20+ Inspiring Deck Ideas to Transform Your Outdoor Living Space
October 25, 2021
No matter where you are in the process of realizing an optimized outdoor living space, you need inspiring deck ideas to spark your creativity and help you make the best of the great outdoors.
These Deck Ideas Will Help, Whether You:
✓ Already have a deck that could use a revamp
✓ Are considering extending an existing deck
✓ Have just begun to envision a new, enduringly beautiful backyard build — and aren’t quite sure where you want to start With TimberTech, you have the tools, insight, and inspiration you need to craft a deck design that is uniquely you.
Start With What Inspires You Most
Our 3D Deck Designer, Your Vision.
Customize a layout, mix and match colors, and more. We’ve got inspiration on deck.
Think Through Budget
Browse real TimberTech Deck projects from across the country. See what was built in your area, what features were included, and what it actually cost.
SEE REAL DECK PROJECTS NEAR YOU
Get Deck Railing Ideas
Can’t picture a gorgeous deck without a polished perimeter? Neither can we.
Deck Ideas, Your Way
We know that collecting inspiration and exploring deck design ideas can be both exciting — and a little overwhelming. That’s why we’ve curated high-impact, low-maintenance composite decking ideas tailored to the way you like to think through projects.
Choose your preferred path below to jump to the corresponding section, or explore all three.
For the Big Picture Thinker
For the Aesthetics-Minded
For the Spatial
Strategist
Deck Ideas for the Big Picture Thinker
HOW YOU LIKE TO THINK: When you envision your deck, you picture the space as a whole, with attention to practical elements like flow of traffic and overall functionality. You know that your outdoor living space should not only look great, but optimize your time spent outdoors.
Check out these top-down composite decking ideas, curated just for you.
Broad-Scope Home Remodeling Ideas
If you’ve been considering a deck because you want to elevate your curb appeal or complement another home improvement project, you already think “big picture.”
With any home remodeling project, you’ll want to think about:
✓ Value for the cost: Are you choosing engineered materials crafted to withstand the elements year after year?)
✓ Functional aesthetics
✓ Required involvement, or degree of complexity: You’ll likely want to work with a contractor — and finding the right one makes all the difference.
Backyard Inspiration That Makes the Most of the Space
If you envision your deck — existing or future — as only one part of a holistic, well-designed backyard, you’re just as interested in similarly enjoyable outdoor features. We’re talking:
Lush Landscaping
Greenery surrounding your deck enhances the experience of an enclosed, cozy getaway, right outside your back door. If you live in the city or prefer pops of color, introduce potted plants of different sizes and shapes for visual interest and dimension.
A Pristine Pergola
Pergolas, with their stately columns and slatted, open-air coverings, bring immediate elegance to your deck. Add even more sun cover with a shade canopy or a climbing vine.
An Inviting Outdoor Bar
With an outdoor bar or cooking area, the sounds and smells of the indoors meet the laughter and open-air conversations of a coolly curated deck. Top off your drink without missing a moment of your loved one’s story, so you can live your best life outdoors.
…And then some.
GET MORE BACKYARD INSPIRATION >
Deck Decorating Ideas That Make an Impact
Are you the type of person who knows how angles, texture, and well-placed seating impact the “flow” of a space? Then you know the importance of curated decorating.
Outdoor Furniture
Seating naturally invites guests to sit and mingle, so be sure to place your outdoor furniture apart from the anticipated flow of traffic — both the back door, and out into the yard. Always consider the material composition of your furniture to make sure your prized pieces can hold up to inclement weather. If possible, utilize storage solutions that match your décor, so you can covertly stash cushions and other textiles when not in use.
Stepping Stones or Other Hardscaping
As a big picture thinker, you’re sensitive to dimension. Like color, texture plays a large role in creating an intentional, sophisticated space that feels multi-dimensional. Installing your deck over concrete or combining the textural goodness of a deck and patio delivers dual benefits: A polished final look, plus a spot for the kids to ditch their muddy shoes before coming up onto the deck.
Dramatic Stairs
If you have a deck higher than 30” from the ground, your deck is required to have a railing. At that height or above, you’ll also likely want deck stairs. Ditch the hum-drum for exciting, curved steps. Opt for TimberTech® decking, which can be heat-bent into coolly curving shapes.* What’s more, your deck stairs can also be customized to include visibility- and atmosphere-enhancing outdoor lighting.
*NOTE: Because of the complex process of heat bending, you’ll need to work with an experienced contractor who is well-versed in TimberTech capped polymer decking. Remember that labor is an important part of your overall deck building cost, and budget should be considered as you learn whether a heat-bent deck is right for you.
Feeling the Spark of Creativity?
Play with deck shapes, colors, stairs, and more in our 3D design tool.
Deck Ideas for the Aesthetics-Minded
HOW YOU LIKE TO THINK: You’re the type of design-savvy thinker who knows how to make a space seem larger just by tactically rearranging furniture and décor. You have a natural eye for color and texture, and you can sense when a space or piece of art isn’t visually balanced.
For you, a great place to start thinking through contemporary deck ideas is by overall feel:
Find Your (Design) Vibe
Embrace Simplicity
From string lights to a pop of greenery, little touches can go a long way.
Learn more about simple deck ideas.
Keep It Cool
Mixed materials are a sure-fire way to make your space look intentional and cool.
Stay Unique-Chic
Think bold inlays, cool curves, and multiple complementary deck board colors.
Get Creative
One of the first elements that draws the eye on a curated outdoor space? A bold, mixed-materials railing.
Make It Modern
Nothing says forward-thinking like fresh design options like Multi-Width Decking. Round out your space by bringing indoor entertainment, out.
Do Decking Differently®
Available in narrow , standard, and wide widths in the Vintage Collection®. Available in standard and wide widths in Slate Gray and Brownstone in the Harvest Collection®.
All in the Details
No matter your personal style — creative, modern, industrial-chic, or something else — your space should blend material beauty and décor finesse.
Explore enduringly beautiful TimberTech projects for deck ideas that combine both.
Deck Ideas for the Spatial Strategist
HOW YOU LIKE TO THINK: A mix of both the big picture thinker and the aesthetician, you experience outdoor spaces like destinations. Whether envisioning a cooly-covered deck enclosure or taking in the sights from a modern rooftop, you’re all about deck ideas that center the feeling you get in the space.
A Top Destination, Right in Your Backyard
Want a better life outdoors? You deserve it. Start thinking through how to transform your space into a must-see destination with backyard upgrade tips and composite decking ideas.
Make Your Deck a Destination
Add-ons like sculptural pergolas or details like high-style deck patterns go a long way toward elevating your design. Balance open and occupied space for a backyard build that supports both quiet relaxation and laughter-filled garden parties.
Explore by Type of Deck
Island Deck
Island decks (lower than 30”) can be a simple-yet-sophisticated option when you want to forego railing, plus they’re fairly DIY-friendly. Get the low-down on island decks, wraparounds, and more.
Rooftop Deck
Rooftop decks capture the fun and whimsy of the unexpected — but can quickly grow warm. Choosing TimberTech capped polymer decking lets you lock in gorgeous nature-inspired hues while enjoying a cooler feel underfoot.*
*Although TimberTech Advanced PVC decking products are cooler to the touch than many other deck board products, all decking products will get hot in the sun. Additionally, the darker the decking color, the hotter it will feel. For hotter climates, consider choosing a lighter color.
Privacy Deck
Your finished outdoor living space should feel like a true escape. Keep prying eyes out and good vibes in with ideas like privacy walls, high-growing greenery, and more.
Covered Deck
Lounging on a covered deck evokes a cozy sense of being settled in — plus offers light protection from the elements.*
*More interested in ways to utilize your under-deck area? Whether you have a second-floor deck or one raised off the ground enough to make you think “skirting,” you’ve got options. LEARN MORE
Complete the Look With Railing
Nothing ties together the overall design of your outdoor living space like a polished perimeter.
Now that you have a host of deck ideas to guide and inspire your project, you’re ready to move from the ideal into the real. Order free samples of our premium, enduringly beautiful composite decking to see the TimberTech difference for yourself.
Bring the Beauty of TimberTech to Your Backyard
Work with a TimberTech pro for a build that transforms your outdoor living space.
