Redwood deck around a tree with a bench and pergola

The homeowner came with his own sketches. Not a wish list — actual drawings, with the tree in the middle of them.

We kept the tree. The joists run around the trunk, and the bench frames it in an octagon, so the deck reads as if the yard was always meant to have it. About 410 sq ft of redwood: decking, built-in benches, steps with step lights, and a 9 × 12 ft open redwood pergola over the seating area. Everything was finished with Penofin oil, which soaks into the redwood and brings out the grain.

The layout is his. The structure, the framing and the joinery are ours.

Nothing here was cut down to make the build easier.

Have a tree in the middle of the yard and a sketch of what you want around it? Bring the sketch.