he following 12 pages illustrate， deck design prir><br > ciples that will help you select a deck plan，frorr~<br > this book. Use these principles as broad guideli~es<br >to help you， achieve the goal of a satisfying and success-<br >ful deck. You will notice that the location of a deck and<br >the amenities added to it (such as benchesl furnitu~ie，<br >plants， and screens) contribute as much to the deck s<br > impact as the design itself.<br > The process of selecting a deck plan， deciding on a<br > site， and choosing appropriate amenities should take<br > advantage of all the unique features of your home and<br > site， as well as family needs and aesthetic preferences.<br > The design principles illustrated in this chapter will<br > help you focus on these issues.<br > It is possible to design a custom deck completely from<br > scratch using these basic principles， or to adapt a plan<br > from this book to suit your needs. The important thing<br > is to be clear about how you intend to use your deck and<br > to survey the site carefully to know what features you<br > want to take advantage of or limitations you need to<br > overcome. A good deck plan grows out of the existin.q<br > conditions and does not feel like it is imposed on the site.<br > How to Adapt a Deck Plan. Whatever deck plan<br > you select， you may have to adapt it to fit your specific<br > situation. For guidelines on how to do this， see page 90.<br >