How to Design a Deck Step-by-Step: A Guide to Garden Deck Planning and Landscape Design

A well-planned deck should feel connected to the house and garden—not like an afterthought. In How to Design a Deck Step-by-Step, garden designer Rachel Mathews puts that connection at the center of the design process, helping readers think through how a deck will look, fit, and function before construction begins.

The starting point is not choosing boards or copying a design seen elsewhere. It is understanding the particular property: how the deck will be used, what it needs to connect, and how its shape and size relate to the whole garden. That planning-first approach gives this book its practical focus.

Start with the garden, not just the deck

Mathews explains why an accurate plan matters and what to include on a base drawing: the house, relevant doors and windows, boundaries, changes in level, and features or planting worth keeping. The book also introduces scale drawing and measuring so design ideas can be considered in relation to the actual space.

Looking at the garden as a whole helps readers judge whether a proposed deck belongs there—and whether its position, proportions, and access make sense for the way the outdoor space is used.

Find the right shape, size, and position

The guide moves through the choices that shape a deck’s relationship with its setting, including where it should go, how large it needs to be, and how to handle changes in level. It also explores ways to make a deck appear longer or wider, and how to visually link it with the home and surrounding landscape.

Plan the details that make the space inviting

Built-in seating, planters, water features, lighting, and planting all have a place in the design discussion. These features are considered as parts of a coordinated garden scheme, rather than isolated extras. The book also addresses budgeting, material choices, wood used for decking, and hiring a contractor.

A design guide, not a construction manual

Basic construction is included, along with a final-check section, but the publication’s main emphasis is on planning and design rather than detailed do-it-yourself building instructions. A downloadable cheat sheet is also referenced in the book for reviewing key design steps.

For homeowners and garden-design beginners weighing up a deck project, this guide offers a structured way to make the important decisions on paper first—so the finished space has a better chance of working with the garden around it.