25 Ground Level Deck Ideas and Designs

A deck is a great addition to any home. It makes indoor/outdoor living a breeze, giving you extra living space to enjoy whenever the weather allows. Plus, it can amp up your curb appeal, enhancing your home’s value.

But what if you don’t have a multi-story home? What if your main floor is ground-level? Are there ground-level deck ideas that can work?

Luckily, even if your main floor is practically touching the earth, there are great deck options. If you need a ground-level deck and don’t know where to begin, here are some designs to inspire you.

Ground Level Deck Ideas and Designs

1. Angled Front Deck

No one said a deck has to be in your backyard. This angled front deck design is proof of how having one on the front of your home enhances curb appeal. Plus, it creates a welcoming seating area, perfect for enjoying your neighborhood.

The angle of the boards makes this low-level deck feel expansive, even though it is of modest size. Plus, the framed look creates a refined appearance, which is a great match for a traditional exterior.

2. Ground Level Deck Design with Bench

If you’re looking for ground-level deck ideas that incorporate seating, you’re in luck. This design features a bench along with one of the edges and a seat near a planter, creating two elegant and convenient spaces for resting and enjoying your yard.

Plus, the look of this deck is elevated by the paint. The contrast between the natural colored wood and colored risers creates visual interest while also making it feel like part of the house instead of an add-on.

3. Contemporary One Level Deck

The hard-angled corners and linear board layout give this one level deck a contemporary vibe. The built-in benches also feature incredibly clean lines, even while the feet provide an intriguing architectural element.

The coloring focuses on the natural, with the mid-toned boards blending well with the nearby trees’ trunks. However, the brilliant white on the benches imbue a touch of modern Zen, particularly when surrounded by lush plants in the garden space.

4. Modern Ground-level Deck

Another design that focuses on clean lines, this is one of only a few ground-level deck ideas on this list that account for a firepit space. The deck appears to have a curved cutout, allowing the stone firepit to take center stage. Even bench features the same wood as the deck itself, allowing it to visually recede while adding the convenience of extra seating.

There is also a subtle, two-toned aspect to this deck. The boards used to frame the outside are just a bit darker, adding a degree of refinement.

5. Simple Low-level Deck

With warm wood tones and a straightforward design, this is one of the ground-level decks that works well with any style home. The surface, stairs, and outlining frame all feature the same wood color, making the final look clean and crisp.

Plus, it doesn’t include features that strongly align with a particular design aesthetic. Instead, those touches are limited to the top of the surrounding fence. With that approach, you can adjust the look based on your preferences if you don’t want the Craftsman vibe this version offers.

6. One Level Deck with Railing

Even if your entire deck is ground-level, that doesn’t mean a railing is a great design choice. Along with keeping people from stepping on the garden space along the edge of the deck, the rail provides visual interest. You can also use different railing styles based on your home’s aesthetic or personal preferences, allowing you to adjust this deck’s appearance with ease.

Plus, in this design, the post caps have lights. This creates a versatile space that can more easily be enjoyed at all hours of the day and night.

7. Angled Deck with Benches

This deck is meant to be a focal point, even if the coloring of the wood is fairly neutral. The outer edge features a few angles, making it a bit unique. Plus, the stone walkway, which stands out from the surrounding landscape, draws the eye.

However, this deck isn’t just beautiful; it’s also convenient. You’ll find two built-in benches along the outside, creating seating for about eight adults. You could still fit additional chairs and even a table on the surface, making it a great choice for anyone who loves entertaining.

8. Free Standing Deck with Pergola

Functioning as a contemporary landscaping feature, this free-standing deck with pergola is an excellent option for slim side yards. It could also be incorporated into a garden design, serving as a center point or simply an area to kick back and enjoy the view.

You can also take advantage of the attached side planters. They could serve as an ideal spot for an herb garden, certain vegetables, or fragrant flowers. Plus, there’s a built-in bench and section holding a fountain, allowing it to work as a meditation space, too.

9. Large Versatile Deck

If you’re looking for versatile design, this ground-level deck is hard to beat. The look is very linear, aside from the handful of boards on one edge that sits perpendicular to the rest. As a result, the final look could work well with nearly any home aesthetic, including contemporary, traditional, Craftsman, or rustic exteriors.

The surface of this deck is also ample. If you need enough room for tables, chairs, and mingling, this one could be a great choice.

10. One Level Deck with Contrasting Rails

With this design, the deck rails become a feature. While the deck’s surface is a neutral shade of brown that blends with the siding, the railing is bright white. This not only causes the railing to stand out as a design element but also brings attention to the house’s other trim.

This deck is also fairly large, making it ideal for bigger back yards or even sample side yards. Plus, one of the longer sides has a built-in bench, creating seating space for six to 12 people, depending on their size.

11. Gray Wash Deck

If you are looking for something other than a natural wood tone, this deck is a must-see. It features a mid-toned gray wash, allowing the grain to show through while keeping the color cooler. It contrasts well with the nearby cedar elements, adding visual interest.

Overall, this low-level deck leans toward the contemporary because of its color. However, the structure of this deck would work well with traditional homes, particularly if the entire surface was natural wood.

12. Round Cedar Deck

A free-standing deck off of a stone patio has a circular design that’s ideal for a small table or, potentially, a hot tub. The surface is cedar, a moisture-resistant material with a beautiful reddish hue.

The look of this deck is minimalist. As a result, it blends well with nearly any aesthetic, as it doesn’t have strong design features that could compete with other looks.

13. Organic Free Standing Deck

Unlike the majority of deck designs, this one doesn’t have many hard lines. Instead, the edges and layout feel more organic, featuring curves and a bit of unevenness.

Since the design isn’t particularly linear, it’s easy to adapt around objects like trees or curving walkways. Plus, it may feel a bit more like a natural part of the environment, as it lacks the harsh lines that you find in many manmade structures.

14. Exotic Hardwood Deck

This deck is anything but ordinary. Along with featuring an exotic hardwood with a rich, deep reddish-brown hue, the floor includes a pattern. Boards are used to create what’s nearly an eight-pointed star.

Plus, this deck features glass rails on the walkway, a built-in bench, and an overhead covering reminiscent of a window frame. Overall, the look is refined, elegant, and elevated, but still fairly simple, making it a great choice for traditional, transitional, or Craftsman-inspired homes.

15. Multi-Tiered Deck

If you are looking for a two-tiered design, this could be your ideal deck. The lower section is ground-level, allowing you to transition from your yard to a seating area with ease. This tier also features a built-in bench next to a planter, adding a degree of convenience.

The upper tier is only slightly higher. The railing along the side adds elegance and a hint of privacy to this smaller space, making it an excellent spot for peacefully lounging on a summer day.

16. Curvy Ground-level Deck Idea

This deck embraces curves. The outside edge of the design is rounded, leaving not a single hard corner in place. Additionally, the step up to the second tier is also curved, making the transition look visually softer.

But the curves don’t stop there. Even the built-in bench is rounded. The final look is incredibly modern, working perfectly with the round hot tub nestled along the far side.

17. Mid-Sized Angled Cedar Deck

If you’re looking for a great spot to set a barbecue grill, want some room for family outdoor dining, or hope for a great place to lounge, this deck is a great option. While it looks compact, it offers a reasonable amount of space. Plus, the built-in bench reduces the need for chairs, allowing more of the floor space to remain empty.

This deck also features clean lines and a few 45-degree angles. The final look leans traditional, particularly since it is made of cedar. However, with the right styling or a few small adjustments, it could work with a contemporary home.

18. Simple Painted Deck

This deck is all about simplicity. The design is mainly square, aside from the cut corners. It’s also painted a mid-toned gray, a neutral option that blends well with a range of colors and materials.

The main design feature of this deck is the angled boards. The slant is different on each half, creating a chevron pattern that draws the eye deeper into the yard. It’s a small hint of visual interest that keeps the deck from being bland, without going overboard.

19. Modern Free Standing Deck

The simplicity of this deck gives it a contemporary vibe. The boards around the edge work as a frame, making the deck feel refined. With the surrounding plants, strategic lighting, and stone section, it even comes across as spa-like.

If you’re looking for an ample deck, this free-standing option could work well even if you don’t have a contemporary home. The minimalist design makes it adaptable to other styles, allowing it to work with traditional and transitional houses.

20. Large Deck with Stone Planters

One of the benefits of a large yard is the ability to have a massive deck. This one has enough room for several seating areas without impeding the flow of traffic. With the mid-toned cedar boards, it seems even more expansive.

As a bonus, this deck also includes built-in benches, providing seating for about a dozen people. Plus, there are planters featuring stacked stone facades, a slightly rustic touch that’s great for anyone with a green thumb.

21. Slim Multi-Level Deck

If you have an uneven yard and don’t want your deck to protrude too much into your lawn, this might be your best deck option. It stays fairly close to the house while still providing a substantial amount of space.

Each of the tiers is only a step higher than the last. That can make it a great choice for sloped yards, allowing the surface to adjust to ground-level changes.

22. Streamlined Ground-level Deck

Streamlined deck designs are easier to build than their more complex counterparts. With this deck, you are mainly dealing with a rectangle, which makes it simpler to install.

However, since the corners are cut, and the boards are laid on an angle, there is some visual interest. Another benefit of this ground-level deck idea is the wide staircase, making it easier to move around. Plus, together, this all creates the illusion of an even larger space.

23. Mid-Sized Open Deck

While slightly elevated, this mid-sized deck doesn’t feature a railing along most of the sides. The design ends of feeling more modern, as a result, and also seems more spacious.

It also has more than one level. The raised section is near the door, serving as an ideal spot for a barbecue grill. That allows the lower area to be completely dedicated to seating, ensuring every spot has a specific purpose.

24. Deck with Rail and Gate

The look of this deck is highly modern thanks to the clean lines and black spindles in the railing. The lines are clean, and the design is simple, but the natural wood also makes it striking.

For homes with children, this deck also offers the benefit of a gate that blends in with the railing. It can keep kids from falling down the stairs or wandering into the yard unsupervised, all without impeding the overall look.

25. Two-Tier Deck with Pergola and Planter

If you want to add a touch of Zen to your yard, this two-tier deck with pergola and planter is a great choice. The pergola has a hint of Asian design aesthetic, a look that works well with contemporary and Craftsman homes.

Additionally, you’ll find stone elements. Along with the stone tiles on the pergola posts, there’s a planter with a stacked stone façade on one corner. It’s the perfect spot to put a lush fern or a flowering plant, adding visual interest in a simple way.

Conclusion

If you were looking for amazing ground level deck ideas, now you should have more options than you could need. Explore the designs above and choose the one that works best for your home and backyard.

I hope you enjoyed seeing all of the decks featured in this list. If you want to share your thoughts about any of the designs or discuss how you chose the ideal option for your home, head to the comments section. Also, if you know anyone looking for a low-level deck, please share this list. They’ll be glad you did.