This post was updated on February 5, 2025
According to the Lumber and Building Materials (LBM) Journal, the U.S. decking industry remains incredibly resilient despite legitimate challenges. Recent tests included COVID-related material shortages, sky-high lumber prices, and the multi-year lapse in new home construction. The National Association of Realtors agrees that decks effectively “extend the livable area” of a home and are desirable to prospective homebuyers, resulting in approximately an 80% return on investment (ROI).
In 2025, some of the outdoor deck design trends include creating multi-functional decks with features such as multiple levels, vibrant colors, eco-friendly options, and natural materials.
Transform Your Outdoor Space with These Trends
Here, I’ll explain many current deck trends reflecting the desire to create decks with functionality, practicality, sustainability, modern aesthetics, and personalization. Lastly, I’ll summarize some best practices for maintaining a deck.
Multi-Level Wood Decks
Multi-level wood decks are popular modern deck designs featuring distinct zones or areas. For example, some outdoor deck and patio designs include upper areas for lounging and sunbathing and lower areas equipped for cooking. Properties with homes constructed on a slope are often perfect for multi-level decks with connecting staircases.
Roof-top patios, decks, or mezzanines are increasingly popular in newer homes and townhouses in urban neighborhoods with flat roofs. These roof-top, outdoor deck design ideas can provide tremendous views, fresh air, and greenspace to properties lacking yard space.
Multi-level, outdoor deck designs also commonly feature covers, which provide shade from the hot midday sun. Check out my pages regarding deck cover options, such as wood pergolas and covered wood porches.
Sustainable Decking Materials
Another outdoor deck design trend in 2025 involves choosing eco-friendly or sustainable construction and maintenance materials. Some types of wood with a minimal impact on the environment include Douglas fir, Nootka cypress, pine, redwood, and Western red cedar. Wood that is deemed as “sustainable” is typically fast-growing, requires minimal fertilizer, and uses less energy in the manufacturing and production processes.
Other considerations include choosing options largely composed of recycled material and “low-VOC” products, which contain minimal volatile organic compounds. Check out my full listing of eco-friendly decking materials.
Minimalist Design
Minimalism emerged in the 1960s art and music scene and reflects a style focused on simplicity. Today, minimalism is primarily a lifestyle that embraces the “less is more” concept focused on getting rid of unnecessary possessions, clutter, and distractions.
Minimalism has recently become a subset of modern design. Some of the minimalist elements found in modern deck designs include using a neutral color scheme, choosing furniture geared for functionality, maintaining clean, open space, and minimizing ornamentation.
Personalization
Lighting
Exterior LED lighting helps showcase the appearance of your deck and is extremely energy-efficient, sustainable, and long-lasting. Consider the yellowish LED bulbs that are much less attractive to bugs.
Smart Features
Use smart technology for enhancing your outdoor space including motion-detecting security lights, smart sprinklers for watering plants, or Wi-Fi extenders.
Privacy
Pergolas, wood trellis, trees, shrubs, and fences may add aesthetic appeal and privacy. Check out my article on properly maintaining wooden fences.
Timelessness
Timeless things remain appealing regardless of changes in trends or styles. Wood decks are largely considered to have a classic appeal and timeless charm, as the beauty and unique character of natural wood rarely goes out of style.
When properly maintained, a wood deck will stand the test of time, providing useful outdoor space for decades. Using deck stains, homeowners can still adapt the wood’s hue to better complement any new changes to the home’s exterior.
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Bold Colors
Choosing bold colors is an outdoor deck design trend in 2025, offering alternatives to monochrome color schemes that use different tones or tints of a single color. Here, you create “pops” of dynamic colors to add contrast. Some ways of adding bold colors include accent pillows for deck furniture, rugs, and other accessories.
Benjamin Moore has a sharp exterior patio and deck color combination using Arctic Blue 2050-60, a light blue with greenish undertones, and White Dove OC-17, a classic white.
Three of my favorite solid-color decks stains are:
- Restore-A-Deck Solid Color Deck Stain in Coastal Gray
- Defy Extreme Solid Stains in White
- Flood Pro Series Solid Stain in Redwood Tone
Seamless With Nature
Look for opportunities to further integrate nature (beyond wood and natural light) into your outdoor deck space by using plants, stone, water, and other elements. This concept, known as biophilic design, seeks to maintain a connection between people and our natural surroundings. A recent design study from the University of Central Arkansas explained that the benefits of blending in nature extend beyond simply aesthetics to improve emotional health and reduce stress. Consider the following options:
Live Plants
Incorporating trees, flowers, and shrubs provides a variety of practical benefits.
- Color: Consider flowering plants to add accent colors such as yellows, blues, or purples.
- Privacy: Shrubs, hedges, and foliage positioned vertically can provide privacy. Plants can be placed in floor pots, raised beds, or grown vine-like along railings or lattices. Consider these ideas for using plants for natural outdoor privacy.
- Shade: Trees are an excellent natural source of shade from the hot sun, and they consume rainwater, which otherwise may create pools of standing water that might weaken deck footings or flow into basements or crawlspaces.
- Repelling pests: Some of the best natural mosquito repellants include lemon balm, lemon verbena (bee brush), eucalyptus, marigold, citronella, and lavender.
Stone
Known for its general durability and timeless appeal, stone can also create an earthy and sophisticated feel. Some of the types of stone used in deck and patio areas include bluestone, flagstone, fieldstone, cobblestone (granite), and pea gravel.
Water
Creating a small pond is an excellent way of integrating water in the space and the sound of running fountains or waterfalls can provide a soothing and peaceful vibe. Check out these water feature ideas.
Fire
Having a fire in an outdoor pit or fireplace creates ambiance and promotes relaxation on a cool night.
Restore A Deck Stain
Multi-Functional Decks
Those considering a new wood deck should first determine how they want to use the space. After identifying goals, you can design and construct the structure accordingly. In most instances, homeowners will desire several goals, meaning that the deck will be versatile or multi-functional. Some of the most common uses for deck spaces are:
- Outdoor living room: Creating a comfortable outdoor living space for family relaxation or socializing with guests. Options might include comfy and weather-resistant furniture, audio speakers, electrical outlets, or a fire pit.
- Outdoor kitchen: Those who are serious about entertaining may add appliances that are suitable for outdoor spaces, such as refrigerators, integrated grills, pizza ovens, worksurfaces for food preparation, cabinet-style storage space, and sinks.
- Luxury features: Luxurious amenities that may be integrated into a deck include a hot tub or wood soaking tub.
Maintaining Your Deck for Longevity
Wood decks face a range of challenges, such as harsh UV rays, water, mold, mildew, algae, wood-destroying pests, and bird droppings. Properly maintaining the appearance and condition of your deck is critical. Some of my recommended best practices include regularly cleaning, brightening, and staining your deck using high-quality products that are appropriate for the age and condition of the structure and your local climate.
Bringing Your Deck Vision to Life in 2025
Wood decks remain a great option for homeowners to improve their exterior appearance, expand usable space, entertain, and boost property values. I invite you to visit my Deck Stain Forum, which is a massive resource for all things related to exterior wood and deck restoration, including Q&A, project photos, and information contributed by homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, and professional contractors.
