40 Ideas For Building The Perfect Covered Deck

When it comes to enjoying outside areas around your home, that might mean bringing a splash of style to a balcony or transforming your front porch into a paradise. You might also want to opt for a covered deck. According to the pros at Circle D Construction, covered decks give you more space to spend time outdoors and room to welcome guests, allowing you to still enjoy the moment even when it rains or it's scorching hot. Beyond that, a covered deck can protect your outdoor décor and furnishings from these natural elements.

Indeed, thanks to the fact that a covered deck keeps the sun off of your house, it can prevent the interior from overheating, which means you won't need to run the air conditioner as much. Because of all this, a covered porch can even make your home both energy-efficient and worth more money than it would be otherwise. With those aspects in mind, while considering your property layout, design goals, and personal style, check out the following ideas for building the perfect covered deck.

If you want to enjoy both the cooling shade and some sunshine while outside, then a semi-covered deck might be an ideal choice. Extending halfway across the space, the roof over the covered area will keep possible rain off your head, while the open space will give you a clear view of the sky above.

Add rustic pizzaz to your outside space by putting a wood roof over your deck. At the same time, keep things stylish by adding sleek wood logs or panels to the ceiling like this stunning little upper deck design that embraces its wood flooring, brick wall, black iron railing, and gorgeous arched window.

Having a covered deck doesn't mean that you have to completely block out the sun and sky above your outdoor oasis. Instead, you could choose to put up the partially open option that can either open permanently when you want to enjoy the light or closed for full coverage. 

A covered deck closes the area above; however, it may leave the sides that aren't up against your house open. If that's not always ideal and you would rather have some extra privacy from time to time, you can add side screens to your covered deck that can be pulled down when needed.

A curved deck can make the most of the layout of your property while also showing off a stylish aesthetic. On top of that, a matching roof that boasts the same stunning curves — either mimicking the surrounding landscape, the shape of the home, or the deck itself — can take the design up a notch.

If you don't have a backyard on the ground level but instead have a balcony, you can still create a covered deck for yourself. Simply put wood tiles or slats on the floor and decorate the rest of the space with things like a comfy chair and planters filled with your favorite flowers.

A pergola — like this one in an English garden — is a popular option for outdoor spaces. Usually made from wood or similar sturdy materials that can support a roof, the upper area can be made of anything from open wood slats and plastic panels to fabric coverings that will blow softly in the breeze.

Having a covered deck doesn't have to make your space feel closed in. An elevated roof on the second or third story of your home with enough overhang will still offer the kind of protection you'd like from adverse weather conditions while also making the area feel wide open.

If you have a home with a contemporary design, then you may want your covered deck to have the same kind of chic vibe. All you need to do is extend the same look, shapes, and lines of the building to your outdoor space or use a design that draws inspiration from the style of your home.

When you design your covered deck, you might focus on apparent aspects such as the roof itself and seating options. However, you might also want to consider adding a ceiling fan and a fireplace if possible, which will make your deck the perfect spot to enjoy both hot days and cooler nights.

If you would like to get cozy on your sheltered deck when it rains, or enjoy the sun when it breaks through the clouds, then you should opt for a covered pergola. By using strong plastic panels that are either clear or frosted, you can use your covered pergola in a range of dreamy weather conditions.

Fabric covering can work with more than just a pergola and can be a fabulous choice for various structures and outdoor frames. Using a fabric roof for your covered deck is also a great option if you don't want to keep it up all year long and want to easily take it down when needed.

The great thing about having a covered deck that boasts a wood floor and ceiling is that you can sand it down and buff it up occasionally to give it new life. You can also opt to change the color, either paint it or use a stain to achieve stunning contrasts or matching shades.

When you think of an awning, you might imagine the kind of fabric overhang that can be pulled back when you want to let the sun shine through. However, the permanent variety is a little more sturdy and is much less of a commitment than building a full roof to extend over your outdoor space.

Just because you want a covered deck that offers you and your guests a serene environment doesn't mean you can't also have a space that's perfectly sleek in a modern kind of way. By opting for clean lines, an organized layout, and dark décor, you can have an outdoor area that's both stylish and soothing.

When you have a covered deck, you don't have to choose between light and dark wood. You can have both, thanks to the fact that a white wood ceiling can brighten up an outdoor space anchored with a dark wood floor stained in a wonderfully rich shade.

Take a stylish hint from nature by using bamboo for your covered deck, which is a strong option that's also a sustainable material, according to Green Building Elements. At the same time, use a modern metal frame in a cube-like shape to give it a contemporary vibe while giving yourself plenty of shade and privacy.

Wood is always a fabulous option for a covered deck, and fabric can be just as stylish. However, have you thought about incorporating stones into your design? With a wide range of options available, you could opt for large or smaller stones, dark or colored stones, or an attractive combination.

Keep the vibe of your covered deck light and breezy by pairing a wood design with white weather-resistant curtains, giving you privacy or perhaps hiding a part of your yard that isn't exactly pleasing to the eye. Curtains can also make the space feel like a cozy vacation-worthy cabana.

Adding plants in pots and boxes or hanging them in macramé creations can be a great way to add life to an outdoor space that doesn't have a lot of trees or a grassy lawn. You can also opt to set up entire walls around your covered deck that is filled with lush greenery.

When you set up a covered deck and consider the possible shade it might offer, you might focus on the area directly below the roof, pergola, or fabric. If positioned correctly, your setup could cast shade in a wider area of your deck, which will give you even more room to escape the sun.

While a covered deck can protect you from the sun's unforgiving rays and prevent it from ruining your outdoor furniture, it can also harness its light to provide free power. Depending on the size of your roof and your budget, you can opt to cover your entire area with panels or just put up a few.

If you don't have a budget big enough to add a permanent addition to your deck area or are living somewhere temporarily, you can still enjoy the same kind of shade and privacy with a sail. A piece of fabric that's stretched over your outdoor space can be an affordable and removable solution that's also stylish.

If you love the skylights inside of your home, you might want to add them to your covered deck design. As an interior option, outdoor skylights give you a glimpse at what's above and let a little light through while also keeping any rain or snow away.

Having a covered deck that boasts a refined look doesn't mean you have to give up on achieving a cozy vibe. Simply choose polished elements and match them with welcoming décors, such as opting for a rich wood roof and sleek grey floor tiles along with comfy furniture and extra pillows.

If you have a large property, you may want to take advantage of that perk by designing a covered deck that's on the wider side. While decorating such a massive space might seem a little daunting, it merely means you get to add extra pieces of décor like an additional table for dining or potted plants.

Giving yourself more space on your covered deck doesn't necessarily mean that you have to take up a large section of your lawn by making your deck wider. Instead, you might want to raise the roof and create a peaked ceiling that sits well above the roomy deck area below.

Add an extra level of snazziness to your covered deck by adding stylish columns to each corner. While they can be any height and thickness you desire and feature various embellishments — such as sculpted curves, rings, and attractive bases — they can also be a sturdy way to hold up the roof above.

Columns with a traditional look — the rounded form variety and elegant elements — can be lovely; however, they may not suit a contemporary covered deck. In that case, you may want to go with those with a more modern look by perhaps, using sharp angles and corners as well as metals or concrete.

Whether your home is out in the wilderness, in the suburbs, or in the middle of the city, you can feel like you're deep in a forest by creating a covered deck that looks like it was made for a cabin. A full wood frame and enough space for a barbecue are all you need.

You can use lattice in many ways, such as adding it to your fence to add some extra sturdiness or making it into a privacy screen. Beyond that, you can use it for the roof of your covered deck. Along with being relatively easy to put up, you can also leave lattice as it is or paint it.

Create an exterior room by fully closing in your covered deck with both a roof and walls. An ideal option if you live in an area that experiences a lot of rain or happens to have an excessive amount of annoying bugs around, you can either choose to install walls of windows or simply opt for screens.

While you might appreciate the fact that a covered deck will offer you shade in the daytime, you may also want to brighten it up at night. In that case, recessed lighting is a subtle yet sleek way to make your outdoor space glow even when the sun has gone down.

Having a roof over your deck may obscure what you can see above, yet you still might want to be able to see what's around you clearly. That's why your covered deck area could benefit from a simple railing that works well with the overall design and offers safety but doesn't block the view.

Allow flowers to provide the shade you desire on your covered deck while also offering you a stunning sight and sweet smell. If this idea piques your interest, you might consider a pergola adorned with flowers. We suggest climbing roses such as tangerine skies arborose, zephirine drouhin, or a highwire flyer.

Keep the design of your covered deck simple and sleek with a cement ceiling. While that might seem to lend itself to an industrial look and would certainly work well with a minimalist aesthetic, you can always balance that with expansive glass windows, a wood floor, and any additional furniture or décor.

Reed roofs have been a popular option for ages and can be an excellent way to add a natural element to your covered deck. While a loose, thin layer will allow some sunshine to pass through, a thicker layer or two will give you complete protection from the sun if that's what you prefer.

If you love natural light-colored wood as much as you adore wood that's painted black, then you can enjoy both on a covered deck that mixes materials in a fabulously bold and eclectic way. You can also throw in polished stone-like tiles on one wall and have another wall filled with frosted exterior window panes.

Decks are often connected to a house or next to a pool. However, there's nothing stopping you from setting up a covered deck wherever you desire. For instance, it could be where you get the best view, breeze, or shade, which might be right beside your house or in the middle of the grassy lawn.

Why settle for just one covered deck when you could have two? While you could use the same design and setup for both spaces, try to give one area a full roof for total coverage; the other could take an option with thin wood slats to let sunshine through.