New deck progress

When we bought this little bungalow, we mistakenly thought that a small house=fewer projects.  It is now obvious to me that both S and I are project addicts, whether we'll admit it or not.  First, we did the obvious and quick move in projects.  Next came the big basement redo, then we completely redid the outside of the house for the DIY network show "Sweat Equity".  Kitchen and bath remodels are being planned and soon to begin, but first we're tackling the backyard.  The existing deck was poorly designed and poorly built, and we seriously thought about ditching it all together.  We will resell this house at some point though, and Minnesotans really love their decks.  So, the deck stays, but is getting completely redesigned. 

We removed the offending railing, then S cut back the existing deck by about a foot.  While I worked on defining garden beds and planning new landscaping, S built a second tier stepped down from the original deck.  This will tie the backyard and deck together, eliminating the front railing and making the backyard feel bigger.

This was the progress last weekend.  Now we have to add some steps, new railing and new skirting.

Then, new pavers sod and pathways go in, and the landscaping gets finalized.

I'll post again once we have a finished product.  Or maybe just invite you over for a BBQ!