Looks like a lovely deck. Feels like there is a lot to accomodate.. Could the BBQ be folded up when not in use? Couch over near the slates on the right is my only other thought.

Although we have very deep eaves and lovely large decks, we don't actually have proper shade at our new house so that we can enjoy the outdoor living. Trying to resolve this. Thinking about a big shade sail further away from house where we have a big table and chairs, and perhaps decorative metal panels attached to either the roof or wall cladding on the west deck. The sun is harshest during afternoons to sunset and so far we cannot use this deck for '5 o'clock somewhere' drinks.

Unfortunately Daniel, "trends" seem to overlook commonsense. I'm very sad for this house - another lot of bricks buried under grey paint to need maintenance for ever more. Sorry Elisha.

Carolyn, yes your cantilevered deck can work if you throw enough money at it, and get an engineer to design it. There are no guidleines to cantilevered deck size as there are so many variables, so it really needs to be properly engineered for your live loads and house design. One of the hallmarks of Harrry Seidler, one of Australia's most famous architects, is his love of cantilevered decks. However they were often built with steel and concrete, and the design used the rest of the house to anchor it. If you are currently designing your home then now is the time to incorporate the required structure into the engineering design, as it can't be added in later. There are various tricks to make a large cantilvered deck work, such as the one in this photo using two angled suspension rods in one of Harry Seidler's designs. The main issue will be cost, and the value in going column-less. The second issue will be maintenance in that the beams under the deck have to be completely weather resistant. If they start to rot or rust when expsoed to the weather they cannot be replaced without removing your first floor! Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls