Poweranne's deck

Timber louvres: Here, timber louvres serve many purposes – they provide privacy, prevent glare and help shade the nook, creating a comfortable reading environment for sun-seeking bookworms. The peaceful pocket is also kitted out with a plush base cushion, throw pillow and lumbar roll for added comfort and lounge appeal.

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Meandering deck Let the deck beside your home be only the beginning – curving and snaking through the backyard, a meandering deck beckons further exploration. Consider placing a garden sculpture, a bench or another special feature at the end of the path to create a destination.

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Layered deck Layers of decking merge in this unusual and visually interesting deck design. Well suited to modern and contemporary homes, a deck like the one shown here would also make a striking addition to a small urban lot.

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Bump-out deck Instead of sticking with a basic square or rectangular deck, try bumping it out on one side. A bump-out can help a deck ‘settle’ into the landscape and increase views.

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1. Party deck If outdoor entertaining is what your backyard is all about, think about how you can work your favourite party features into the deck plan. In the party-ready space shown here, there is room for a hammock, a fire pit, an outdoor kitchen and plenty of built-in seating.

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Teak Teak may have very well found itself on the top of my list of hardwoods … if it didn’t come with the high price tag. Out of all the hardwoods on this list, teak is the best performing. It’s great to work with, holds nails and screws tight and will last up to 40 years in above-ground applications. Teak also performs great in the Australian climate. A popular choice for furniture, teak has a beautiful pale colour that reacts well to mild staining and oiling. I don’t do many teak decks, simply due to its price tag. While it performs well and literally lasts half a lifetime, it’s often hard to persuade my clients to fork out the cash for such expensive timber.

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Decking Spotted gum One of the most commonly used Australian hardwoods, spotted gum, is loved by designers and architects the world over for its beautiful grain structure and attractive markings. I love spotted gum and use it for 90 per cent of my projects. It’s tough, performs well in the unpredictable Australian climate and it’s also a minimal staining timber as it’s less prone to bleed tannins than other species. Generally, I’ll just use a natural timber oil without any tint to treat the decking, as the last thing you want to do is take away from that naturally beautiful appearance. If you’re looking to create that wow factor with your new deck, try using wide board (136 x 25mm) spotted gum screwed down using 14 gauge 75mm stainless steel screws – it gives the appearance of a jetty or wharf and looks absolutely stunning.

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Breezeway deck A generously sized deck is an effective way to connect structures on the same property – or parts of one large home – and increase outdoor living space at the same time.

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Destination deck Who says a deck has to be attached to the house? If you want to be drawn into a beautiful backyard, consider placing a freestanding deck platform in your favourite spot. Nestling the deck into trees or creating high landscape plantings behind it will help it settle in.

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Multi-level deck When you are working with a sloped or narrow lot, splitting up the deck into multiple levels can make the best use of the space. An outdoor kitchen could be positioned on the upper level (nearest the house) for easy access to the indoor kitchen, while a seating area or fire pit could be placed a few steps down, creating a private hangout zone.

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As done here, creating a sheltered area for your cooking and barbecue will help to protect your equipment from the weather.

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Vertical cable configuration

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Vertical cable configuration

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