Floating decks are nothing new. They offer many benefits, such as easier installation and no ledger connections.

But this deck was positioned away from the house so a walkway could be designed.

This allowed foot traffic all around the deck and kept access to the house's rear garage door.

Open your mind to the possibilities depending on what you need for your home.

This house was a single-story rancher/bungalow, so whatever deck was built would have to be low to the ground.

The hot tub was sitting pretty much you see it now. Except there was no deck. It was all by itself.

The challenge here was to build a backyard getaway that created a focus on the deck.

Benches were carefully built around the outer edge of the deck and framed with planters on opposite ends.

A third planter was placed in the middle to break up the long-distance of bench.

Using benches in this way gives a feeling of security and defines that part of the deck as a space to relax around the table and chairs.

Another useful technique to keep a sizeable expansive deck open and inviting is to use cascading steps.

These stairs do not restrict foot traffic. You can enter or leave the deck any way you wish.

They can be tricky to build, and there are various techniques from building platforms on top of each other to traditional stringers.

Using stringers tends to result in tricky compound angles having to be used.

But the end of the result is one of openness and an invitation to delight yourself in this backyard oasis.

Color contrasts to create more visual interest.

The use of contrasting colors can soothe the eye and break up what otherwise might be a bit monochromatic and dull.

You will see that here in this image of the deck railing where the top rail is a slightly darker tone than the balusters.

The top cap piece around the planters was also stained darker to create a similar effect.