This multi level deck was originally all wood and failing. We kept the foot print and upgraded materials for longevity and low maintenance.
Example of a transitional deck design in Baltimore

3 level deck with two ground levels and stairs. rain proof ceiling below with ceiling fan and lighting. structure wrapped in white pvc with vinyl rails and aluminum balusters. The bar top along the side adds space with minimal cost.

Here we used Trex’s Rope Swing boards for the deck and designed its multi-levels around the clients’ new hot tub. Because it’s a good idea to take breaks from long stays in a hot tub, we added a bench and private screened seating area — also made from Trex boards, topped with an attractive lattice design. www.deckandpatio.com

Horizontal cedar deck skirting brings the space together from the ground to the roof. We included an access door for storage under the deck.
Large mountain style backyard second story metal railing deck photo in Austin with a roof extension

This breathtaking bi-level partially covered deck makes for a great entertaining area. In addition to the pool and spa deck design, this Eagleville, Pa homes features an outdoor patio space completed with an outdoor kitchen.

©StevenPaulWhitsitt_Photography Side view of the rear deck. At the rear of the house, the client's need for a new entertainment space was met by a tree-like structure to support a multi-level deck. The glass rail and abstract trees and branches of the deck enhance the relationship to natural setting as well as create an extension of the living and dining spaces. The glass deck rails provide uninterrupted views of the pond beyond.

Fiberon composite decking in Horizon Ipe was selected as the main deck color, complemented by a darker Rosewood border. The home owner chose low-maintenance, white Horizon composite railing to replace their worn-out wood railing. Adding round, black metal balusters (and spacing them properly) enables a better view into the yard and eliminates the “prison bar” effect. Fiberon accent lights provide safety on the stairs, while post cap lighting all around adds awesome ambiance. Plus, Fiberon deck lighting is low-voltage, and uses energy-efficient LED bulbs that consume 1/12 the energy of traditional bulbs. The lights themselves are made from rust-free aluminum and powder-coated with a long-lasting finish that can withstand harsh climates. Find a Fiberon retailer near you: https://www.fiberondecking.com/start-your-project/where-to-buy

Elegant and modern multi-level deck designed for a secluded home in Madison, WI. Perfect for family functions or relaxing with friends, this deck captures everything that an outdoor living space should have. Advanced Deck Builders of Madison - the top rated decking company for the Madison, Wisconsin & surrounding areas.

2010 NATIONAL NARI REGIONAL AWARD WINNER Project Scope The owners of this 7,000 square foot colonial in Oakton, Virginia, were seeking a multi-level Mediterranean-style indoor/outdoor living space off the back of their home. They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes for a design solution that would include a stone patio, a second-story deck, a screened-in porch and linking staircases. While the structure was designed primarily for family dining and entertaining, it also had to accommodate periodic social gatherings of one hundred guests or more. To meet these needs, the project would include a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, several serving counters with permanent refrigeration, and well-delineated socializing and dining zones. The existing home’s setting offered several impressive assets the new outdoor living area was designed to exploit. The sprawling acreage features old stand trees, wooded paths and a private lake. Beautifully landscaped, it unfolds as an idyllic panorama that naturally draws people to the outdoors. Challenges Since the rear elevation was situated on a slope that drops away from the house, the Michael Nash team had to raise the grade two feet within in a 2,000 square foot area extending out from the back of the house. Infrastructure plans also called for a sophisticated drainage system that had to accommodate a whole series of water “runoff” considerations to be integrated into the decking itself. Excavation included constructing retaining walls to bolster the elevated grade—which also had to support a concrete slab, the primary foundation for the entire complex. Solutions The ground level decking consists of a 2,000 square foot flagstone patio level with the home’s lower level doors. There is a decorative water fountain mid-patio—an ornate collectible acquired in Florida. Food preparation is concentrated within a specially designed semi-circular wall that creates an “outdoor kitchen” equipped with a 60” Viking barbecue grill, a prep sink, a warming drawer, refrigerator and appropriate storage. There is a granite surfaced dining counter with seating for eight. Wrought iron railing and approximately 20 decorative columns (some encasing steel vertical supports) are incorporated into the design scheme. Many of the columns house accent lights. The top level—supported by horizontal steel beams– is a 2,500 square foot deck constructed entirely of Trex decking. The open air decking is, again, directly accessible from rooms on the second level of the house including the kitchen, sunroom and family room. The platform’s most prominent feature is a U-shaped “kitchenette” with cedar shake shingle roofing. Like its counterpart one level below, the facility is equipped with grill, refrigerator and stainless steel cabinetry. One portion of the deck has been allocated for a 16’ x 16’ octagonal screened-in porch crowned by a pair of 2’ x 4’ skylights. The porch can be accessed from the home’s conservatory via a set of French doors. With its mosaic tile flooring, stained cedar panel ceiling and honed granite counters, the interior is elegant and calming. Hand-painted stenciling and a wall-mounted water feature provide distinctive detailing. Finally, the design introduced elements to highlight and reinforce an awareness of the lovely bucolic setting. Fountains and water features combined with textured surfaces and mosaic tiling and backsplashes to present a villa-like ambiance well-suited to the Virginia countryside.

View screen porch and stairway leading down to a lower level (still under construction)
Mid-sized arts and crafts back porch photo in Other with decking

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Spiced Rum – a warm, earthy umber featuring subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense, tropical hues that will retain its lush looks for decades and Trex Transcend decking in Vintage Lantern – a deep-burnished bronze with Old World elegance. Additional Trex products featured include Trex Transcend railing and Trex Outdoor Lighting – recessed deck lights.

This multi-level deck in WOLF Rosewood PVC decking. The unobstructed dining level with its wrap around stairs flows into the lower lounge area providing an open feel and additional seating. The African Bluestone landing and wrap-a-round cascading steps and walkway add to the texture and variety of color. The semi-sunken hot tub is fully accessible from one side and almost hidden from the deck perspective. The duel sets of stairs give access to the driveway as well as the yard itself. The custom rails are black powder coated aluminum. Black PVC skirting, finishes the base of the deck. a nearly 5ft wide rolling barn door gives access to the excavated dry space below which serves as storage and with 6 foot of headroom is a fully functional 450sf of storage space - Large enough to drive into with a ride-on mower . The door had to be hung using powder coated steel hardware to carry the size and weight of the door The design detail of the hardware itself adds to the architectural interest of the overall project.

Designed and built by Land Art Design, Inc. In this project, we added multi-level living space with this deck and underside patio combination. The custom deck includes wrought iron railing, matching the stairway connecting the two levels. The underside patio features a bead board ceiling with recessed lighting and ceiling fans.

These Leander clients were looking for a big deck upgrade in a tight space. They longed for better usability of their outdoor living area by way of a dual-level, low-maintenance deck. On each level, they wished for particular accommodations and usage. A gathering area on the upper level and a hot tub on the lower. The result is a tidy Leander TX deck with room to move!

Originally designed by one of the most notable landscape architects in town, this once impressive project had faltered in recent years. The pool and spa still functioned well, and the client wanted to keep it intact. In addition, they wanted to keep as much of the existing landscaping as possible. The surrounding decks, walls, and steps were fair game. At first glance, one might think that our changes were simple material changes. Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the subtle, yet transformative changes that come together to update this classic pool in a tasteful, timeless manner, and improve the flow and usability of the deck areas, while softening the feel of the massive hardscape. The subtle changes begin as soon as you walk out the back door of the house. The existing decking had a lot of what we call “tweeners”; areas that are overly generous walkways, yet not large enough to house furniture. The awkwardly small bluestone patio was expanded to accommodate a generous seating area, by pushing the step-down closer to the pool. Our talented stone mason carefully married the new bluestone into the existing, resulting in an imperceptible difference between the two. As you descend the new bluestone steps to the pool level, your bare feet will be thankful for the new smooth-finished limestone colored concrete, with a hand cut pattern carefully etched into its surface. The old red brick decking was so hot that the owners could not walk around the pool in bare feet. The brick coping was also replaced with an eased edge Pennsylvania Premier Stone which matches the new step treads throughout the project. Between the house and the pool, a large raised planter was reconfigured, giving additional space to the pool deck for a shaded lounge chair area. Across the pool, a bank of rather tall painted brick retaining walls were cut down, shortened, and moved. This lessened the visual impact of the walls, which were rather overwhelming in the space, as well as opening up a new seating area, nestled under the arms of the massive pecan at the back of the property. Rather than continuing solid decking around the entire pool, the area near these walls has been transformed to large stone stepper pads set in a sea of beautiful St. Augustine lawn. This creates a visually softened area that is still suited to setting tables and chairs when the guest list calls for additional seating. The spa area is quite possibly the most dramatic change on this project. Yet more raised planter walls divided this area into awkward spaces, unsuited to proper furniture placement. The planters were removed, new stone decks, once again expertly married into the existing, opening the area to house a large dining table and new built in bbq area. The spa itself was re-imagined with the bluestone coping, and painted brick veneer. The most impressive addition though is the new handmade glazed tiles that surround the existing cast stone water feature. This water feature was almost unnoticeable against the painted brick wall, but now the dramatic arch and pop of color draw the eye to this quaint little corner of the property.

Two level deck with upper and lower wood-burning fireplaces, built-in ceiling heaters and numerous skylights for lots of sun.
Mountain style patio photo in Seattle with a fire pit

Ipe deck with cable railing. Under deck storage and horizontal deck skirting, stainless LED deck lighting
Trendy deck photo in San Diego with no cover

Atlanta Decking & Fence
Example of a classic backyard deck design in Atlanta

Designed using Trex Transcend decking in Lava Rock – a rich reddish-black shade with subtle shading and natural shade variations creating distinctive hardwood-like streaking and intense tropical hues and Trex Transcend decking in Tiki Torch – a warm, earthy shade features rich, reddish-brown hardwood streaking, and is designed to off the look of real tropical hardwoods with slight variations of color and streaking. Additional Trex products featured include Trex Elevations, Trex Reveal railing, Trex Pergola, Trex Outdoor Furniture and Trex Outdoor Lighting – stair riser lights, post cap lights and recessed lights.