" Need to plan a new deck or patio; maybe a combination of both. "

Are you replacing what is there now or is this in addition to?

For most people unless there is some shade provided they will never seldom use a deck or patio. That being said would you opt for a covered porch?

We are replacing the current deck as it is bad shape and is too small. What you don't see in this picture is that there are 4 large trees that provide a lot of shade to the back yard so something covered is likely not needed but we are not opposed to the look.

I would go with a new deck in that case. Tough to say with just the one pic but deeper and wider if that is too small.

Depends on budget. A patio will be a lot less expensive than a deck would be, especially if you want to use maintenance free decking. Patios provide more connection with the outdoors, while a deck provides more separation. Personal preference/budget question IMO.

OTOH, Decks provide more connection with the house than a stone patio, i.e. if you want to step out in your house slippers.

ETA: A Deck is an extension of the house; a Patio is an improvement to the yard.

It depends on what you want.

I usually prefer decks to aptios and Iwe use all of our decks a lot all summer some haveparts have shade but the pool area not I think shade can be provided by many things and we really live outside when the waether is good so bigger is IMO better so you can have all the stuff you want out there . We have seating area , outdoor kitchen huge space for outdoor dining and the area around the pool . The deck wraps all around our house and is about 2200 sq ft. Figure out what you need and buils the deck accordingly . My choice go bigger than you think you need

As someone else said, a deck becomes an extension of the house. Perhaps you can find a way to expand the deck you have across the house with a section of pergola overhead to camouflage the less-than-ideal back of the house.

You could have the same wide deck you have from patio doors then blend a narrower portion of a version of this:

If you make the deck large enough, rethink the back lawn unless you need for children to run around If not, hire a landscape designer to create deep mulched beds along the border of the deck for viewing from the deck. Again, this extends the house.

I’d do a combo. Plus a patio allows you to integrate your fire pit. I love the feeling of sitting ”in” the garden, with the patio surrounded with plants/shrubs etc. It all depends on what you need/want. I’m no artist—lol

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I like Tara's ideas.  She even provided photos.  Something like those photos would really be beautiful and functional.

Hadn't thought of deck/patio combo, which looks great in the photos. So I have another thought if your current deck is in good shape. Replace the railings cable for an airier look that would visually provide sightline to circular patio as suggested.

As consideration, we use a small deck as egress from the house onto the patio. The patio is sufficiently sized and arranged to accommodate small or large groups. Offers location for grilling plus adjacent firepit.

https://youtu.be/H5t9G-Gujqw

This idea of a round patio out in the yard from a small deck width of house addition and stepping stones connecting the two as in second photo. Install patio on the side of the house that's the largest to pull eye away from mass of back of the house. If patio is close enough to the house, then a curved foundation bed of shrubs, perennials, grasses, mulch can be appreciated from patio and deck.

Stepping stones:

If I could replace my low deck with pavers, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Maintaing wood is a PITA. Keeping it clean is also a pain, esp since scrubbing too hard or using a pressure washer will chip off the finish. Replacing it with a composite material would have been insanely expensive, even if I chose the cheaper trex. Plus for my deck, I have to battle tons of tree suckers growing up between the boards.

Keeping pavers clean is easier (as they are more forgiving when it comes to dirt, etc, so they don't need to be kept so spotless, and you can power wash them). Of course, keeping weeds out is a PITA. So for that, I would want big pavers with as few seams as possible.

We just finished a combination of both. They serve different purposes, in my view--though our lot is also on a slope, so the deck was the only option to have space immediately outside the back door that was level and not down a short set of stairs. (Hard to tell from the photo but at some point part of the yard was leveled, so it's flat in the patio area and then drops down about 4' at the right edge of the photo, where the deck railing starts.) The deck is ~16' x 10' and then steps down to a slightly bigger patio. (This is an urban lot, so there is a little more yard off to the right in the photo, but not a ton--the lot is 50' across.) The deck will have seating for a breakfast/work-from-home area, plus elevated planters since it gets the best sun in the yard. The patio will have a larger table for outdoor dinners or hosting guests, and our grill is there since I didn't love the idea of having it on the wood. At some point I'd love to add some chairs and a gas fire pit. Both will need some shade--probably an umbrella, which is what we used to have on the concrete patio it replaced--since this is south-facing. I expect we will use the deck daily and the patio weekly (but we're also in a temperate climate where it's possible to sit outside most of the year, and where much of the year is dry).

FWIW ours cost about the same for about the same square footage, but that's likely in part because labor is the biggest cost where we live and they took about the same amount of time to build. (The deck is redwood and the patio is flagstone; both will involve some maintenance.)

We have both and I love the patio!

Over the past two years, we have added a pergola with retractable shade to our deck as well as a patio inside our small fenced backyard. This has given us great flexibility for day-to-day living and when entertaining.

We just went through the same decision. Although we have a large side patio for dining and a seating area, deciding on what to do at back of house was still important. Make a wish list based on how you function as a family and entertain. Then start looking at ideas and show/discuss when getting quotes.

Budget may end up being your decision maker. You may be shocked when you receive quotes. We added a 10x12 ft deck with two small staircases (did not even need footings!) and cost $16,000 (bought the wood prior to this summer’s price increase). A patio of the same size would have been more for a number of reasons.

There is no right or wrong, so research is really important to address your needs, and discover ideas you hadn’t thought of. Here is an idea I thought covered a lot of bases and see link for info, if interested.

https://needlesandnailsblog.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/a-diy-back-yard-transformation-pergola-deck-fire-pit/

It depends—how will you use the space? Even with the coverage from your trees, will that be enough shade on a warm summer day? Do you envision dinners outside or is it meant more to be a casual place to rest at the end of the day? Do you want to use up more yard space so you don’t have to water as much grass? And how much maintenance are you willing to do? Typically wood decks need more TLC and pavers need less, however, pavers won’t be at level with your back porch and if that’s a priority you’ll need at least some decking. Ultimately, hiring a landscape professional might be your best bet as there are likely dozens of other considerations for your specific yard that a pro can help you figure out. For some inspiration, here are some decks, patios, and porches our team has designed and installed.

We had a small wooden deck and a stamped concrete patio, and when it came time to restain and repair the deck again, we decided to just go with a paver patio. Best outdoor home improvement decision we've ever made! I added party lights this year, and we are actually surprised at how much time we now spend outside.

We had this done in 2021 for a little under $15,000 including demolition and removal of old deck and patio. (We are in Maryland)

(Note: The deck used to be twice as big before we had the kitchen enlarged, and the patio area was always muddy before it was paved)