Your Patio Is Missing This One Essential Design Detail
When it comes to creating a backyard oasis, nothing transports you to an escapist frame of mind quite like a pergola. The semi-open structure—often made of an open-air "roof" and four pillar supports—is a mainstay at resorts, beachside bungalows, and countryside cottages, making it an easy way to bring charm and functionality to your backyard. Whether you choose a pergola that builds off the exterior of your home or one that's freestanding in your landscape, the result is the same: a visually stunning—and surprisingly functional—way to celebrate life alfresco.
Like many architectural features, pergolas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from traditional wood beam structures that focus on simplicity to whimsical, trellised designs that would look right at home in a stately English garden. The style you choose is largely determined by both budget and aesthetics, and you can choose to play into the design of your home or construct something totally unique.
Below, we're rounding up 25 stunning pergola ideas meant to inspire your own backyard transformation. With smart additions like heating elements, shade-giving roofs, and eye-catching light fixtures, these garden additions grant more than just beauty—they're bound to help you enjoy life outdoors better, too.
More outdoor inspiration:
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Give It a Green "Roof"
Outdoor pergolas are a popular pick for gardeners looking for a way to support climbing plants like roses, wisteria, and bougainvillea. To bring a bit of country charm to your pergola, choose a fast-growing plant to train up the sides or supports of your structure, resulting in a living "roof" that changes with the seasons.
Make It Mini
Even a small plot of land can benefit from the visual interest a pergola brings. The key? Keep the profile simple and slim, so as not to distract from the rest of the compact space. Here, vintage outdoor furniture and a minimalistic black pergola complement the exterior of a 1930s cottage designed by Burkle Creative.
Pair Form With Function
A standalone pergola is great—but one that creates an entire outdoor world is even better. In the backyard of a Washington, D.C. home designed by Tina Ramchandani, a simple white wood structure gives way to an outdoor kitchen and dining zone, where pizza is always on the menu.
Hang a Swing
Backyards are a place for fun, entertainment, and, at times, an irreverent return to childhood. To make your space feel a bit more playful, use the structure of your pergola to hang a pair of swing chairs. In the House Beautiful 2021 Whole Home, designer Linda Hayslett chose two rattan egg chairs hung from the rafters of the pergola to bring whimsy to the alfresco conversation nook.
Choose Materials That Patina
Anything exposed to the elements outdoors is sure to show wear and tear over time, so it's always a good idea to shop for materials that will patina beautifully. In this Los Angeles backyard, designer Nick Olsen devised a pergola structure made from metal that takes on a copper and gunmetal finish over time.
Stay Sleek
Structured and graphic in nature, pergolas lend themselves seamlessly to modern design. If your taste skews simplistic and minimalistic, embrace the clean lines and durability of metal. In this backyard, designer Noz Nozawa installed a custom Daniel Nolan Design pergola with thin planks on top that let in dappled light.
Add Creature Comforts
On their own, pergolas aren't inherently cozy—but add some mainstays of indoor design and you can instantly transform one into an outdoor living room. In this Palm Beach home designed by Caroline Rafferty, a durable outdoor rug, functional wicker furniture, and patterned fabrics invite an afternoon nap or post-work cocktails.
Choose Charming Supports
Every inch of a pergola's structure offers an opportunity for design flair, from the material and roof to the support pillars. This Palm Beach balcony provides a prime example with treillage-inspired pillars that add a charming dose of pattern.
Lend Some Shade
Scoring shade beneath a pergola can be tricky. A solid roof won't let any light or air through (even during the times you want it), while a completely open one means high noon feels like a scorching desert. The solution? Use a natural material to cool things down while still allowing for light and air filtration. Here, an outdoor living room by designer Sheldon Harte stays temperate with help of a steel pergola and willow "roof."
Add Extra Privacy
The open-air nature of a pergola allows you an unobstructed view of the landscape beyond, but it can also lack the privacy you desire from nearby neighbors or street traffic. To ensure your outdoor retreat still feels intimate, consider hanging drapery that can be pulled across the "walls" when you want to keep out prying eyes. In the 2022 House Beautiful Whole Home, designer Ashley Gilbreath opted for breezy white drapes to maintain the relaxed feel of the pergola.
Bridge the Indoor/Outdoor Gap
If opting for a pergola that's partially supported by your home's exterior, you'll want to make sure the style of your structure blends seamlessly with your interior space. Case in point: this 1920s Spanish Colonial, designed by Regan Baker and landscape architecture firm Terremoto, where sliding steel and glass doors connect the kitchen directly to the terrace and metal pergola beyond.
Pick a Playful Fabric
While pergolas made from wood or metal are most common, that's not your only option when it comes to choosing your aesthetic. Looking to incorporate a resort-like feel into your backyard? Mimic the feel of a pool cabana with a fabric-covered pergola. Here, designer Mark D. Sikes opted for a preppy yet timeless navy and white stripe pattern.
Pair With a Permanent Structure
To make your pergola feel more substantial and statuesque, consider teaming it with a permanent structure, like a privacy wall. At the 1930s cottage designed by Burkle Creative, a wood pergola anchors the main entertaining space alongside a stone wall that references the haciendas of Mexico.
Mix and Match Materials
When it comes to the construction of your pergola, you can go as simple or complex as you would like. The most straightforward designs rely on a single material, but more and more, designers and landscape architects are incorporating numerous different tactile surfaces to make for a more interesting and dynamic design. On this limestone patio, the team behind Moniomi Design supported a pergola overhang with travertine columns draped with greenery.
Add an Angle
Just like with any interior room, the height of your pergola's roof can impact how expansive it feels. If you're looking to cultivate an airy, welcoming environment, consider angling the roof of your pergola to give the alfresco space more headroom. In this California outdoor living room by designer Michelle Boudreau, a wood-covered pergola roof adds visual interest.
Select Weather-Friendly Materials
Not all wood is created equal, and certain materials—think cedar and teak—can handle the wear and tear from moisture, UV rays, and water better than others. If you're looking to construct a timeless and durable design, consider mimicking the wood pool pergola found at the Nantucket home designed by Michael Ellison in collaboration with Workshop/APD.
Complement Exterior Details
For a pergola that blends seamlessly with the exterior of your home, look to architectural details that can be mimicked in the pergola's design. This could be anything from corbels on the roof to the shape of the doorway—in the case of this Kansas City home designed by Annie Kern Interiors, the pergola on the veranda is made from the same metal that encases the windows.
Hang Decorative Lighting
Any stable structure outside offers a chance for a rare exterior addition: overhead lighting. Instead of relying on a string of bistro lights (which are charming, no doubt), opt for a fixture with more permanence and presence. Here, a sprawling metal and glass chandelier holds court in a pergola designed by Tammy Randall Wood of Interior Archaeology.
Pair With Punchy Details
Looking to go bold elsewhere in your backyard design? Keep your pergola simple in design and materials so your other choices can take center stage. For this vacation home in Maui, designer Breeze Giannasio paired a bold decorative tile with a simple pergola structure for the ultimate eye-catching lanai.
Designate Different Areas
The support columns of a pergola serve an important—and perhaps—obvious purpose when it comes to the structural integrity of the piece, but they can also make for a natural way to divide out "rooms" beneath the pergola. For larger structures, look to the columns as you would a wall, and set up the expansive space to serve different purposes.
Get Inspired by Nature
Like with any landscaping design choice, natural beauty can best be achieved by taking a hint from the surrounding landscape. To make your pergola seem one with nature, use materials, shapes, or colors that feel cohesive with your backyard. Take this Montana cabin, designed by Kylee Shintaffer, as an example—the worn wood pergola hints at the expansive pine forest beyond the property's edge.
Enjoy the Evening Glow
If your pergola is located in the far reaches of your backyard, rogue bits of light thrown from the house just won't do once the sun goes down. Instead, string your structure with another source of ambient light, like bistro bulbs, for an atmospheric and cozy way to enjoy your yard after dark.
Swap the Shape
If you want to create a fairytale-like retreat, opt for a trellised, domed pergola instead of the standard square shape. This one found poolside at a home designed by April Powers is the perfect spot for a post-swim hang or pre-dinner cocktails.
Build In a Bench
If you have a smaller backyard space, you can still reap the benefits of a pergola. Invest in a piece of furniture—like the daybed found in this backyard by Reath Design—with a built-in pergola, which you can then use to add visual interest or lend support to vining plants.
Bring the Heat
Unless you live in an incredibly temperate area, chances are good that there are going to be a few days when the weather is too chilly to enjoy your pergola. Instead of resigning to life indoors, install a few discreet heating elements on your pergola's roof to keep the fun times rolling all year long.
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