When its comes to designing an outdoor deck space for entertaining, it is important to make your design efficient with some smart styling to create an inviting oasis. There are plenty of different ways to design your deck, from creating built-in seating and fire pits to selecting railings and plants, adding the beauty of nature to your outdoor space. Plants can also help with intimacy if you have neighbors nearby.
Read on to discover plenty of inspiring ways to design an outdoor deck for entertaining. This includes sources and ideas below each image for designing and styling your outdoor oasis to feel warm and inviting. Don’t forget to let us know which one of these ideas most inspired you and why in the Comments below!
1. This small contemporary backyard deck features an open trellis for shelter and a fire pit for warmth and ambiance. The fire pit is called Art Asia Wok Fire Pit in 36″ diameter. A gas line is connected to the fire ring below the crushed glass. (via Kurt Krueger Architects)
2. A rustic outdoor deck in Portland is perfect for entertaining or enjoying an intimate evening thanks to its seclusion from neighbors. Located just off the kitchen, this outdoor space features a custom fabricated steel fireplace (gas), wood floors and cement walls with a cover. (via Jordan Iverson Signature Homes)
3. This contemporary deck in San Francisco offers plenty of privacy with a surrounding fence. Olive trees help to provide coverage to the horizontal slat fencing while adding nature to this urban deck. (via OneAbode Landscape Design)
4. The dimensions of the deck area where the furniture sits are roughly 18′ 7-1/2″ W x 13’9″ L. The outdoor furnishings were sourced from Teak Wearhouse. The fire pit is from Restoration Hardware and has two gas lines. (via Thuilot Associates)
5. Create a delightful deck to enjoy throughout the seasons with a covered pergola and twinkle lights for a cozy gathering space. (via Lowe’s Home Improvement)
6. This contemporary backyard deck boasts a built-in fire pit and a water feature to delight your guests. (via Envision Landscape Studio)
7. This cozy deck in Austin, Texas features an outdoor dining area and built-in seating around a fire pit. (via B. Jane Gardens)
8. A small rustic backyard deck in Jackson Hole, Wyoming features dining al fresco with stunning views. A container garden adds to the overall beauty of this deck. (via EK Reedy Interiors)
9. This cozy beach cottage deck in Maine offers an intimate dining area with string lights for ambiance suspended from above. There are three stainless steel cables used as structural support, affixed from the “front cottage” to the “back cottage”. The lights are draped over these cables. (via Whitten Architects)
10. A rooftop garden in Midtown Manhattan offers an outdoor oasis in the heart of an urban city center. Container gardens invite nature onto this deck, while comfortable furniture groupings are ideal for entertaining guests. String lights are affixed to the brick wall instead of overhead. This effect adds a romantic touch, setting the mood for evening dining outdoors. (via New Eco Landscapes)
11. This contemporary deck in Los Angeles features lounge seating and a fire pit covered by a trellis. The trellis is made out of steel tubing: The columns, beams, and the slats. (via Kurt Krueger Architects)
12. This traditional style deck in Atlanta features a pergola to provide shading from the elements. A spacious layout offers plenty of seating area to host a party in style. (via Atlanta Decking & Fence Co.)
13. A partially covered deck in Atlanta is surrounded by forest, creating a tranquil setting for relaxation and entertaining. The Ipe wood deck floor is stained with a combination of stains — jacobean, ebony, walnut. The size of the covered area was about 12 feet x 14 feet, not including the area beyond the posts with the grill. The open area is an l shaped. It is about 12x 16 feet. (via The Consulting House)
14. An elegant multi-level Ipe deck in New Jersey showcases clean lines, built-in benches with and beautiful views of terraced gardens and beyond to a swimming pool. (via Decks by Kiefer)
15. Create the ultimate party deck in your backyard, complete with built-in bench seating, a hammock, a fire pit, and an outdoor kitchen. A trellis in the upper-level deck helps to shield the space from the elements. (via True North Architects)
16. This gorgeous deck in Michigan features a mix of Ipe and Grappa wood. To seal and enhance the wood while allowing for maximum SPF protection, the designers applied “Seal It Green Xtreme Exotic Sealer in Clear Tint”. “Seal It Green Deck Clean” was used to clean this deck before the application of the sealer. (via Ogne Remodeling & Roofing)
17. Live, eat and play in this backyard entertainment space in Texas. A spacious Ipe wood deck leads down to a sunken sitting area surrounding a cast-in-place concrete fire feature, complimented by Leuders limestone flooring. The gravel is a crushed grey basalt. The deck is supported by conventional wood framing to appear as if it is floating. The ipe deck is about 20′ x 25′. (via Austin Outdoor Design)
18. This wooded deck retreat in Charlotte, North Carolina features a composite decking material made of post-industrial wood-waste and recycled plastics by Fiberon. The product is the Horizon collection in ‘Ipe’. (via Fiberon Decking)
19. A traditional style deck in Portland, Oregon features comfortable furnishings from the Better Homes and Gardens collection sourced from Walmart. It’s called the Englewood Heights II Aluminum 4-piece Outdoor Patio Conversation Set. (via Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design)
20. This dreamy outdoor living space was designed to offer warmth and comfort as well as function. Relaxing with family and friends, one can enjoy views of Lake Tahoe from the modern mountain style deck. The fire pit was custom-designed, while the outdoor furnishings are by Kettal. (via IMI Design)
21. An outdoor oasis in the city of Philadelphia, this roof deck offers great space versatility to comfortably host a small gathering. The outdoor rug is from Trans-Ocean. (via Busybee Design)
22. A rustic deck of a lake house in New York with a fire pit. This outdoor oasis is used as a cocktail deck to enjoy relaxing sunsets with friends. See the rest of the home here: Woodsy lake front cabin in upstate New York. (via Thom Filicia)
23. This Japanese garden deck in San Diego features Ipe hardwood decking and a potting bench. Gapping the deck boards allows for drainage and ventilation. (via SD Independent Construction)
24. This contemporary Ipe deck in Portland seems to float amongst the trees. Comfortable seating around a built-in concrete fireplace offers warmth and ambiance. An integrated hot tub is perfect for hosting parties. (via Giulietti Schouten Architects)
25. A beach style deck in San Diego features a curved Mangaris walkway with custom tapered planks. The walkway is sealed with a penofin hardwood stain. A water feature adds a tranquil element to this outdoor oasis, while a fire pit provides warmth and nighttime ambiance. (via SD Independent Construction)
26. Beachfront outdoor living on the Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This intimate deck features a sunken seating area and a planted screen that provides privacy from beachgoers. A built-in fire pit is composed of a poured-in-place concrete base with a polished and colored precast concrete top. Tempered glass fragments from BlazingGlass cover the burner. (via Jonathan Craggs garden design)
27. An interior designer for this outdoor project demolished a dilapidated shed that used to be a laundry room. In its place, a pergola with fiber furniture, which will age over time to gain a very beautiful grayish color. A Nordic style lamp is suspended over the dining table. (via El Mueble)
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