Picture-Perfect Decks for Beautiful Thanksgiving Dinners and Fall Parties

You might not be able to go on those long drives and lovely holidays anymore because of the global pandemic that has kept almost all of us indoors for several months now. But you can still enjoy the outdoors and take in fresh air while spending time with friends and family in a safe environment. Even if you are home and want to plan a low-key holiday where only those you are most comfortable with are invited, taking the party outside this fall. With Halloween almost here and Thanksgiving not too far away, it makes plenty of sense to get the deck ready for a festive fall dinner outside. And we have ample inspiration to help steer you in the right direction!

It is the view that steals the show on this lakseside deck [From: Associates III Interior Design]












Whether you live in an urban environment and have an apartment with small deck that extends outside or own a home away from the rush that features an expansive wooden deck, you can always turn it into a great outdoor dining space. All you need is the right décor, smart lighting and an ambiance that makes it perfect for the holidays and beyond. Be it Halloween, Thanksgiving or eve Christmas, this outdoor hangout works every time with a few minor changes –

Let Nature Shape the Backdrop

It is easy to create a more beautiful Thanksgiving dinner table outdoors when your deck is surrounded by greenery. The green backdrop and a collection of flowering plants, vines and trees on the yard combine to turn even the most mundane of spaces into a dreamy and elegant setting. With in-ground lighting, string lights and a few lanterns thrown into the mix, there is no reason why that smart modern dining table on the deck cannot host friends and family as the festive season rolls in. Do make sure that the deck is properly maintained, kept tidy and any small defects are fixed before you get anything else done.

Fabulous Mediterranean deck with metal railing, greenery as cover and beautiful in-ground lighting [From: med arquitectura & construcción]
Mediterranean deck with greenery all around is the perfect place for a dreamy Thanksgiving [From: Angela Sposito]
Outdoor stone fireplace, hangout and dining area allows you to spend time out with friends and family [From: Fraemohs Homes]
Brilliant wall of green offers perfect privacy for those on the deck as they enjoy their dinner outside [From: Samantha Watkins McRae]
Delightful deck of Paris home with small dining space and a captivating space all around

Finding Space with Smart Functionality

Do not worry about creating too much space on the deck to host fall parties since you might not be flooded with guest this year. Keeping it small and safe is the best option and that means even that tiny, modern deck can be your dinner and party zone in the next two months. If you have a covered deck, then things do get easier with both lighting and handling of the weather as colder months’ start taking over. For the small, open deck a sail-styled covering above is pretty easy to add and takes little effort. Once spring and summer come calling, you can easily remove this feature for a more open and sun-filled deck.

Even modest apartment decks can be perfect place for a lovely Thanksgiving dinner [From: HK Interiors]
Modern farmhouse style deck with a lovely outdoor dining space, colorful area rug and barbecue zone [From: Camelot Custom Homes]
Spacious wooden deck of the contemporary home feels like a natural extension of the interior [From: mm+j architects]
Use string lighting to illuminate the smart outdoor dining area [From: Sarah & Friends Interiors]
White chairs coupled with a simple, minimal table for the contemporary deck

Décor, Lighting and More

Thinking about adding an outdoor dining area to the deck? It is definitely not too late and with many great deals and Black Friday sales that go live this time of the year, finding a durable outdoor table, a few matching chairs (or even acrylic ones that look even better) and smart lighting is all too easy. Place a few plants next to them, create enough space between the barbecue zone and the dining area and add a few additional seats on the other side to complete this cool hangout.

Stunning Tuscan balcony with spectacular views, outdoor dining area and relaxing hangout [From: Piera Plus David]
Acrylic chairs coupled with smart outdoor table takes dining outside [From: Right Design Agency]
Covered lakeside deck with outdoor kitchen and ample space is the perfect place for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner [From: Shrock Premier Custom Construction]
Shade for the outdoor dining area allows you to enjoy the deck even during hotter months [From: Caroline Rey]

You’re reading Picture-Perfect Decks for Beautiful Thanksgiving Dinners and Fall Parties, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Similar Posts

  • Hillside Sanctuary

    The owner of this property came to Hoedemaker Pfeiffer looking for a personal retreat inspired by a home lost to fire decades earlier in the hills of Appalachia. The firm’s task was not to recreate that home but rather to give its spirit new form in the Pacific Northwest. Taking inspiration from its remote site in the San Juan Islands, our team envisioned a series of simple stone volumes. From that concept emerged the main house and a guest house, each responding to its own unique location on the site. Together they provide friends and family with comfortable accommodation while offering a sanctuary for the owner at the main home. Taking full advantage of sweeping views of Puget Sound, the main home is sited on a small plateau high on top of a steeply-sloping hillside. With a view on one side and a road on the other, the site suggested a stone plinth and stone wall to form the base and rear of the house. A pair of stone fireplace volumes support the concept, rising together to form the boundaries of a central stone staircase that separates the main level into public and private realms. Atop the low stone base then perches a light-filled wood structure. Its simple shed roof tips low in front to protect from the summer sun while offering space for a photovoltaic array above. Winter light in turn penetrates deep into the main living spaces through a wall of glass running continuously across building’s south elevation. The relative height difference between this wood pavilion and that of the adjacent stone volume also allows consistent north light to flood into the primary living spaces via a series of clerestory windows, which release warm air high on the leeward side of the structure. The site for the guest house came with more significant technical challenges. The concept begins with a stone tower set near the center of the small circular parcel. Rising high above steeply-sloping grade, it acts as a three-dimensional datum through which feature program elements are allowed to puncture. The main entry offers ease of access to the project’s public spaces through a simple, full-height opening cut into the stone volume’s north elevation. The stair, comprised of a concrete base below large casement windows, allows natural light to fill the main stairway as it leads guests toward the bedrooms located at the home’s lower level. Opposite the entry, the view deck extends from the great room, cantilevering far above grade. The dining room, finally, was conceived as a three-sided glass object floating in a forest of trees. Two steel beams carry its entire weight and extend deep into the floor system. To enhance the concept, our team preserved trees only a few feet from the dining room by developing custom retaining walls capable of avoiding critical root zones. Project Team: Hoedemaker Pfeiffer (Architecture) ​Schuchart Dow​ (Contractor ​Randy Allworth, Allworth Design​ (Landscape Architect) ​Malsam Tsang​ (Structural Engineer) ​LPD Engineering​ (Civil Engineer) Nelson Geotechnical Associates, Inc. (Geotechnical Engineer) Island Tree Doctor (Arborist) ​Kevin Scott​ (Photographer)