Get the Most Out of a Medium-Sized Outdoor Pergola

A pergola enhances your backyard with a touch of refined sophistication. This captivating outdoor structure evolves into an alluring extension of your home, bestowing a sheltered haven for alfresco dining or entertaining guests.

Choose the perfect pergola size that complements your space without overwhelming it. Follow our expert tips to create a beautiful, enchanting retreat:

Size

The right pergola size is essential to transforming your outdoor space. It should complement the surrounding landscape design and provide a focal point for your backyard retreat. Backyard Discovery offers pergolas in various sizes to accommodate unique purposes and yard layouts. We also offer freestanding pergola kits that allow homeowners to assemble their structures with ease.

To select the best pergola size for your backyard, consider the height of your existing roof and how you want to use the area beneath the structure. If you want to hang lights or a chandelier, it’s important to have enough room for these accessories.

Larger pergolas are ideal for homeowners with expansive yards that they want to break up into distinct zones. These areas can include a dining space, hot tub, fire pit and more. They’re also a popular choice for restaurants, turning unused real estate into an attractive and dependable dining space. Large pergolas are available in a variety of materials and can be customized with accessories like louvered panels that open or close at the touch of a button.

Materials

A well-designed luxury pergola adds significant value Medium-sized outdoor pergola to your home. Its augmentation of outdoor spaces and infusion of aesthetic allure contribute to its popularity among Orange County landscaping contractors.

Depending on the purpose and space available, you may prefer to build a freestanding pergola or attach it to an existing structure. Choosing the right material is critical for your style and budget. If you choose wood, cedar is a popular choice because it’s naturally resistant to rot and decay. It can be stained or painted to match your garden design. If you opt for a steel pergola, consider selecting one that’s powder-coated to resist corrosion and rust.

The roof of your pergola is another important consideration. You can go with a wooden louvered roof to create a rustic or Old-World look, or you can opt for an aluminum roof that’s mechanized and easy to maintain. A metal roof is also durable enough to withstand harsh weather conditions and will last a long time without degrading or discoloring. The type of plants you grow around your pergola will also affect its appearance. The vibrant colors and captivating fragrances of wisteria, honeysuckle, roses, or clematis will beautifully entwine with the structure, creating a harmonious marriage of nature and structure.

Style

A pergola can add style to a backyard without building an entirely new space. It can be used to frame an outdoor dining area, living room, or even a stone fireplace. It can also serve as a backdrop for plants, a play structure for kids, or a gathering spot for family and friends.

Whether the structure is freestanding or attached to your home, it retractable roof can be built from wood, vinyl, fiberglass, concrete, or any other material that fits your budget and landscaping style. Some materials require less maintenance than others, but all can withstand the elements and stand up to years of use.

The most popular pergola design features an open roof, but it can also be closed with a screen or curtains to shield you from the sun when it gets too bright. You can also add privacy walls to help create a more intimate and secluded retreat. Adding lighting is another way to enhance the look and feel of your pergola. Pendant lights, string lights, and other styles work well to create a relaxing ambiance at night.

Privacy

A pergola brings a delightful addition to any backyard, transforming it into an alluring oasis for relaxation and entertaining. While it accentuates the architecture of your home and elevates its aesthetic allure, it can also be outfitted with privacy features to ensure a sense of seclusion.

Decorative privacy screens enhance the charm of a pergola by shielding it from prying eyes and creating a sense of seclusion within your outdoor space. These screens can be made from a variety of materials, including durable wood, maintenance-free vinyl, and transparent glass.

Adding vines to a pergola offers another way to boost its privacy quotient. Common options include climbing hydrangeas, which grow large white blooms, and wisteria, which produces fragrant purple-blue flowers. Other options include slat fencing and garden gates. The slat fencing option consists of horizontal wooden boards that can be customized to fit your desired height. Gates are an effective solution for a smaller backyard and can be built into a wall to provide a sense of seclusion while maintaining an open-air feeling in your yard.

Activities

If you want to get the most out of your pergola, it’s important to think beyond its simple shade-casting purpose. With a little imagination, you can turn your garden pergola into a natural wonderland or an airy testament to the culinary arts.

A pergola can be a great spot to dine outside with friends and family, but it can also work as a secluded retreat for solo dining or reading. To create a cozy seating area, hang a few billowy curtains to block out the sun and add privacy. Add a string of lights to the mix for nighttime use.

Another way to enhance the enjoyment of a pergola is to grow plants up and around it. This makes the structure feel more integrated into your garden.

If you want a more modern look, try painting your pergola a dark color. This accentuates the beams and helps the design blend with your home’s backyard fence and other features of the landscape. This contemporary pergola and outdoor kitchen patio from Cathie Hong Interiors has a mix of materials that give the space a custom feel.