Before and After: 3 Yards Where Decks Made a Dramatic Difference
Designers create beautiful outdoor spaces for dining, playing, lounging, soaking in a hot tub and more
Adding or upgrading a deck is a fantastic way to make your outdoor living space more livable. Decks can provide spots for eating, playing, lounging, hanging out with friends, catching some rays, enjoying fresh air and even taking a hot soak. If you’re unsure about adding a deck to your property, take a look at these three projects that have been featured on Houzz. They’ll inspire fabulous ideas for how to design your own deck.
After: Howells used strategic grade changes on the new deck to make it welcoming and functional. On the right, deck steps lead up to the renovated glass entry door to the kitchen. On the left, the steps provide easier access to the homeowners’ new cedar hot tub.
The edge between the deck and a fire pit patio is where the architect found an opportunity to infuse the space with the lemon bar yellow and variety of brilliant blues he’d used in the kitchen. He took inspiration from the way two iconic designers have used tile in landscapes — Roberto Burle Marx, on the Copacabana Beach walkway in Rio de Janeiro, and Antoni Gaudí, in the Park Güell of Barcelona, Spain. “We upholstered the planter in the backsplash tiles with a yellow cap. It makes the planter a kind of mural, a painterly focal point and a sculpture,” he says.
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The edge between the deck and a fire pit patio is where the architect found an opportunity to infuse the space with the lemon bar yellow and variety of brilliant blues he’d used in the kitchen. He took inspiration from the way two iconic designers have used tile in landscapes — Roberto Burle Marx, on the Copacabana Beach walkway in Rio de Janeiro, and Antoni Gaudí, in the Park Güell of Barcelona, Spain. “We upholstered the planter in the backsplash tiles with a yellow cap. It makes the planter a kind of mural, a painterly focal point and a sculpture,” he says.
Browse planters in the Houzz Shop
Howells carefully considered every bit of the deck design to give it a pleasing modern shape and good function. The hot tub, inspired by Japanese ofuro bathtubs, has a simple cylindrical form. “These hot tubs look more naturalistic than a typical hot tub,” Howells says.
Around the tub, he designed different levels for different functions. The left side provides a spot for sunning or sitting along the edge of the tub. The steps and lower level to the right of the tub reveal its lovely curve. And the steps provide easy access into the tub.
The architect organized the backyard, including the deck and its components, around an axis — an imaginary line that runs through the center of a plan. The edge of the sunning deck surround splices a line through the tub in line with this axis. The centerline continues along the right edge of the planter.
Hot tub: Zen Bathworks
Around the tub, he designed different levels for different functions. The left side provides a spot for sunning or sitting along the edge of the tub. The steps and lower level to the right of the tub reveal its lovely curve. And the steps provide easy access into the tub.
The architect organized the backyard, including the deck and its components, around an axis — an imaginary line that runs through the center of a plan. The edge of the sunning deck surround splices a line through the tub in line with this axis. The centerline continues along the right edge of the planter.
Hot tub: Zen Bathworks
An outdoor dining table and a black concrete-coated fiberglass trough fountain sit at the end of the deck. The board-formed-concrete planters surround the deck with soft bamboo. Please note that these planters keep this invasive plant from spreading — if bamboo is not planted with this kind of care, it will spread.
In addition to its tall structure, lovely leaves and pleasing rustling sound in the wind, the bamboo was chosen as a nod to Japanese design. “There is a conscious and subconscious Japanese influence on my designs,” Howell says. “It also resonates because Portland has the most important Japanese gardens in America. It’s a point of pride for our city. I also love the vertical lines of the trunks and the filagree provided by the leaves.”
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In addition to its tall structure, lovely leaves and pleasing rustling sound in the wind, the bamboo was chosen as a nod to Japanese design. “There is a conscious and subconscious Japanese influence on my designs,” Howell says. “It also resonates because Portland has the most important Japanese gardens in America. It’s a point of pride for our city. I also love the vertical lines of the trunks and the filagree provided by the leaves.”
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The raised deck, board-formed-concrete planters and colorful planter give the adjacent fire pit patio an intimate feel.
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2. Family-Friendly and Full of Flowers
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two young children
Location: South East London
Size: 1,076 square feet (100 square meters); 49 by 22 feet
Designer: Simon Orchard Garden Design
Before: A recent kitchen renovation had left this South East London yard a mess. The homeowners hired landscape designer Simon Orchard to beautify the space and include a play space for the children, seating areas for everyone to enjoy the fresh air and stronger connections between indoors and outdoors.
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two young children
Location: South East London
Size: 1,076 square feet (100 square meters); 49 by 22 feet
Designer: Simon Orchard Garden Design
Before: A recent kitchen renovation had left this South East London yard a mess. The homeowners hired landscape designer Simon Orchard to beautify the space and include a play space for the children, seating areas for everyone to enjoy the fresh air and stronger connections between indoors and outdoors.
After: Now the kitchen looks out on this pergola-covered deck. Both the deck and the kitchen have a view of the much-improved backyard. The new pergola not only provides partial shade on the deck but also shades the kitchen, which faces south, from harsh sunlight.
The deck is a gray composite. “It’s much longer-lasting than treated timber, and it won’t rot,” Orchard says. “Since it’s not a natural product, you don’t get algae growing on it, which can cause it to discolor and become slippery. We chose the shade as it’s a contemporary color that goes well with the new kitchen.” He chose the pergola’s color to match the kitchen’s new bifold doors.
The deck is a gray composite. “It’s much longer-lasting than treated timber, and it won’t rot,” Orchard says. “Since it’s not a natural product, you don’t get algae growing on it, which can cause it to discolor and become slippery. We chose the shade as it’s a contemporary color that goes well with the new kitchen.” He chose the pergola’s color to match the kitchen’s new bifold doors.
Before: The renovations also had left a drop-off between the kitchen and the yard.
After: Orchard made the new steps off the deck a design feature — they create diagonal lines and appear to float. Now there’s a pleasing and easy path between the two levels.
“I wanted to make a nice, gentle transition from top to bottom, especially as the owners have young children,” Orchard says. “I also wanted to do something a bit different. The steps are designed to lead you down and then diagonally across the [yard].”
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“I wanted to make a nice, gentle transition from top to bottom, especially as the owners have young children,” Orchard says. “I also wanted to do something a bit different. The steps are designed to lead you down and then diagonally across the [yard].”
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The new deck also has made the view from the back of the yard much more attractive. Lounge chairs invite the family to rest after a day of gardening.
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3. Play on Shade and Light
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their preschooler and their French bulldog
Location: San Francisco
Size: Backyard: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters); lot: one-tenth of an acre
Designer and project manager: Beth Mullins, principal of Growsgreen Landscape Design
Contractor: John Rigney of Seed Landscaping
Before: When this couple found a traditional Victorian home on a rare double lot in San Francisco, it was like hitting the jackpot. But they knew they had their work cut out for them, as both the house and landscape were fixer-uppers. After creating a traditional-modern mix inside the house, the couple wanted to extend the look outside. They gathered ideas on Houzz and brought in landscape designer Beth Mullins to lend her professional expertise.
The original backyard had a lot going on, including multiple levels, small brick patios, crumbling retaining walls and planting beds, and unmortared stacks of bricks. It was tough to use and was not child-friendly for the couple’s toddler.
One thing the homeowners did like about the yard was the way the light shone through the corrugated fence they shared with the neighboring house. Because the fence was in bad shape, however, the homeowners asked Mullins to come up with a new take on a translucent fence.
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, their preschooler and their French bulldog
Location: San Francisco
Size: Backyard: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters); lot: one-tenth of an acre
Designer and project manager: Beth Mullins, principal of Growsgreen Landscape Design
Contractor: John Rigney of Seed Landscaping
Before: When this couple found a traditional Victorian home on a rare double lot in San Francisco, it was like hitting the jackpot. But they knew they had their work cut out for them, as both the house and landscape were fixer-uppers. After creating a traditional-modern mix inside the house, the couple wanted to extend the look outside. They gathered ideas on Houzz and brought in landscape designer Beth Mullins to lend her professional expertise.
The original backyard had a lot going on, including multiple levels, small brick patios, crumbling retaining walls and planting beds, and unmortared stacks of bricks. It was tough to use and was not child-friendly for the couple’s toddler.
One thing the homeowners did like about the yard was the way the light shone through the corrugated fence they shared with the neighboring house. Because the fence was in bad shape, however, the homeowners asked Mullins to come up with a new take on a translucent fence.
After: Mullins was inspired by Japanese shoji screens. (These are traditionally made of sheets of paper stretched on wood frames, and are used as interior room dividers.) The new fence is composed of translucent polycarbonate greenhouse panels. “I had seen [the greenhouse panels] in commercial applications abroad and was excited about any shadow effect we might get,” the designer says. Now, light and shadows from the tree next door form an ever-changing backdrop to the new deck.
The designer created a fire pit-outdoor kitchen area on one side of the deck and a dining area on the other. She delineated these spaces in two ways. First, she oriented the new Alaskan yellow cedar deck boards on different diagonals on each side. They fit together to create a shape like a chevron where the two outdoor rooms meet.
The designer created a fire pit-outdoor kitchen area on one side of the deck and a dining area on the other. She delineated these spaces in two ways. First, she oriented the new Alaskan yellow cedar deck boards on different diagonals on each side. They fit together to create a shape like a chevron where the two outdoor rooms meet.
Second, she used vertical Alaskan yellow cedar beams to create screens between the spaces. The spacing between these beams goes from tight at the edges to more open toward the gap in the middle.
The lounge area for cooking and hanging out occupies the largest portion of the backyard. A built-in grill anchors one side of the outdoor room with an L-shaped seating area around a fire pit set next to it. A concrete retaining wall serves as counter space and extra seating.
Beyond the grill is a third outdoor room that has a hot tub. The building seen at the back of this photo is a new 10-by-10-foot detached home office, designed by Eric Enns of Modern Spaces.
Beyond the grill is a third outdoor room that has a hot tub. The building seen at the back of this photo is a new 10-by-10-foot detached home office, designed by Eric Enns of Modern Spaces.
The hot tub is a Japanese soaking tub, or ofuro. It was made on-site from cedar boards by Paul Masse of Roberts Hot Tubs and Elliot Goliger of Artisans Landscape. A heavy-duty cover for safety remains on top of the tub when it’s not in use.
Beyond the dark privacy divider on the right side of the office is an outdoor shower, so the homeowners can rinse off before getting into the hot tub. Also of note: Out here, the concrete retaining walls take the form of planters. The trees are dwarf olive trees (Olea europaea ‘Skylark Dwarf’, USDA zones 8 to 11; find your zone). All the new plants are climate-appropriate, low-water and low maintenance.
The homeowners report that they use their new space every day. Favorite outdoor activities include playing with their son, enjoying a soak, opening up the office doors for some air and eating meals.
Learn more about this project
More on Houzz
Read more stories about decks
Browse thousands of deck photos
Find a local deck-and-patio specialist
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Beyond the dark privacy divider on the right side of the office is an outdoor shower, so the homeowners can rinse off before getting into the hot tub. Also of note: Out here, the concrete retaining walls take the form of planters. The trees are dwarf olive trees (Olea europaea ‘Skylark Dwarf’, USDA zones 8 to 11; find your zone). All the new plants are climate-appropriate, low-water and low maintenance.
The homeowners report that they use their new space every day. Favorite outdoor activities include playing with their son, enjoying a soak, opening up the office doors for some air and eating meals.
Learn more about this project
More on Houzz
Read more stories about decks
Browse thousands of deck photos
Find a local deck-and-patio specialist
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,200 square feet (111 square meters)
Designer: Michael Howells of Howells Architecture + Design
Contractor: ReCraft
Before: After this Portland, Oregon, couple completed their kitchen renovation, they realized the yard beyond it was not enhancing their lives very much. They hired architect Michael Howells, who had designed their new yellow-and-blue kitchen, to bring its inviting feel to their backyard.
The backyard did not have the lively colorful vibes of the newly renovated kitchen, located right off the deck to the right. While there was an existing deck, it was in bad shape and wasn’t well designed. Howells had changed the entry door and windows during the kitchen renovation, and now it was the perfect time to carry the cheerful feeling from indoors to out.
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