1. Outdoor Kitchen Foundations

In the past, a grill was arguably the only outdoor cooking appliance you'd find in the average household. Now, homeowners are taking indoor-outdoor living to a whole new level with full or partial outdoor kitchens.

Building an outdoor kitchen requires a durable, safe foundation. Whether you're simply adding a sink and prep station or a pizza oven and dining table to your grilling area, a composite deck is a great base. With a custom composite deck, you can create the perfect layout to cook and eat al fresco.

2. Corner Bump-Outs

What if you don't have a huge yard and don't want to lose your entire lawn to a deck or porch? This is where corner bump-outs can really shine.

Bump-outs tend to fit into those nooks and crannies that your home's footprint creates. Maybe you've got a shaded area that isn't great for gardening or a corner that you haven't put to good use. Bump-outs are the classic deck's smaller cousin, but they create usable square footage perfect for seating and container gardening.

3. Wrap-Around Porches

When you think of different types of decks, you might imagine raised or multi-tier structures. While these are great (and we'll get to them soon enough), you can also use composite decking materials to build ground-level porches.

Wrap-around porches are common staples in Southern architecture, but we don't see them as often here in California. The wrap-around porch is great because it creates tons of different places to sit, relax, grill, and hug the shade no matter the time of day. As the name suggests, a wrap-around porch tends to span the entire front or backside of the house and wrap around to one or both sides.

4. Garden Connections

If you've been working on your green thumb, you may want nothing more than to spend time amongst your beautiful plants and flowers. With creative deck designs, you can immerse yourself in your garden without getting down in the dirt.

Rather than the typical wide deck, use composite decking material to build narrow pathways and bump-out seating areas that meander through your garden. You can also add trellises and arbors to your composite deck to hold veining plants and enhance privacy.

5. Multi-Tiered Decks

Scale is just as important in landscaping and outdoor design as it is in interior design. When you're working with a huge amount of space, a small deck can look dwarfed and uninviting. Instead, consider installing a deck with multiple levels.

Multi-tiered options are also great for homes built on a slope. The back door opens out onto the top level, and stairs lead down to lower levels that descend toward the lawn.

6. Color Matching

Composite decking is a hybrid of natural wood and plastic. Some homeowners worry that composite decking materials won't match their existing wood structures, like their natural redwood fence.

Most composite decks fall into three different color categories: gray, brown, or red. At C&J Fencing, we specialize in redwood fences, retaining walls, and decks. We're more than equipped to build a color-matched composite deck that blends seamlessly into your existing landscaping.

7. Built-In Seating

Composite decking materials are great because they're easy to use in the construction of all sorts of structures and shapes. That includes built-in seating options like benches.

Adding bench seating to the perimeter of your deck can cut down on the expense and maintenance of separate outdoor seating. It also ensures that even when you've taken your outdoor seating in for the season, there's still a place to sit and enjoy the view or a cup of coffee on a nice day.

8. Floating Deck Designs

When you're installing a new deck, you get to decide everything from size and color to location. If you already have a small deck, porch, or patio outside your back door, consider adding a floating deck somewhere else in your yard.

Floating decks are often slightly raised and always free-standing. This allows homeowners to take advantage of shade and scenic views or create seating areas without disrupting their existing landscaping. Plus, floating decks are great if you want to add a fire pit to your yard but want to keep it at least ten feet from your home, as per USFA guidelines.

9. Balcony-Style Decks

Maybe you don't want to lose any of the square footage in your yard but you do want to add an extra seating area. This is common with homeowners who have big gardens, a pool, or just want plenty of play space for the family.

Consider a balcony-style deck that you can access from the second floor of your home or an attached stairwell. Not only does this leave your yard free and clear, but it also creates some below-deck rain and wind protection for gardening gear, outdoor toys, and more.

Ready to Bring These Composite Deck Ideas to Life?

Do you want to spend more time outside but find it hard to get away from home? A deck makes it easy to embrace indoor-outdoor living whenever you want, and these composite deck ideas are just the beginning of what C&J Fencing can do for you.

Since our founding in 2005, we've earned an A+ BBB rating, won the San Francisco Chronicle's Baylist award, and got voted Best of the Bay on KRON-TV. 

Contact us to start designing your own award-winning deck.