If you’re thinking of creating an outdoor living space for your home, you’re likely wondering what kind of deck styles are out there and which will best complement your home and personal taste. Different styles of decks range from traditional shapes to more distinctive structures, so you’re bound to find one that works for you.
No matter which deck styles you lean toward, there are significant benefits for adding an outdoor living space to your home.
Benefits of Adding a Deck to Your Home
✓ Gives you a beautiful, inviting outdoor living space to spend time on with family and friends.
✓ Can improve your home’s resale value.
✓ Adds greater functionality to your backyard.
Factors That Affect Deck Styles
Determining which of the different styles of decks suits you best requires thinking through several factors beyond your personal preference, including:
Home Architecture
Deck styles should complement their homes in size, shape, and aesthetic. Different styles of decks are highly versatile while others will only pair well with specific types of homes.
Available Space
Your deck should fit into the space available without overwhelming it. Yard features, such as a slope, trees, or a pool, can also affect which deck styles work best in your space.
Primary Function
Different styles of decks suit various functions better than others. Think through how you plan to use your deck to help you determine the right deck layout for your space.
What Are the Different Types of Decks?
Some of the most popular deck styles include classic shapes such as squares and rectangles. However, different styles of decks with more distinct shapes, like curved deck designs and octagons, give you a more daring design that stands out from the crowd.
Keep in mind that certain elements of most deck layouts can be customized further to suit your preferences and needs.
Start With a Template
Explore different styles of decks, each ready-to-customize, and jumpstart your design process.
Traditional Shapes: The Versatile Choice
Deck styles made with traditional shapes are highly versatile. If you’re looking for different styles of decks that work in almost any space, support a variety of functions, and suit a wide range of home architectural styles, these are for you.
Low
Square
Low simple square deck styles give you an open, inviting space that creates a seamless transition from home to backyard.
High-Rise
Rectangle
A high-rise, second-story deck is ideal for homes with natural surroundings as the height gives you the perfect vantage point for taking in the view.
Rectangle With Angled Corner
Adding an angled corner (or two) softens the deck profile and lends your design just a touch of the unexpected.
Distinctive Shapes: The Statement-Making Choice
Looking for more statement-making deck styles? These different styles of decks give you plenty of functional space while also reflecting your unique eye for design.
Rectangle With Octagon
Different styles of decks featuring larger and smaller sections, such as a rectangle with a smaller octagon, give you the flexibility to host both large and intimate gatherings.
L-Shaped Wraparound
Extend your home’s floorplan with a wraparound deck. This design keeps your backyard open by hugging your home, while still offering plenty of space for entertaining.
Curved Design
Whether you curve a section, or your whole deck perimeter, curved deck styles give you a truly unique, elegant deck that gracefully blends with landscaping elements.*
*Note: A curved design requires a qualified contractor, familiar with the heat-bending process, to build.
Different Deck Styles by Home Aesthetic
See how different styles of decks suit various homes and backyard settings to inspire your own deck design.
Traditional-Style Home
While many different styles of decks suit a traditional-style home, an elegant and unexpected option is a unique curved deck design.
Deck styles with a circular section give you a natural gathering place, made even more inviting with a built-in deck bench along half of the circle. Place a coffee table in the center of the circle to create a focal point while giving family and friends a place to set down their plates and drinks. For an even more of an eye-catching design, use different colored deck boards to define the circle.
Mid-Century Modern Home
Pair your sleek mid-century modern home with different styles of decks that are equally simple and chic. Square and rectangular deck styles mirror the same right-angled geometric shapes in your home design, creating a cohesive look and feel. Choose deeply saturated, nature-inspired decking to capture a character-rich look that complements other natural textures, like stone and greenery, of your home’s exterior.
Craftsman-Style Home
Craftsman-style homes are well-known for their hand-worked structures and artisanal feel. Choose from different styles of decks that play up the architectural craftsmanship of your home such as squares and rectangles with angled corners. Deck styles with angled corners give your outdoor living space a curated feel that will fit right in with other artisanal elements of your home.
Mix Railing Materials for a Curated Perimeter
For another layer of character, opt for a mixed-material railing for a texture-rich perimeter. Choose the Classic Composite Series Drink Rail that mixes composite posts, a deck board top rail, and stainless steel cable infill for a truly custom perimeter.
Farmhouse-Style Deck
Wraparound porches and decks are a defining characteristic of many farmhouse-style homes. However, wraparound porch and deck styles can work with many other types of homes as well. Low-to-the-ground wraparound deck styles give you plenty of real estate for large family gatherings while allowing the crowd to spill seamlessly out onto your lawn.
Designate separate sections for different uses by placing furniture strategically along the length of your deck. A dining table on one end and lounge chairs on another gives your family and guests lots of seating variety and different places to mingle.
Scandinavian-Style Home
Scandinavian-style design is defined by a neutral color scheme, natural materials, and minimalist design elements. Low rectangular deck styles capture the simple comfort of Scandinavian design, especially when paired with a muted foundation, such as warm tan decking. Layer textiles like woven furniture, patterned throw pillows, and blankets for a cozy look and feel.
Create Texture With Multi-Width Decking
Looking for different styles of decks that add texture to your space? Opt for a Multi-Width Decking design featuring narrow-, standard-, and/or wide-width boards. Alternate different widths to add a touch of visual interest to your deck design without overpowering your minimalist aesthetic.
Start Designing Your Own Deck
Now that you have an understanding of different styles of decks, it’s time to start designing a deck of your own. Start with one of the templated deck styles in our Deck Plans page and customize your deck from there in our 3D Deck Designer. Or, start from scratch by launching the Deck Designer and drawing your own custom shape. Either way, your deck design is totally up to you.
Turn your deck dream into design
Play with shapes, colors, lighting, and railing to bring your deck ideas to life with our custom Deck Designer tool.
