Marley Craig
A poolside retreat, a shelter for an outdoor entertainment center, a place to nap or swing, a bit of privacy around your hot tub — pergola ideas cover a lot of ground. Long and narrow, a pergola’s pillars and open ceiling of trellis-like latticework bring beauty, shade, and ambiance to your outdoor living space.
Wrap fabric through the top beams of your pergola for a splash of color or focal point in your backyard. Create a shady spot on your pool deck with a freestanding pergola — it’s perfect for lounging, cocktail, and book in hand, in between swims. For extra protection from the sun, hang curtains down the sides or install a retractable cover. Besides shading a large area, a pergola can add visual interest by acting as a focal point and boosting the overall beauty of the surrounding environment.
Ideal as a seating area for family game nights or for outdoor dining with friends, a patio pergola can designate a portion of your backyard as a party space. Level up the ambiance of this al fresco living room with string lights (the solar option means no worries about access to outlets), a chandelier, potted plants, or speakers for music. Here’s how: Attach one to an exterior wall of your home to grow climbing plants or flowering vines, as they do in Italy, such as clematis, wisteria, ivy, or roses. In fact, as early as the ancient times of Rome and Egypt, people used pergolas for this very purpose. Or, if securing to a balcony area or incorporating a freestanding one into your deck design, consider hanging baskets from the slats. By covering the open sides and top with panels or retractable shades, you can soak the day’s stress away in your hot tub — without the worry of prying eyes.
Not only will privacy screens create a sense of tranquil seclusion from the outside world, but they’ll also block the sun’s rays, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors a little longer. Another way to establish privacy is to attach trellises to cover the pergola’s open spaces. Along these trellises, you can train vining plants to grow, giving you living walls that also enhance your view, increase your property value, boost your mood, and provide shade.
Mostly made of wood — think cedar or redwood — other materials to choose from for your pergola design include brick, fiberglass, and vinyl. While each pergola material brings its own textural addition to a space, fiberglass is the easiest to customize with color (it’s also the most expensive choice). What better way to take in your property’s views than by swaying back and forth as the breeze blows by and the sun filters through the slats?
Taking time to relish nature in this way also helps lessen stress and anxiety and improve your overall mood. Commit to further relaxation by allowing the swinging motion to gently rock you to sleep. If you’d rather not risk a nap on the front porch in open view of the neighbors, you can set up an outdoor area specifically for sleeping. Better than an outdoor bedroom setup with an actual bed, hammocks have been shown to help people fall asleep faster and sleep deeper, thanks to the rocking motion they provide.
Or, give your older ones a place to escape for quiet studying or movie watching on their laptops. These add-ons will lend brightness to the space, and they’ll also protect your mini-me’s from wind, rain, and excess sun.
Make your bar the focal point by installing a small pergola specifically over it; or, keep your cool as you cook by shading the grill area with one. Come winter, hang curtains and put in a retractable cover so you can protect your costly outdoor kitchen appliances from the elements — and make your dreams of grilling in the snow a reality.
If you’re looking for design ideas to replace your outdoor pergola, consider adding a gazebo, awning, or shade sail in its place. Gazebos can grant a lovely section in your yard shade and comfort away from prying eyes.
It’s a good idea first to check your local HOA’s guidelines for outdoor structures before you start planning a building project. A landscaper can help you choose a location for your pergola, as well as assist with material selection and appropriate sizing.
