Regardless of what direction you choose to pursue with your design be sure to follow through and remain consistent in your aesthetic decisions. A uniform and cohesive presentation will make your decks appearance significantly easier for the eye to digest. Avoid combining elements that may appear to clash like installing heavy 6x6 rough sawn cedar rail posts in tandem with a delicate lightweight steel cable rail system. This might communicate the visual equivalent of a ballerina wearing combat boots.

Using compatible elements will establish a visually appealing and coherent design scheme. An unorthodox pairing of materials can cause the deck to look like an unplanned hodgepodge. Consider how you balance massing, color, style, and shape of materials. Can you explain how these design elements relate to one another? If you are planning an addition to an existing deck this may be especially challenging. Your goal should be to combine the new and old sections using a thoughtful and comprehensive design instead of allowing a collision of unrecognizable parts.