We have drapes- grommet top in the bedroom, sheers in the living room (those stay open), and Ikea linen curtains on rings in the office. Easy to slide open or closed, and looks nice.

Did I miss the OP soliciting random opinions on their house? Honestly, Patricia, your comment should have been limited to: "you will need a pro to design a good choice of decking and design for the space". OP, I hope deck building professionals chime in with advice. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you ask neighbours for their deck experiences. You might have an active FB group where locals could recommend reliable builders. You can also search Houzz for pros in your area. The forum will be hit or miss as your post might not get the right Pros' attention in a timely manner for your project. I envy your spacious house with what I am certain is spectacular scenery. Best of luck with your project. I'm sure it will increase your enjoyment of the outdoors.

When we purchased our house from the previous owners, they had installed a retractable awning over the patio. My first instinct was to remove it, but I'm glad I waited - it's great at shielding us from harsh afternoon summer sun while allowing us to retract it and enjoy uninterrupted views and terrific light as we choose. As I looked into upgrading or replacing it (it's over 20 years old and starting to show some wear), I've read that some retractable awnings are built to handle light rain (I had always heard that you should retract them at the first sign of rain). Depending on how mild your climate is (light afternoon showers vs. torrential wind-driven storms), that might be an option. That said, be sure to check out the safety factor of grilling underneath whatever option you decide on. I also recommend talking to a good landscape designer as your challenge sounds like one that many folks struggle with (creating covered outdoor space without losing natural light). We're in the design phase of our renovation now (also north facing backyard) and were originally completely opposed to a covered porch off the back (for the reasons you specified) - having now seen a couple of architectural models showing the impact on light with a partially covered structure, we're reconsidering. *Also, I'm completely jealous of your gorgeous trees! What a dream backyard!

In the same boat--Seattle area, need a new patio cover for a patio on the north side of the house.. You might investigate acrylic and polycarbonate roofs. Several local companies make and install custom structures with these roofs. Glass could be really uncomfortable during our short sunny season, the 3 months when you really want to be outdoors.