Make Your Deck More Inviting with These Outdoor Deck Ideas

outdoor deck ideasOne of the biggest benefits to owning a home with a deck is that you have a place to entertain. Nothing’s better than hanging out with friends on your deck on a warm summer night. If you love to host get-togethers, you can use our outdoor deck ideas to customize your backyard, making it perfect for parties of all shapes and sizes.

Built-In Coolers for Quick Drink Access

You’ve heard of built-in benches, and maybe even benches that have built-in storage, but have you ever considered adding one with a built-in cooler? Coolers are an important part of any outdoor entertaining space. Otherwise, people will be constantly running back into your house for drinks and ice. We love a hidden cooler that doubles as seating, especially for smaller decks. It’s easy to add these kinds of features when you build a custom deck. You can read this article for more simple deck ideas that make a big impact.

Fun Lighting that Makes Your Deck Safer

Many people only think about how their deck will look during the day. However, most of the time, entertaining takes place in the evening or at night. Proper lighting will make your new deck safer and can also add an element of fun. Here’s what we recommend:

  • Task lighting that makes it easy to clearly see what you’re doing in places like outdoor kitchens
  • Ambience lighting, such as strings of party lights, colored light strips, or tiki torches that help you set the mood
  • Lighting for safety, such as on stairs or paths leading to the deck

We love lighting that you can control with your phone, as well as lighting that can be dimmed as much as you want. That way, your lighting won’t get in the way of star gazing.

Wrap-Around Decks with Multiple Entrances

When you’re entertaining on your deck, you probably want to minimize the amount of people going in and out of your home. A wrap-around deck is perfect for this purpose for a few reasons.

First, it gives you multiple points of entry to your home, which means you can have fast access to the areas that people actually need, such as a guest bathroom, without people walking through the entire house. You can even lock doors or turn off lights in certain areas to control the traffic flow at bigger parties.

Second, a wrap-around deck allows you to create different “zones” for your party. In other words, there can be several different conversation areas as people mix and mingle. With a smaller deck, entertaining can feel a little cramped.

Conversation Pits Around a Fire or Water Feature

One feature we absolutely love for decks is a lowered conversation pit. These design elements were popular in living rooms in the 1970s, and you can create a version in your backyard. We especially love a deck design with a conversation pit around a fire feature, such as a fire pit, or a water feature like an outdoor pond or fountain. It’s a cozy and fun way to encourage your guests to gather for intimate conversations.

Outdoor Deck Ideas for Families

If you have kids, you may do a lot of entertaining for families. We love to build custom outdoor living spaces that keep all ages in mind with the design. Here are a few of our best ideas for making your deck kid-friendly:

  • Include enough space for your yard. If you have a small backyard, you may want to build your deck up, with multiple layers, to preserve as much grass as possible.
  • Consider a screened-in deck or porch, which can be a safer option for kids. This also gives you a bug-free place to have dinner as a family.
  • Design your deck around a tree and add a swing if one of the limbs is strong enough.
  • Add built-in storage to hold things like bikes, sports equipment, and outdoor toys and games.

We can even help you make your kids part of the deck design process. Get them involved by having them help pick colors, for example. We love involving little ones in home renovation projects.

FAQs About Building a Custom Deck

With our outdoor deck ideas, you can build the perfect custom deck for your family. If you’ve never worked with a custom deck designer before, here are a few commonly asked questions to help you get a feel for what to expect:

What are the best colors and styles for a deck?

Both lighter and darker decks can look fantastic. It’s all about your personal style. When you work with the Structurally Speaking team, we’ll show you lots of examples and detailed drawings for your new deck. That way, you can pick the best colors that flow with your home and fit your personal style.

Is a deck worth the money?

Decks are only worth the money if you actually use them! That’s why we recommend a custom deck design perfectly suited to your needs. Yes, nearly any outdoor living space will raise your property value – as long as it’s done correctly. Mistakes are costly on many levels. However, we truly believe that the best decks are the ones that are used often.

Can you build a low-maintenance deck?

Decks don’t have to be high maintenance. We can recommend decking materials such as composite that make your backyard very low-maintenance. If this is a priority for you, let us know.

How can I learn more about building a custom deck?

We’d love to meet with you for a no-obligation consultation to talk about your ideas for a new deck. To get started, schedule a meeting today by contacting our team. We can’t wait to work with you.