By Karl Harrison — garden designer and decking specialist
A simple deck, perfectly executed
This Surbiton home had just gained a smart rear extension. It also gained a problem: the new interior floor level sat well above the old lawn. The brief was clear. Create a flush, step-free threshold from the kitchen to a generous family deck, then softly step down to a new lawn. The solution had to feel effortless, look refined, and work hard—no matter if it was a weekday breakfast, a Saturday of noisy children, or an evening of quiet cocktails.
We designed and built a single-colour deck in Trex® Transcend Spiced Rum. The tone is warm, contemporary and forgiving. The look is calm and uncomplicated to the eye. Form follows function all the way through.
Design first: function drives every line
The plan reads as one simple gesture: a broad terrace that runs flush with the interior and frames the sliding doors with precise alignment. From this datum, the boards lead the eye out to the garden. A clean border resolves the perimeter and keeps all cut ends hidden. Two wide steps then transition to the new lawn. They invite movement, help with circulation during parties, and give children a safe place to perch.
Keeping the deck to one colour was intentional. It reduces visual clutter, makes furniture styling easy and lets the planting do the talking. In sunlight the Spiced Rum hue feels rich; in overcast light it stays composed. Either way, the result is stylish without shouting.
Structure you can’t see, comfort you can feel
Good decks start with good bones. We engineered the frame to domestic loading with close joist centres for a solid feel underfoot. Discreet falls (around 1:80) move water away from the façade without your eye noticing. Threshold details protect the door, maintain ventilation and avoid trapping debris. Everything is designed to be quietly durable.
The deck sits on adjustable supports, so we could tune levels to the millimetre and deliver that seamless interior-to-exterior flow. Service routes for lighting were built in, and the perimeter allows for future upgrades without disturbing the main field.
Why Trex Transcend “Spiced Rum”?
This project called for a low-maintenance surface with consistent colour and a premium finish. Trex Transcend answered that brief. The capped composite surface resists staining and fading and cleans down fast after family life or a summer barbecue. “Spiced Rum” brings warmth that flatters both brick and planting. It pairs easily with outdoor furniture and stays smart with minimal effort—perfect for a busy household.
Built by an employed TrexPro® team
Design is only half the story. Our employed TrexPro team delivered the installation in two weeks, including the new lawn and step package. Board alignment, gapping and fixings follow manufacturer guidance throughout. Mitres are tight, borders run true and edges read crisp from every angle. It’s the kind of accuracy you don’t always notice, but you always feel.
A day-to-night family platform
By day the deck is robust and practical—room for toys, scooters and a quick hose-down. By evening it shifts tone: warm lighting, furniture pulled into conversation groups and a clear view across the lawn. It’s one surface that does it all, and it does it without fuss.
The reason for the deck
The extension created a substantial level change. Rebuilding the entire garden to meet the new threshold would have been disruptive and costly. The deck solved it elegantly. It bridged the elevation, protected the façade, and created a generous, usable terrace in one move. The clients now step straight out, coffee in hand, with no threshold trip and no awkward step just inside the door.
Designed by Karl Harrison
I design decks as part of whole-garden thinking: movement, sightlines, planting and construction all working together. The Surbiton deck shows that simplicity is a luxury. Keep the palette controlled, get the structure right and execute the details well—the result is calm, reliable and beautiful.
Project snapshot
- Location: Surbiton, London
- Designer: Karl Harrison
- Installer: Employed TrexPro® team
- Decking: Trex Transcend – Spiced Rum (single-colour scheme)
- Programme: 2 weeks including steps and new lawn
- Highlights: Flush threshold, clean border detail, wide lawn steps, family-ready durability
Thinking about a similar project?
If you’ve extended and now face an awkward step or uneven garden levels, a flush Trex Transcend deck could be the neatest answer. Let’s sketch the options and build something that’s effortless to live with—and lovely to look at. Email be at karl@karlharrison.design or call me on 07581 183 034
