal elements to balance out the verticality of the porch,” Duebber says. “This detail also nods to midcentury modern style, which the homeowners love.”
The architect painted the deck’s fascia boards and step risers the same color as the home’s trim to tie the two structures together.
For the decking, Duebber used massaranduba, also known as Brazilian redwood or bulletwood, finished with clear penetrating oil.
The ceiling uses structural 2-by-6-inch tongue and V-groove select-grade pine planks. “Select-grade pine is clearest of knots,” Duebber says. He used a custom stain on the structural wood and ceiling to match the deck.
See more of this two-story porch in Ohio
More on Houzz
What to Know About Adding a Deck
Get more deck ideas
Find a landscape contractor near you
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The ceiling uses structural 2-by-6-inch tongue and V-groove select-grade pine planks. “Select-grade pine is clearest of knots,” Duebber says. He used a custom stain on the structural wood and ceiling to match the deck.
See more of this two-story porch in Ohio
More on Houzz
What to Know About Adding a Deck
Get more deck ideas
Find a landscape contractor near you
Shop for outdoor products
Architects: Fanny Hothan, Jordan Widjaja and Vladimir Radutny of Vladimir Radutny Architects
Location: Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago
Size: The lot is 160 feet long and 35 feet wide.
As part of an extensive renovation of a 100-year-old home in Chicago, the architects at Vladimir Radutny Architects also redesigned the two-story home’s long, narrow backyard. While they aimed to better connect the interior with the outdoor spaces and create an enjoyable outdoor experience, they also wanted to design something that would make a statement.
Before: The existing backyard consisted of a lawn, a cracked concrete walkway and a tangle of overgrown plants. There was minimal indoor-outdoor connection. And the lot’s narrow, extra-long shape contributed to a tunnel-like experience, architect Vladimir Radutny says.