Decks 17 Ideabooks

With advance planning and perhaps a few friends to help (bribe them with dinner out), you can make a big difference in your patio in a single weekend. Arranged from fast and easy (hang lanterns, make a repurposed table) to more time- and labor-intensive... more »

It's spring! Long days, sunshine, birds, barbecues, flowers! For the next six months or so, it's outside time (sorry, people in the Northeast; your time will come). Which means, of course, that you should have an outdoor room, a place where you can do... more »

It may look like a simple cottage from the front, but the rear of this Australian home opens up to a surprisingly modern outdoor living space. Like the other houses on small lots in this eclectic neighborhood, in a suburb of Sydney, the house is... more »

Hong Kong is a concrete jungle — dense and filled with towering skyscrapers. Hong Kong's rooftops can become the perfect refuge from this chaotic city, and those with plant life can help better the air quality too. Whether... more »

The Manhattan skyline offers some of the world’s most dramatic and recognizable architectural icons, and city dwellers with access to those exclusive views highlight them in any way possible. In the shadow of the Empire State Building, architect more »

We look to our city centers for culture, nightlife, fine dining and above all, high-density urban living. Farming typically doesn't come to mind. But landscape architect David Seiter says we can and should turn to our existing infrastructure as... more »

There are few things better than partying down with friends and family, but our small home's current design isn't ideal for hosting even one person — let alone a whole crew. While our interior is highly lacking in the space category, our exterior... more »

It's time to change our idea of how large a deck needs to be. Some have become so expansive and elaborate that if we can't imagine a complete outdoor kitchen and... more »

I will never forget the first time my mother-in-law came to visit us in our new home in Sandy, Oregon. It was a lovely, sunny week, and we had all sorts of plans for sightseeing and events in Portland. But we are blessed with a deck above the Sandy River... more »

With springtime here, it's time to head outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. And what better place to do that than on a deck overlooking the yard? If you have a deck you love, great. But if your deck is... more »

What could be better than an autumn weekend spent enjoying the changing of the leaves and the crisp air from a front-row seat outdoors? Here are all the seasonal essentials you'll need to stay toasty, plus rustic necessities for al fresco snacking (popcorn,... more »

Balconies are fairly common in residential architecture, especially in urban conditions where a yard may not be available, and in areas of natural beauty where a view is prized. Yet what I'm calling overlooks are less common: More deep than wide, these... more »

As the temperature rises, so does the desire to spend more time outside. Two of the best elements that make for the most enjoyment outdoors, one natural and one architectural, are trees and decks. The former provides shade and a sense of intimacy, while... more »

Whether you're planning to add a deck to your home or are just feeling like yours is a bit ho-hum, there are lots of moves that can help you make the most of this outdoor space. If you're starting from scratch, you'll want to complement your house, ease... more »