12 Small Deck Design Ideas for Outdoor Dining and Living
Space-saving layouts, smart furnishings and creative plantings make the most of these petite decks from around the world
Lauren Dunec Hoang
23 October 2021
Houzz Editor; landscape designer and former garden editor for Sunset Magazine and in-house designer for Sunset's Editorial Test Garden. Her garden designs have been featured in the Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping, Sunset Western Garden Book of Easy-Care Plantings (cover), Inhabitat, and POPSUGAR.
Houzz Editor; landscape designer and former garden editor for Sunset Magazine and... More
When deck space is at a premium, efficient design and smart styling can make what could be a cramped outdoor area an inviting one. From investing in a disappearing balustrade to choosing hanging planters over ones that take up floor space, there are plenty of ways to make the most of a compact deck.
Read on to discover a dozen ways to design for a small-scale deck, including tips on how to choose an efficient design for a new deck or optimise an existing deck layout. Plus, we’ve included styling ideas to make tight decks feel more welcoming.
Read on to discover a dozen ways to design for a small-scale deck, including tips on how to choose an efficient design for a new deck or optimise an existing deck layout. Plus, we’ve included styling ideas to make tight decks feel more welcoming.
1. Choose an efficient design
One of the best ways to ensure that you’re making the most of a small deck is to start with a design that fits your needs and the space. If you’re installing a new deck, start by identifying how you’d like to use the space. Then determine space and site constraints and choose the size and shape of your deck accordingly.
Rectangular decks are the most common and can be sectioned off into multiple areas for different uses. With this efficient wraparound deck in Portland, USA, the corner naturally divides the deck into two areas.
One of the best ways to ensure that you’re making the most of a small deck is to start with a design that fits your needs and the space. If you’re installing a new deck, start by identifying how you’d like to use the space. Then determine space and site constraints and choose the size and shape of your deck accordingly.
Rectangular decks are the most common and can be sectioned off into multiple areas for different uses. With this efficient wraparound deck in Portland, USA, the corner naturally divides the deck into two areas.
Small, round decks, like this one in a London garden by Kate Eyre Garden Design, can be well-suited for creating intimate seating nooks. For irregular site layouts, you may want to consider a deck design that includes semi-circular, square or angular pop-out sections that extend from the main deck, to capitalise on a bit more square metreage.
Hiring a landscape architect or deck specialist can help make sure you start with a deck design that is beautifully suited to your site and fits in with your home and outdoor area.
Find a decking professional near you on Houzz
Hiring a landscape architect or deck specialist can help make sure you start with a deck design that is beautifully suited to your site and fits in with your home and outdoor area.
Find a decking professional near you on Houzz
2. Optimise an existing layout
To make an existing deck more efficient, consider where you can fit in different elements – including furniture, lighting and cooking equipment – to save floor space and improve overall flow. You may decide it’s worth it to invest in built-in seating or new patio furniture to maximise the space.
With this rectangular deck in Austin, USA, the designers at B. Jane Gardens made the most of the relatively small square metreage by tucking a square fire feature and built-in bench seating into a corner. They positioned a moveable bench along a wall for additional seating and a dining table along the far side, keeping the middle section open. The layout feels spacious and inviting.
To make an existing deck more efficient, consider where you can fit in different elements – including furniture, lighting and cooking equipment – to save floor space and improve overall flow. You may decide it’s worth it to invest in built-in seating or new patio furniture to maximise the space.
With this rectangular deck in Austin, USA, the designers at B. Jane Gardens made the most of the relatively small square metreage by tucking a square fire feature and built-in bench seating into a corner. They positioned a moveable bench along a wall for additional seating and a dining table along the far side, keeping the middle section open. The layout feels spacious and inviting.
3. Work around existing features
If your site comes with a challenging feature, like a mature tree or a building support that breaks up the area where you’d like to install a deck, see if you can weave it into the deck design.
This deck, built around an existing oak tree in this San Francisco Bay Area backyard in the USA by ODS Architecture, allowed for the tree to be preserved without compromising floor space. Plus, the oak acts as a stunning focal point and provides natural shade over the seating area.
If your site comes with a challenging feature, like a mature tree or a building support that breaks up the area where you’d like to install a deck, see if you can weave it into the deck design.
This deck, built around an existing oak tree in this San Francisco Bay Area backyard in the USA by ODS Architecture, allowed for the tree to be preserved without compromising floor space. Plus, the oak acts as a stunning focal point and provides natural shade over the seating area.
4. Consider furniture scale
Don’t try to squeeze large furniture onto a small deck – it will feel feel cramped and cluttered and leave no room to move through the space. Instead, choose furniture to fit the size of your existing or future deck, and look for flexible designs, such as an extendable dining table.
Here, the recliners chosen by Jessica Jubelirer Design for a viewing deck outside a lake house in Wisconsin, USA, take advantage of the waterfront view and fit the deck’s size.
Don’t try to squeeze large furniture onto a small deck – it will feel feel cramped and cluttered and leave no room to move through the space. Instead, choose furniture to fit the size of your existing or future deck, and look for flexible designs, such as an extendable dining table.
Here, the recliners chosen by Jessica Jubelirer Design for a viewing deck outside a lake house in Wisconsin, USA, take advantage of the waterfront view and fit the deck’s size.
5. Hang lights overhead
Save floor space and cast an inviting glow over a small outdoor seating area by hanging string lights, lanterns and wall-mounted exterior lights. For this deck in Portland, USA, designed by Whitten Architects, three horizontal wires support a crisscross of cafe lights centred over a small outdoor dining table with seating for four.
Save floor space and cast an inviting glow over a small outdoor seating area by hanging string lights, lanterns and wall-mounted exterior lights. For this deck in Portland, USA, designed by Whitten Architects, three horizontal wires support a crisscross of cafe lights centred over a small outdoor dining table with seating for four.
6. Design for indoor-outdoor flow
A deck built right off a room in the house creates bonus living space, even if the deck is modest in size. The more seamless you can make the transition from indoors to outdoors, the more the two areas will flow together, making both spaces feel larger. In this Vancouver home in Canada, large-scale glass doors connect the deck and the living room, allowing people to easily pass between both spaces.
Browse more beautifully designed decks for inspiration
A deck built right off a room in the house creates bonus living space, even if the deck is modest in size. The more seamless you can make the transition from indoors to outdoors, the more the two areas will flow together, making both spaces feel larger. In this Vancouver home in Canada, large-scale glass doors connect the deck and the living room, allowing people to easily pass between both spaces.
Browse more beautifully designed decks for inspiration
7. Choose a disappearing balustrade
If there’s a grade change between your deck and the ground (even if it’s only minor), you will likely need to install railings to comply with local building codes. Small decks can feel more cramped if surrounded by heavy railings. Instead, choose a style that appears light and open, like the cable railing surrounding this deck in Sydney, NSW. It seems to disappear from view, expanding the perceived deck boundary and allowing one’s gaze to move out to the garden.
If there’s a grade change between your deck and the ground (even if it’s only minor), you will likely need to install railings to comply with local building codes. Small decks can feel more cramped if surrounded by heavy railings. Instead, choose a style that appears light and open, like the cable railing surrounding this deck in Sydney, NSW. It seems to disappear from view, expanding the perceived deck boundary and allowing one’s gaze to move out to the garden.
8. Save floor space with smart planting strategies
Adding flowers and foliage can be a great way to make a deck feel more like a garden. But for tiny decks, like many in urban areas, potted plants compete for space with higher-priority items such as chairs, a table or a barbecue.
Elevate your plants if floor space is tight but you still want the feeling of a garden. Use hanging baskets, window boxes, over-the-railing planters or vertical gardens to maximise space. In Brooklyn, USA-based interior designer Julia Mack’s home, a basket dangles from the upstairs balcony over the elevated deck, and window-box planters on the outside of the railing keep floor space open.
Adding flowers and foliage can be a great way to make a deck feel more like a garden. But for tiny decks, like many in urban areas, potted plants compete for space with higher-priority items such as chairs, a table or a barbecue.
Elevate your plants if floor space is tight but you still want the feeling of a garden. Use hanging baskets, window boxes, over-the-railing planters or vertical gardens to maximise space. In Brooklyn, USA-based interior designer Julia Mack’s home, a basket dangles from the upstairs balcony over the elevated deck, and window-box planters on the outside of the railing keep floor space open.
9. Provide shade
Decks of any size can benefit from having a source of shade, whether in the form of a pergola, mature tree or large umbrella.
Adding an overhang to the side of a building, as was done for this deck in Japan, can save space by taking advantage of the support of an existing structure. Similarly, one could attach a shade sail to the side of a building to add shade in a small footprint.
Decks of any size can benefit from having a source of shade, whether in the form of a pergola, mature tree or large umbrella.
Adding an overhang to the side of a building, as was done for this deck in Japan, can save space by taking advantage of the support of an existing structure. Similarly, one could attach a shade sail to the side of a building to add shade in a small footprint.
10. Invest in built-in seating
Built-in seating can be a significant space saver for small decks, as it allows a seating area to be anchored against a wall or in a corner and leaves the centre of the deck open.
In this lush city garden by Fenton Roberts Garden Design in London, UK, a square table pulled up to two built-in seats makes for an elegant seating solution for a small terrace.
Built-in seating can be a significant space saver for small decks, as it allows a seating area to be anchored against a wall or in a corner and leaves the centre of the deck open.
In this lush city garden by Fenton Roberts Garden Design in London, UK, a square table pulled up to two built-in seats makes for an elegant seating solution for a small terrace.
11. Include an outdoor rug
Give a small deck some style without changing your outdoor furniture or adding bulky accessories by rolling out an outdoor rug for the season. Look for outdoor rugs made of weather- and fade-resistant synthetic materials including polyester and recycled plastic, which can be easily hosed off to clean them. Rugs made of natural materials, such as jute, are less outdoor-hardy and should be brought inside when it rains.
Give a small deck some style without changing your outdoor furniture or adding bulky accessories by rolling out an outdoor rug for the season. Look for outdoor rugs made of weather- and fade-resistant synthetic materials including polyester and recycled plastic, which can be easily hosed off to clean them. Rugs made of natural materials, such as jute, are less outdoor-hardy and should be brought inside when it rains.
12. Add interest to walls
Small decks surrounded by walls can feel boxed in, but you can reduce this feeling by enhancing the walls around the deck. With this enclosed terrace by Chicago Roof Deck & Garden in the USA, brick walls have become a backdrop for an installation of pale birch trunks along one side and metal screens along another. Vines such as clematis (Clematis spp.), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) or Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) can be planted on outdoor walls to create a lush green backdrop.
Your turn
How have you make the most of a small deck? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Is your deck calling out for a little TLC? Check out 5 Easy Tweaks to Update Your Timber Deck
Small decks surrounded by walls can feel boxed in, but you can reduce this feeling by enhancing the walls around the deck. With this enclosed terrace by Chicago Roof Deck & Garden in the USA, brick walls have become a backdrop for an installation of pale birch trunks along one side and metal screens along another. Vines such as clematis (Clematis spp.), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) or Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) can be planted on outdoor walls to create a lush green backdrop.
Your turn
How have you make the most of a small deck? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the conversation.
More
Is your deck calling out for a little TLC? Check out 5 Easy Tweaks to Update Your Timber Deck
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I like the mature tree built in idea, but supplying water and nourishment is imperative.
Very lovely suggestions .... however keep in mind that trees, bushes, shrubs etc attract birds ... especially when you are not on your terrasse or deck. The state of your tables, sofas and armchairs will quickly become a nightmare concerning the amount of bird droppings you will have to deal with
Enjoyed this article and the comments! Two additional thoughts: I live in the fireprone west. One ignition source is patio cushions! I have recovered mine with treated, fire resistant material. Also, I struggle with keeping the windows in my house clean! I can't imagine adding glass or plexi added in place of deck rails, but love the clear view. The new hog wire material (personally I liked the sturdy Raw Tahoe Hog more than the 6 gauge) or thin wire rail replacements preserve the view without adding maintenance chores, and provide the added benefit of being able to shovel snow through it rather than over it!