Modern Deck Design Ideas: Clean Lines And Cable Runs
A sophisticated, modern home deserve a deck to match. If you're looking for modern deck design ideas, you've come to the right place. Let's take a look at a sophisticated deck and break it down piece-by-piece to help you get a modern look - and tailor it to your specific home and deck.
The Look: The Clean Lines Of Modern Deck Railing
Follow each tag to the numbered headings below to learn more about each piece of this look.
- Horizontal Cable Railing
- Neutral-Toned Decking
- Low Voltage Post Cap Lighting
- Recessed Stair Lights
- More Style Additions
How To Get This Look
The gorgeous modern vibe of the deck above is built on a couple of key principles. The first is an emphasis on long clean lines with an open horizontal cable railing system.
Closely related to that is a mix of industrial colors, from the crisp stainless steel of the cable runs to the textured black metal railing to the very neutral-toned decking. The modern look is put into the spotlight - no pun intended - by a thoughtful deck lighting design that's beautifully spaced to accent the space without overpowering it.
Let's take a look at some of the elements that work in this deck and explain how you can mirror them in your own deck space while adding personalized twists.
Key-Link Cable Railing
Cable railing is an amazing choice for any modern deck. Stainless steel cable runs are industrial but extremely subtle.
In fact, cable railings are specifically designed to disappear into your deck's view. You can see above how the cables start to blend into the natural setting beyond as they get further away from your eye. That's because the cables are twisted and polished so that they absorb the light, rather than reflecting it like some harsh metal surfaces.
This particular deck uses Key-Link Horizontal Cable Railing, which is an especially great choice for a few reasons. Key-Link's system doesn't require a bottom rail, which opens up the space even more than other cable railings.
Key-Link's textured black powder-coating gives the posts and rails just enough shine without looking glossy and outdated. Plus, Key-Link cable railing has a beautifully-crafted top rail that adds a few more clean horizontal lines to the look already created by the lengthy cable runs.
Neutral-Toned Deck Boards
This deck balances the sleek black of the railing system with a lighter-toned deck board choice. While a dark, rich brown can look very modern on its own, it's important to think about the deck as a whole. .
Too many dark tones can make a space feel cold and impersonal. If your home has a lot of lighter trim, or if you'll be using lighter-toned decorations, you can choose a darker deck board. But as this deck shows, picking a light, neutral color deck board immediately brightens up a space without taking anything away from the modern sophistication of hte railing.
TimberTech's Weathered Teak decking is a brilliant and versatile choice that fits a range of styles. Pair it with black railing for the look of a modern wood deck - but as TimberTech's Weathered Teak boards are made from high-quality PVC, you won't ever need to stain your deck or replace rotting or splintering boards.
Depending on the colors present in your home and yard, you might want a slightly darker tone. In that case, we'd recommend Trex's Havana Gold. The color mix of the board includes prominent streaks of dark brown and black, which pairs beautifully with a black metal deck railing.
Brown isn't the only option, either. Gray deck boards are very on-trend, and will help your cables blend in even better from all angles. (Gray also looks great with glass railings, another distinctly modern option).
We love TimberTech's Ashwood color, a multi-tonal gray deck board with an incredible range of colors from gray to black to a dark blue, all blended into each board:
Lighted Post Caps
The lighting setup is what really makes this deck sing. Using lighted post caps along the railing gives the space a nice well-lit perimeter and a sense of boundary between the bright deck and the dusky yard.
Because the railing sections are so long and expansive, the lighting is tastefully spaced and doesn't overwhelm the deck with harsh light. The illumination is warm and inviting, creating playful shadows with the patio furniture from all angles.
Post cap lights install easily onto Key-Link Cable Railing - they fit directly on top of deck posts and screw into the post easily.
Fortunately, wiring low voltage outdoor lighting is easy. You don't need to be a professional electrician to do it yourself. Typically, a low voltage transformer plugs into a regular wall outlet, converting your home's electricity into a lower voltage that you can safely wire around your deck, running the wires inside your deck railing.
Recessed Stair Lights
The lighting continues with recessed stair lights. Practically invisible during the day, stair lights become a brilliant accent piece at night, while also illuminating walkways to keep guests safe.
Stair lights also typically run off of low voltage wiring. Installing them is as easy as cutting the right-sized hole, plugging in the light and fitting it snugly into space.
_landscape.jpg "Recessed stair light")
Extra Additions
While we've touched on the basic elements of a deck (decking, railing, lighting), there are plenty of other additions you can make to accent your deck's modern flair. We'll run through a few options to emulate the look above.
Soffit Lighting
If your deck has a roof or overhang, or if you're beautifying the space underneath your deck. Soffit lighting is a great choice. Like the recessed stair lights, a soffit light sits flush in your ceiling or underdeck ceiling, casting warm light downwards to spotlight your space.
Columns Or Column Wraps
The space above accents black railing with sleek black columns supporting the roof. If you're looking for a modern touch for your porch, try a load-bearing column or a column wrap. The AFCO Column below comes in a stylish black, and is made of aluminum so strong it can support the weight of your roof overhang:
A Modern Steel Pergola
If your space isn't covered, you can get the same look by installing a Fortress Evolution Steel Pergola. The smooth black finish of the steel beams is incredibly modern, and it'll also last for years with very little maintenance.
You can dress up your pergola with wood slats or deck boards, as seen below:
Stone Looks
You can create visual intrigue in your modern deck by mixing up textures. Using stone looks alongside your polished metal railings, columns, or pergolas is a great way to do it.
Stone-look column wraps instantly give your space texture and personality - and they look especially great with lighting that plays on the uneven faux-stone texture.
Directional Deck Lighting
Create that lighting spectacle with fixtures that cast light in specific directions. The deck below uses Peak To Peak rail lights that illuminate both upwards and downwards:
The fixtures are easy to install and wire - you can see what a pre-installed fixture looks like here:
