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The past twenty-five years has witnessed a phenomenal boom in the construction of big outdoor decks. Most of them are downright ugly. Many are unimaginative rectangles built with now-graying green lumber in a dull array of parallel lines. In an era of eight-foot privacy fences, plenty of homeowners don't care how ordinary their backyard refuges might appear to the neighbors. Some of us, however, want to achieve a lovely flow from treated wood to lot-line woods, and wouldn't dream of installing head-high solid blockades to hide our handiwork.

You can have your sprawling wooden deck, your table and chairs, the big umbrella, a giant $2,000 barbecue station, and even one of those hideous plastic weatherproof storage bins - you can have all this, and a beautiful backyard, too. Let the Jones's next door stare all they want; theirs will be a look of admiration tinged with envy.

Stain or paint your wood deck.

It's true that treated lumber can be left to mellow for years, to that dreary shade of gray which says, "I have no imagination at all." You deserve better. Have you seen any all-white decks and railings lately? The look is traditional Colonial, but its beauty has returned to fashion after years out of vogue. Your home could be one of several styles, but the elegance of snow-white painted or stained wood will still be the perfect complement.

If your taste turns to more earthy shades, use one of the better grade semi-transparent stains to add rich color to your deck, instead of the white. You may need to power-wash and bleach before adding finishes. If you do use stain, please don't match the color of the house! Carrying one color scheme too far makes everything tend to clump together visually. White is the exception.

Landscape for visual appeal.

Add a curving walk of pre-cast brick pavers in earth tones, leading at least a dozen feet into the back yard, for grounding. Carry your rail design along this walk by adding a matching free-standing section or two as accent. Plant strong shades of green to hide the deck's open sides using juniper, yew, holly, or similar evergreens to highlight white wood all year long. In spring and summer, use brilliant flowers like impatiens or petunias to add a flash of color to this classic wintry scheme. This approach works well with stained wood, too. You might need a bit more color in that case.

Dress your deck in mulch skirting.

Create pleasing contours that ease the transition from lawn to lumber. Put that neglected old roto-tiller to

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