7 Amazing Pergola Ideas to Inspire Your Backyard Design (2024)

A pergola is a fabulous way to add style to your landscaping. As a standalone outdoor shelter or an extension of the house, a pergola is ideal for warm seasons. Without walls, it shelters you from the sun while fresh air breezes through.

There are many pergola design ideas that you can use to achieve your own unique style, ranging from minimalist to traditional to modern. Some designs offer more function while others are definitely more about aesthetics.

Depending on your individual taste and needs, Countryside Barns can help you to build a beautiful, long-lasting pergola.

The anchor brackets that come with each of our pergolas mean you can place your pergola anywhere your property has room for them — your deck, poolside, backyard or patio.

Chaise lounges, dining sets, wet bars, latticework, and planter boxes can all be incorporated. Just give us your pergola ideas and we’ll help you construct your dream design. If you happen to be from Oregon, you may need a goodtree care and backyard maintenance service in Portland to clear some trees away for your perfect spot to place the pergola.

Let the following seven pergola ideas inspire your backyard fantasies:

#1: Sliding Roof

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With sliding roofs, you have total control over the shade and shine in your pergola. Depending on the design, you can cover certain sections to block out the sun while leaving other areas exposed.

The above model is partitioned into 16 glass panels, which can be opened or shaded individually. The translucent glass blocks the sun’s harmful rays when they’re slid in place.

This innovative concept lets individual family members customize their pergola experience however they want, simultaneously, without compromise. Your sister can sunbathe while Mom reads in the shade.

#2: Modern Hamptons

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New York’s summer playground, the Hamptons, has inspired a look embraced by summer lovers from the West Coast to Australia. The iconic style takes design cues from the ocean and is characterized by a crisp white palette and white-washed furniture. It looks pristine next to a crystal blue pool.

This type of design is simple and low-maintenance. The solid beams ensure structural strength and support the climbers, which spread neatly over the roof to provide natural shade.

The table set adds a twist on the traditional Hamptons style. With a rustic table and red chairs for a pop of color, this pergola idea is truly picture perfect.

#3: Modern Mediterranean

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You can easily bring a taste of Italy to your backyard with this popular pergola design.

Mediterranean style pergolas cultivate a welcoming, European feeling that complement both classic and modern styled homes. This pergola idea incorporates Moroccan stencils on the floor and potted plants, which add an exotic flavor to the scene.

The seating is clean and simple with a striking chair swing for one. The roof is completely covered with iron sheets but the rest of the structure is wide open. You’ll be protected from the rain and blaring sun while the cooling breeze flows through.

The overhead lighting adds additional style and ensures you’ll be able to enjoy your pergola late into the evening.

#4: Corner Retreat

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A corner pergola provides a shady spot you can retreat to whenever you need some respite. If you don’t have a lot of room to work with, you’ll be excited to hear that you don’t need as much space for this particular configuration as you would with most of the other pergola ideas shared here.

The pergola above occupies a small space on the edge of the yard while still providing all you need to enjoy it. It has enough seating for at least six people and the retractable canvas roof gives you control over the shine and shade. Globe string lights along the fence are decorative as well as practical lighting for late-night conversations.

You can even fit your grill in for summer barbecues.

#5: A Unique Arch Design

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An arched pergola communicates a keen sense of style to your visitors. The primary purpose of this design is a daring aesthetic.

The stunning arched pergola shown above calls to mind the Sydney Opera House. Underneath, neat, modernist furniture lets this exceptional pergola design stay center stage.

The latticework can also support climbing plants for an arched pergola fit for a fairy tale setting.

#6: Outdoor Fireplace

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Have you considered a fireplace for your pergola? Incorporating a fireplace into your outdoor room means you’ll be toasty whatever the weather. Warm yourselves on cool nights or make a campfire meal of hotdogs and smores.

The design above features a small pergola extended from the main house, with a stonework fireplace below. The pergola is shallow but leaves plenty of room for family and guests to gather around the fire.

#7: Custom-Built Pergola

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Are you looking for something completely original? Our experienced artisans are ready to craft a custom pergola to your specifications.

Whether you’re looking for a specific size, design, or both, all you have to do is tell us what you want. Start with any of our existing pergola designs and we can customize from there.

What you get when working with Countryside Barns:

  • Your style: Your pergola is constructed with your personal taste in mind. We select products to match your home’s style and needs.
  • Your design: Have you seen a pergola idea that interests you but is not quite what you’re looking for? We can modify it to look exactly how you want it.
  • Your size: We will build your pergola to fit into the available space. If you have an atypical space you’d like to turn into an outdoor room, go for a custom-built pergola.

Final Thoughts: 7 Amazing Pergola Ideas to Inspire Your Backyard

If you have a backyard space that’s been lying idle for ages, now is the time to transform it with your dream structure. These pergola ideas should help to spark your creativity and turn your vision into reality.

And these are just ideas — you can always request a custom design when working with Countryside Barns. While we’re proud of our own designs, our customers have frequently inspired us with their unique visions.

For more information about starting a project, visit our pergola gallery or contact us today to book an appointment.

7 Amazing Pergola Ideas to Inspire Your Backyard Design (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of pergola in design? ›

A pergola is most commonly an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained.

What does a pergola look like? ›

A major architectural structure, pergolas consist of rafters, beams, and posts and can be attached or detached to a house. While opinions vary on what differentiates it from a gazebo, usually a gazebo is freestanding and has a pitched roof, while a pergola's roof is flat.

What are the natural materials for pergolas? ›

Natural materials like wood, stone, or bamboo are great choices for pergola construction. Wood is a popular choice for its versatility, durability, and natural beauty. Stone and bamboo are also great options that offer a unique and rustic look to your pergola.

What is the main purpose of a pergola? ›

What is the Purpose of a Pergola? The purpose of a pergola really is to protect the homeowner. Often pergolas are used to provide shade to outdoor living spaces such as patio furniture, hot tubs, and outdoor grills. Pergolas provide just the right amount of shade, while still letting in all of the other elements.

What is the point of having a pergola? ›

Their primary purpose is to define outdoor spaces, create visual interest and, and depending on the pergola, add shade to an area.

How do you jazz up a pergola? ›

Exciting decorations you can add to a pergola include LED lights, lanterns, hanging plants and outdoor furniture such as hanging chairs.

What is the best colour for a pergola? ›

The colour of your pergola must match the façade of your house, your outdoor furniture and the decoration of your garden. Aluminium pergolas can be customised and come in an infinite range of colours. You can choose a classic anthracite grey aluminium pergola, a black pergola, a beige pergola, a brown pergola...

What type of pergola is best? ›

Aluminum Pergolas: The Gold Standard in Durability

Aluminum pergolas shine with their sleek, modern aesthetics. They blend effortlessly with various architectural styles, giving homeowners both beauty and durability. Their resistance to threats like mold, rot, and pests is unmatched.

What kind of pergola is best? ›

Out of all the different types of pergolas we'll compare today, vinyl is your longest-lasting, lowest-maintenance and best-looking option. With an average lifespan of over 20 years, you can purchase with confidence knowing your timeless structure will stay sound for decades!

What kind of pergola lasts the longest? ›

Aluminum Pergolas

With a sturdy metal frame, an aluminum pergola can offer the stability of a wooden structure with a clean elegance, and completely custumizable with accessories. Also long lasting and almost maintenance free, your aluminum pergola is sure to last through a lifetime of both rain and shine.

What is the full meaning of pergola? ›

1. : arbor, trellis. 2. : a structure usually consisting of parallel colonnades supporting an open roof of girders and cross rafters.

Where did the pergola design come from? ›

Pergolas date back more than 3,000 years. The earliest known garden pergola dates back to 1400 BC and belonged to an Egyptian high court official.

Why is it called pergola? ›

The word pergola is derived from the Latin word “pergula” which refers to a “projecting eave”, commonly found as an extended roof or arbor. The first known use of the term pergola dates back to the 1640's during the late medieval period. It was used by John Evelyn at the cloister of Trinita dei Monti in Rome.

What's another word for pergola? ›

Other words for pergola are trellis or arbor. When gardeners plant climbing roses or ivy or other plants that like to wind upward around supports as they grow, they often use a pergola.

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