Modern Adding a Backyard Deck to Extend Your Living Space

Your backyard can be an extension of your living space for entertaining family and friends while adding to the value of your home. First you need to consider a few things like budget, architecture of your home, landscape, family needs and your lifestyle. If you are on a tight budget then you can do this in steps while taking into consideration what the completed project will be.

You will then want to check with your local building department what their requirements are like easements or restrictions. Before construction starts it is always good to have your local utility companies mark any underground utilities. A good deck contractor will do this.

A good starting base would be a deck. Will this be a wood deck ( pressure treated pine, cedar, redwood) that will require maintenance from time to time like a good wood preservative or will it be an exotic hard wood or composite deck material that requires less attention? Will it be constructed with screws or nails? Check with your supplier to make sure that you get the best fasteners for you application if doing this yourself.

You can make this an outdoor living room with a fireplace or fire pit with a outdoor kitchen complete with a sink with running water, built in gas grill and refrigerator or just a deck with a portable gas or charcoal grill.

Consider shading this with a pergola or getting a little more protection from the rain with a shingled roof over the area and maybe install a set of french doors linking the indoors out to your new backyard paradise.

A nice water feature like a fish pond with a waterfall can add a relaxing touch for those days when you want to nap in your rope hammock or use your laptop surfing the internet. You can add a gas heater for the cooler days or screen it in to keep those pesky bugs out while still letting the breeze flow through.

You can then add lighting, ceiling fan, outdoor rug, outdoor furniture, landscaping, wall mounted LCD TV and outdoor art work.

As you can see the possibilities are endless and this will give you endless memories for you family and friend photo albums.

Do a search for outdoor living. The internet is full of images that will help you with your design.