Hello Karinl! I'll take that as a compliment to my determination. :) Yes, I haunt the woodwork forum! I am using 6x6s because I am mesmerized by the changes in the colors in the wood. I find myself stopping on the road to look at people's retaining walls. Plus, I've got 'em! In 2008, I was tired of spoiled, slimy water that would accumulate against the concrete of the front porch. I'd had a garden bed there (6x6 walls) but firemen killed everything and I dug it out. I collected 6x6s from everywhere. EVERYWHERE!. I had no idea and no skills. I couldn't stand the stenchy mess another summer, tho. I laid them down in the mud, thinking it would be temporary. I created a 35' "deck" of 6x6s, which is sadly still there today. I even created steps. Man, I lugged these things from all over town. Ask me how a 5'2" 105 lb (then) woman moves a 16' 6x6 alone. My point in all that, is that someday I want to build out my porch, which means I will be able to use the 6x6s that aren't laying in mud, too. They're aging beautifully. I also picked up the 30 at Long Fence this week. You brought up a good point. Despite someone giving me 11 dump trucks of top soil, they lay of the land pours water across the front yard and leaves marks like waves on the beach. Drainage. I want to create a courtyard effect in front of my house. I have collected pavers (1000s of them) to eventually use. The walls would define different areas. I think I would need to have returns on them, too, for stability in addition to the posts. I like the picture you posted. I am also now trying to figure out how to elevate them just off the ground enough that I don't create stinky, stenchy cesspools again. Perhaps lifting them a paver height off the ground. I have to think about this. It'll be a long time coming, but I have to store these babies somewhere. I was going to lay them out and move them around until I'm satisfied. I think I will make the support posts on the inside, which could frame gardens. I have more plants in "temporary" pots than a nursery. Then save the $$ to get fill dirt and someone to get me started laying pavers! Anyway, you've got me thinking. I would need some kind of bolts to hook the posts to the horizontals. (I have tons of those) What's to stop me from putting a pencil's width of space between each of the horizontals so they also dry? It would dictate more posts, but I like the look of what you posted. And yes, maybe to sit on. Thanks for organizing my thoughts.

Your deck was designed to support X amount of live load & Y amount of dead load. Typical deck live loads are 40 to 60 pounds per sq ft (if you are in a snow area that range might be more) & typical deck dead loads are in the 10 to 20 psf. With the Pergola being constructed out of IPE the weight of your lumber will be at least a couple hundred pounds so you will have greatly exceeded the dead load rating of this deck, given it is anywhere close to typical construction. So, bottom line, as John stated you need a continuous connection from this IPE post down to the foundation.

"... Should we push the exterior wall back even further so there's still room for an island & walkway?..." If budget allows - that's what I would do. Here's what you could do if you can push the external wall out to be flush with the FR wall on the right (not counting the bay). I think it opens up the Kitchen more and gives it a more spacious feel. Note that I flanked a 48" window with cabinets. If you would like a bigger window, consider eliminating the 15" on the left (or merging 12" of it into the easy reach in the corner) and shortening the 51" to 48" or 45". You might even consider a bumpout in front of the window - say 6" to 9" - to give you more room behind the sink. It depends on what's outside the window - you don't want to put a bumpout where someone might run into it. I put in 3" deeper counters along the range wall. You now have a real pantry - much less expensive than one pantry cabinet, let alone two! It's also much better/efficient storage. The pantry is 81" wide with 12" deep shelves on three walls and two 24" swing out doors to give you 48" of doorway space when needed (e.g., when putting away groceries.) I enlarged the doorway to the Powder & Laundry Rooms to 36". When carrying baskets to/from the Laundry Room, I think you will appreciate 36" instead of the 31" there right now. The Family Room entrance is almost 12' wide. But, to support the span, I added walls on each end of the opening. The table will fit in the space. I put in a 42" wide table, that's DR sized, so if you have a narrower table (39") for the space, there will be more space than I show. The aisle b/w the table and the island is 60" - that's the minimum I'd do with seating on each side of the aisle. The refrigerator is on the range wall so it's easily accessed from the Kitchen w/o having to cross a potentially busy aisle to/from the Garage. It's also on the periphery so it's someone from the DR, table space, or FR an get to it without crossing into the primary work area of the Kitchen. The refrigerator is a standard depth (36") and is recessed into the wall behind it a couple of inches. With the 3" deeper counters and recessing a couple of inches, that's 5". The refrigerator now looks counter-depth, but it's a less expensive and larger size. The island is much bigger to encompass the post. To add symmetry, I added a post on the other other end as well. With the additional size, you now have extra storage for seldom used items in 12" deep cabinets under the seating overhang. The island provides 53" of prep space. The trash pullout is located in the primary Prep Zone (island) but is close to the secondary Prep Zone, the Cooking Zone, and the Cleanup Zone. (You generate far more trash & recyclables while prepping & cooking than you do when cleaning up - and for a longer period of time. So, it makes sense to put it in the Prep Zone.) OK...here it is! . Layout #1: Layout #1 - Zone Map:

Hi Russel! What did you decide to do? Any pictures? What are you using for decking?