How to Match Custom Deck Design with Your Home's Architecture

A carefully designed custom deck is more than just a backyard staple—it’s an extension of your home. But for the best return on your investment, “the deck should feel like a natural extension of your house, both visually and functionally.” Traditional or contemporary, an outdoor deck can complement the existing style of your home and create a stunning outdoor living space. Here’s how to achieve harmony between your home’s architecture and your outdoor living space. 

Know Your House Style 

Before you start scribbling deck plans, it’s important to learn your home’s architectural style. A Craftsman bungalow, a modernist masterpiece, a dutch colonial? Each style has its own visual story in form, material and details. A custom designed deck will need to express these aspects as well in order to maintain visual continuity. 

For example, a modern house featuring clean lines and minimal decorative elements would be most compatible with a sleek, composite deck, metal railings and abstract patterns. In contrast, a Victorian might want a wood deck with decorative trim and classic balusters. 

Select Complementing Materials and Colors 

The materials you use to build your deck, as well as the colors and finishes you select, are crucial in connecting your custom deck design to your house. If you have a wood-clad house, natural wood decking, like cedar or redwood, may be the best choice. For a brick or stone house, choose a deck material that mirrors them, so if you have smooth white trim, go for a white composite deck or railings, for example, or combine a white deck with a warm-colored railing with composite post sleeves. 

Don’t forget to coordinate the finish and tone of your deck with your home’s trim, shutters or siding. A coordinated palette connects the two spaces. If your home features earthy colors, consider warm browns and taupe decking. For coastal or contemporary homes with lighter toned exteriors, grays, whites, or distressed finishes might work for you. 

Consider Scale and Proportion 

One of the biggest mistakes people make when designing a deck is that they make it too big or too small in proportion to the home. Your deck’s dimension and design should look proportional to the size of your house. A huge multi-level deck can appear awkward on a small, one-story home, while a smaller, platform deck can be lost on an expansive, two-story home. 

Balance Some of the best custom deck plans take into account balance. Guides related to the deck’s size and shape can be found in architectural features on the home, including rooflines, window locations, and even landscaping. A house may benefit from gently curved edges or angled corners to ease a boxy feeling, and from strict, structured lines to suit a more symmetrical home. 

Add in Architectural Accents 

Once your overall style has been determined, here are ways to create a deck that flows with your home. To further blend your deck with your home, take cues from architectural features on and inside the house. If your home has columns, carry that look with like columns on your deck. If you have elaborated trim around your windows or doors, mirror that with your deck railings or skirting. Working with repetition patterns or motifs — lattice, panelling or lighting fixtures, for example