DeStanding Free, But Fitting In

Freestanding decks are great ideas for freestanding outdoor elements such as patios or landscaping, because their materials and designs can be easily tailored to blend or contrast with others. Wood decks lend themselves beautifully to combinations with many types of masonry and stone found in patio construction, such as brick, flagstone, and crushed rock. When colors, shapes, and textures harmonize, the deck and its immediate surroundings often become a unified outdoor space, each flowing into the other. Contrasts, on the other hand, can be used to set the different areas apart and help delineate activities. Here the deck might fit comfortably into the overall landscape plan but intentionally contrast with the nearby lawn or a more distant patio.

©California Redwood Association This redwood deck features a wet bar with easy-care tile counters, post lamps controlled from the house, and benches and tables built into the perimeter.

As extensions of the home, detached decks should have some connection with the house itself, be it an informal gravel or bark path, a more formal walkway, or a bridge or platform. In a large yard or remote location, a freestanding deck may not be in the direct line of sight of the house, but it should feel like it's just an arm's length away.

For more decorating ideas outside the home, see:

• Decorating Ideas
• Patio Ideas