From March thru October, this is our favorite place in the house! The deck is approximately 500 sq ft and made of Ipe, an absurdly hard brazilian hardwood that is exceptionally smooth and beautiful.. Ipe has a Class A fire rating (the same as concrete or steel), unless you plan on living here more than 50 years, don't plan on having to replace this stuff anytime too soon. Also, besides being beautiful, the Ipe is installed with hidden fasteners so the surface is just SMOOTH, leave your shoes inside (the old cedar deck had nails that popped and wood that splintered (to give you an idea, IPE has a hardness rating of 3600lbs and western red cedar is 580lbs, IPE has a bending strength of 22,560 psi and westernred cedar is 7,500 psi)). IPE is so dense it has the highest rating for inset and decay resistance, it doesn't float in water and properly treated can last 100 yrs or more. It the the premium decking that money can buy! (You can read more about it at http://www.ipedepot.com/ )
This is the view from the family room out to the deck. The grill has two built in spot lights that provide more than enough light to grill after dark. The dining area has 4 lower power spot lights that provide ambient lighting, enough for a comfortable dinner. We have a chandelier that provides even more light, enough to sit at the table, eat and read (chandelier goes with us, but we are leaving the two installed BOSE outdoor speakers.) The huge arborvitae provide great privacy.
This is from the opposite corner (next to the grill). The pergola provides great shade for relaxing or eating with plenty of open space to customize to your liking. Two sides of the house and the big arborvitae trees provide a very private deck and the pergola really defines the space to make it seem more like a room than just another deck.
This is a view from the yard into the dining/grilling area. You'll see two lilac bushes on either side of the steps that add to the privacy and ambiance.
At the far corner (from the door) of the deck, these are the stairs that will take you to the north side of the yard.
This is from the patio looking onto the deck.
Now we move to some night shots. We seem to spend alot of time on the deck after dark. That is because it is so comfortable. The built in lights, combined with the chandelier over the dining table and the two table lamps give great light that really don't make it feel like your outside in the dark. We usually start the evening at the table to dinner then move to the loveseat to read or watch a movie (bring a small TV out on the deck with a DVD player or Ipod/Pad and you will never want to watch TV inside again).
Just a view from the patio back to the deck.
This is a shot from the yard, a little grainy because I'm not a photographer (a slower shutter release would help) , but it gives you a perspective of the deck as a whole. It really is a room. I've put more photos of the deck on this page than most MLS listings have of just the house, but that is because we LOVE the deck, and I'm sure you will too!
