11 Excellent Pergola Design Ideas

Growing a garden in one’s yard is certainly a rewarding activity. However, setting a pergola in the garden is even more rewarding and easier. Pergola is not just an ornamental garden structure, but it’s also functional. It offers shade and relaxation. By applying a little creativity, you can make various uses of your pergola and make it even more functional, e.g. you can build a library in your pergola. Let’s give you a few ideas that will trigger your creativity.

What do You Need to Do to Set a Good Pergola?

According to Garry Regan, an expert of patios and pergolas Sydney, a good pergola is simply the one that fully suits your requirements and lifestyle, low maintenance, affordable, and offers privacy and protection from elements if required.

Right now, transparent pergolas, skew shapes and cantilevers are quite popular in Australia. However, keeping things classic is recommendable when it comes to pergola designs, according to Garry, who further says that it’s more important to set a pergola which is more useful to you than to follow the trend. At such times, even classic pergolas in timber that can be painted or stained that blends well with the remaining landscape is great.

Here are top 2 tips of designing a perfect pergola:

1. Get the Right Aspect

Facing north is great since it will offer shade in the summer and let the warm sunlight in during the winter.

2. Choose Quality Materials

A material like a solid hardwood that can be left to weather and turn a bit rustic is a good choice. It will not only look amazing but also save your money and time on maintenance.

Best Pergola Design Ideas

1. Traditional Pergola

Located within a smallish backyard and made of timber, a traditional pergola can be used to grow climbers and enjoy some relaxing moments in the company of nature. Add some fairy lanterns and lights to the ceiling, and they will create a magical environment. It’s also perfect for throwing evening tea and snacks parties with close friends to create some intimate and pleasant memories.

2. Pergola Connected to the House

Pergolas attached to your house are a simple yet effective design that can perfectly complement your home. Being connected to the main house makes it perfect for entertaining; plus, it provides a bit extra space when the climate cools down. A prominent benefit of this design is that with the help of pergola builders Sydney like Urban Exteriors, you can turn your pergola in any extra room as per the situation such as a kitchen for a barbecue party for example, a dining room, a library and reading room, a play room with board games, an entertainment room with TV and music system or even a massage room.

3. Luxury Pergola

Inspired from the 70s’ trend of sunken conversation pits, a luxury pergola is made of timber and is perfect for adding a dash of luxury to your backyard or garden.

4. Cantilevered Pergola

If you are looking to create a little extra shade over a location in your garden or over a pool, a cantilevered pergola is the best option. This is a sensibly simple structure which works best in gardens that have a modern vibe. Make a seating arrangement of comfortable sofas and chairs where you and your friends or family can unwind, chat and have a quality time together.

5. Louvered Pergola

A louvered pergola has a great benefit of an ability of changing the roof allowing in more light or shade due to its adjustable systems. Often this type of design is connected to the main house and wraps around the side of the property, offering space and a refuge to hang out in summers. If you want to add more versatility, you can make the pergola roof adjustable and retractable so it will cater to most weather situations and events.

6. Shade-cloth Roof

If you’re looking for something exotic, you can choose to have a timber pergola in a simple design and dark stain, and cover it with a roof of shade cloth which should match its colour. This will give you something Asian-inspired and striking.

7. Pitched-Roof Pergola

You can connect your pergola with your house and cover it with a pitched roof and lattice surrounding it. Such a pergola design will provide you with additional privacy, a shady spot and an ideal place to entertaining outside space to organise events and parties.

8. Thatched Pergola

A pergola with a thatched roof is perfect if you’re interested in offering a jungle vibe to your garden or creating a feel that you’re on a permanent vacation on a tropical beach. This can be a perfect spot where you can forget all your worries at least for some hours and enjoy true relaxation. You have to set a traditional pergola, and the roof can be flat or pitched, but you should just use a natural plant-based material to thatch the roof instead of colorbond, timber or Perspex. You can create sandy flooring and set a couple of pool chairs to add to the tropical beach feel.

9. Steel Pergola

If your house has more of industrial design elements, consider having a steel pergola. This pergola is strong, minimalist, has strong lines and perhaps matches an urban environment that has more concrete than greenery.

10. Free Standing Pergola

A freestanding pergola can go with any garden or backyard whether it’s covered in concrete or grass. You can build a timber pergola with a pitched roof by the pool to provide shade in a simple and low-maintenance backyard, with a simple flooring bordered with select plants.

11. Pergola with Climbers

How about growing climbers on your pergola? As they grow, they will offer a lovely, natural, lush shade and if you plant flowering climbers, you can enjoy their colours and fragrances, so this can become a perfect relaxing spot in your garden. To achieve an extra tropical vibe, choose a spot by the pool or on your deck, suggests Garry, an expert of pergolas and patios Sydney.

So, are you ready to use one of these ideas while building your pergola?