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Your original patio sat out in the lawn, so it looked like an after thought. I don't think that you will find the space under the deck as a comfortable place to sit. It may have another practical use for you in which case I have no problem developing it. I do think that the patio will be a nicer space with some planting separating it from the deck if that does not interfere with your use of the space.
The first thing is to make your uses work, then enhance what makes those uses better and mitigate any negatives. Plants are strong tools for doing that. You can screen things you don't want to see, frame views to direct attenton, add shade in a hot spot, direct circulation of people, etc,...
I think you have a good program by connecting the deck to the patio and the patio to the walkout. Each one stands alone and they work great together for larger gatherings. The next step was how to make the circulation better between those which is what you addressed with this thread. Once your comfortable with that it makes sense to enhance the patio rather than just having the patio. Allowing for planting is a better experience than being up against a foundation wall.
Perhaps you want to make it more intimate by having enough room for a tall clump birch or something, so that you don't feel like there is a deck hanging over you. It all depends how you want to use the spaces.
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