If you are planning a deck for your house, keep in mind that it could do more than just add value to your property--it could go beyond the ordinary and reflect your own unique interpretation of outdoor living space.

Adding a deck can be like adding another family room to your house. If your American Dream is to own a one-of-a-kind home, your deck might reflect your vision of that dream and not just serve as an outdoor wooden floor.

A little research might be good in the planning stages. Look at books for a variety of exciting and beyond-the-ordinary deck ideas, consider the details you may want your contractor to incorporate into the design, and remember that you are having the deck built exclusively for your property.

You could decide to build your deck in multi-levels to particularly suit the lay of your property, complete with planters and built-in benches. Make sure you talk to your contractor, though, about zoning and building codes, such as "set-back" requirements, lumber spans, loads, railing, and so on.

Or you could make your deck into an outdoor entertainment area, complete with outdoor kitchen. You could have a counter and bar top built with granite, stucco, or tile for weather resistance, and you could have a refrigerator and bar sink installed to lessen the number of trips you would have to make inside for entertainment supplies. If you go this route, make sure you talk to your contractor about such things as sewer and water lines and additional outdoor electrical outlets.

A year-round addition might be more along your desires, and you could achieve this with an open "A" type of roof with walls or fiber-glass insect screening to make an outdoor sunroom. Or you might substitute 1" x 6" slats and lattice panels to make your outdoor space private, yet airy and inviting.

Whatever you decide to do, just remember that you could get quite a bit of enjoyment out of an outdoor addition that is suited to your own individual interpretation of the living space. Even if all you wish to do is step outside with your morning coffee and watch the sunrise, remember that you might be able to customize a deck to fit your personal tastes in a design unique to your property. If your personal dream includes such a deck, why not make it extraordinary?