Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die. What if we told you you could have the best of both worlds by installing a pergola? The perfect addition to any outdoor area, pergolas create serene and beautiful environments for homeowners to find their version of paradise.
A yard is where so many memories and milestones take place. It’s worth investing in the surroundings and the overall feeling that outdoor space can bring about. Especially in the summer months when your yard sees a bit heavier foot traffic and company than usual, it’s important to have an environment that brings you happiness and peace of mind. Family gatherings, birthday parties, holiday barbeques, and even just winding down to watch the sunset, a yard is somewhere you should feel relaxed and at home. Pergolas offer functionality, aesthetics, and that tranquil feeling all outside spaces should have.
What is a Pergola?
A pergola is a (usually wooden) structured arch built with varying frameworks used to cover an outdoor area. Beyond style, pergolas provide shade, weather coverage, and can be used to display plants. Pergolas are often built with the existing interior and exterior of the house in mind. It’s a good idea to carry the style of your house out into your outdoor space for a cohesive look and flow. Many times, pergolas will be used to shade a seating and dining area, or even a hot tub and other areas that require shade and little weathering.
Pergolas can be built using a variety of materials and designs to fit the style that you like and that matches existing ones. You also have the ability to change the color, add features, and even build onto the structure later on. Pergolas mainly come in two forms: flat roof and gable roof. As you can probably imagine, flat roof pergolas are flat across the top surface and often cover small areas of outdoor spaces. Gable roof pergolas are more A-framed and often cover larger areas of outdoor space like pathways or roads. Gable roof pergolas can also be implemented in a backyard setting, but you’ll likely see flat roof styles as the more common choice for those kinds of environments.
Designing with Pergolas
After deciding to construct a pergola on your property, the next step is to consider your design options to make it your own. Pergolas have the ability to create an oasis in your own backyard, it’s a good idea to add on all of the features you need to make it into a paradise for you and your loved ones. Of course, it’s not absolutely necessary to add anything. Many pergola owners enjoy the look of the raw beams and modern lines that are naturally existent. Others though love the look of plants, fixtures, and other decor to help them achieve the design they love.
Structurally, there are a few options for personalizing your pergola. Adding a lattice on the roof or sides of your pergola is an easy way to implement some architectural style without breaking the bank. Instead of an open-slatted roof, many people prefer to close the openings to create an entirely shaded area from sun and weather conditions. You can also add screens on the sides of your structure to keep out bugs and other creatures. Screens can also have doors put in to make your pergola area more of a secluded room rather than an open overhang.
Additionally, you can hang chairs that swing from the roof of the pergola. A trend becoming more popular in recent years is the egg chairs that hang from ceilings. There’s something about sitting in a chair that’s swinging rather than grounded that adds a bit of excitement and calmness to the open space. Hanging benches or other seating and eating areas is also a common style that many pergola owners enjoy incorporating. If hanging furniture isn’t for you, a simple dining or seating set would work just as well on the ground under your new pergola.
Other simple features that many folks like to add are lights, plants, curtains, and other kinds of decor. String lights through the wood beams create a gorgeous environment for when the sun goes down. Even adding lighting fixtures around the posts or in the corners of the pergolas is a great way to ensure its functionality and style at night. Incorporating plants is another method of adding the natural world into your home. Whether the pergola has vines running up the sides and roof or just a simple planter hanging from a beam, plants have a way of bringing serenity into an outdoor space. Many people install curtains on the sides of their pergola for when they’d like a bit more privacy. The great thing about curtains is they look phenomenal and can be closed and opened whenever you see fit. Other decors like birdhouses, wind chimes and art pieces of any kind are perfect for personalizing the outdoor area and really making the pergola fit in with your taste and lifestyle.
To learn more about pergolas or to get started on a build, give our specialists a call or visit today and they’d be happy to help you get on the path to the outdoor space of your dreams!
