Backyard Deck Ideas You’ll Want to Try (Including My Tip in Livingetc)

Have you ever stood in your garden and thought, “Where would a deck even go?”


Not just where it could go, but where it would actually work for your life?

That moment when you’re holding your coffee, eyeing that sunny patch, and wondering if this is the year you finally do something about it.

If that sounds like you, you’re definitely not alone. And this post might help you see things a little differently.

I recently got to share one of my favourite backyard deck ideas with Livingetc magazine (screenshot below!). It’s a small detail, but it’s changed the way many of my clients think about their garden space—and it might do the same for you.

In this post, I’m walking you through three small-but-mighty ideas behind a real-life deck project. You’ll learn how to design around your day, why it’s okay to break the box, and how to choose materials that feel natural—not fussy.

By the end, I hope you’ll feel not just inspired, but a little more confident in designing a space that fits you.

Let’s get started.

Build Your Deck Around Your Day

Most people design their deck around the layout of their garden. But what if you flipped that thinking—and started with how you actually want to use the space?

That’s exactly what guided this project. Instead of defaulting to a square or placing the deck where it “should” go, we looked at how the family moved through their day.

• Morning coffee in the sun
• Lots of planting and raised beds to make it easier to tend plants
• A cosy garden pavilion with a wooden stove for cooler days

These rhythms shaped the angles, the zones, even the steps.

And here's the thing: when you start by thinking about your routines—how you live outdoors—the design takes on a completely different feel. It becomes personal. Comforting. Thoughtful.

Maybe for you, it’s not coffee and pavilion. Perhaps it’s a spot to do yoga in the morning or to watch the kids splash around with a watering can. No two lives are the same—and your deck doesn’t have to be, either.

✏️ Try this: Before sketching anything, make a list of how you’d like to spend time outside. Use that to guide the layout, not just the shape of your garden.

 

Ditch the Rectangle – Let Your Deck Breathe

Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen a square deck plopped down like a big wooden mat. I have.
It’s the default choice—but it’s rarely the best one.

In this garden, we ditched the idea of a rectangle and let the design flow with varied levels and a versatile shape. It instantly made the space feel engaging and more welcoming. You’re not boxed in—you’re drawn into different moods.

One of my favourite tricks is to break the edge:

• Let one side feel abundant with planting, and the other open to the surrounding landscape
• Add a built-in planter or a step that doubles as seating
• Allow the deck to be a series of spaces or even curve around a tree or a planting area

You don’t need a huge space to do this. In fact, especially in smaller gardens, focusing on the deck’s shape and height with built-in planters can make the whole area feel bigger and more thoughtful. You create a sense of movement, even in stillness.

This deck now feels like it belongs to the garden—not just something sitting on top of it. And that’s a small shift with a big impact.

✏️ Try this: Sketch out your deck with a few unexpected edges. No need to get it perfect. Just experiment with breaking the box—you might surprise yourself.

 

Choose Materials That Feel Natural (and Age Gracefully)

Let’s talk materials—because this is where a lot of people feel stuck. Composite? Pressure-treated? What lasts? What looks good?

For this project, we went with Siberian larch—and I’ll be honest, I love how it turned out.

It’s a beautiful, natural wood that’s tough enough to handle our weather without needing chemical treatments. It weathers to a lovely soft grey over time, which just adds to the calm, timeless feel.

And it’s surprisingly budget-friendly.

That said, larch does best with a little care—a light oiling now and then, and occasional sanding—especially if you want to keep it smooth under bare feet. Left totally untreated, it can get a bit splintery over time.

If you’re based in the U.S. or Canada and larch isn’t available locally, a few lovely alternatives to consider are:

• Western red cedar – warm, soft, and beautifully stable
• Eastern white cedar – gentle on bare feet, and full of rustic charm
• Thermally modified ash or pine – ultra-smooth and low-maintenance, with a natural look

There’s so much pressure these days to go big or “premium” when building a deck—but I always come back to this:


What will feel right in the space?


What will look good with the garden as it grows?


What can you touch barefoot and feel glad you chose it?

Natural materials, used simply, can bring so much soul to a space. That’s why I often lean into them. They don’t compete with the garden—they settle into it.

✏️ Try this: If you're not sure what material to use, ask yourself how you want your deck to feel in five years. Will it still feel like you?

My Tip in Livingetc Magazine

(Idea #9 in their article!)


I was recently featured in Livingetc alongside a group of inspiring designers and landscaping professionals, each sharing a creative idea for outdoor decking. If you’re craving more inspiration, you’ll definitely want to browse the full article. Read the full piece on Livingetc’s website
.

A Deck Designed Around You

Designing a backyard deck isn’t just about choosing the right wood or layout. It’s about making space for your life to unfold outside.

Today, I hope you walked away with more than just ideas. Maybe a little spark of inspiration. A new way to look at your space. And the confidence to plan something that feels like you—not like a copy of what everyone else is doing.

Because that’s where the real beauty lies.

Sometimes it starts with a single chair in the morning sun… and grows from there.

Want More Help Shaping Your Style?

If you’d love more tips on designing your terrace area to reflect your personal style, take my Garden Style Quiz. It’s completely free.

When you do, you’ll get:

• A personalized Style Guide
• Helpful emails on how to bring your results to life
• And later on… a downloadable guide full of ideas and inspiration for styling your outdoor living area in alignment with your garden personality

Take the Quiz below and start designing a terrace that truly feels like home.