Pergolas have been in use since ages hence. They reached heights of popularity during the Italian Renaissance, where they became an integral part of Landscape Architecture.
Even today, pergolas can add up magic to your gardens and outdoor spaces with their dual asset of an aesthetical ambience and functional appropriateness.
Be it a respite from the afternoon, a pleasant evening with a book and a mug of coffee, or a night of soft music and friends for dinner – a pergola can be host to a multitude of functions.
The pergola is actually pretty simple in its structure – all it needs are cross beams and planks of suitable material to create a simple network.
This simple design can be modified repeatedly, and in more and more innovative ways, to create newer and better pergola designs by the day.
Here are a few examples for designing a pergola in your backyard or garden.
1. Modern Design
A pergola which relies on modernity in its design would be much different from the traditional ornate ones out there. Modern pergolas rely on simplicity – all the unnecessary elements are chalked out, and what is before your eyes is a beautiful combination of the abstract and the necessary, without much ruffle.
The ‘bare essentials’ as we might term it, the pergola would comprise of a seating within for the users within a semi-shaded space, decorated with curtains or some kind of partition for privacy. That’s it – a discreet construction that still has a lot to offer, and gives a stunning makeover to your garden.
2. Green and Colourful Pergolas
A pergola swathed in green and colourful creepers is one amazing sight! You could add some beauty perks to your garden by placing at a corner a beautiful wooden pergola replete with shrubs, potted plants and climbers.
Not just a beautiful sight, this would also lend a beautiful aroma to the place, which you could suitably use for relaxing or for parties with friends.
It can be a haven for your kids to play blissfully amidst nature. It could be a peaceful retreat for the elderly of the house for their prayers or for their long talk. Yes, you could use such a pergola as a doubled up Puja space for your home too! Adding flowers and creepers to your garden pergola can take the beauty of the space several notches higher.
3. Arched Pergolas
Arches look good almost anywhere, don’t they? Having the roof of the pergola in the form of an arch adds up to its charm, like a million times. Where straight lines look stiff and monotonous, an arched pergola in your backyard looks pleasant and welcoming.
Add lights up on to the arch, and beautiful seating within. You could choose to have a fireplace very close to your pergola for a warm cosy evening in winters.
The pergola could be used as an outdoor dinner spot, and you could incorporate a little outdoor cooking space within too. Make sure you use good fabrics for accentuating the look of the place – soft rugs and beautiful cushions – and add good landscaping in the form of hanging pots and planters to create a charming aura.
4. Pergolas by the Pool
Having a pergola by the pool already sounds so amazing! You could choose to relax by the pool on a lovely evening, watching your kids plunge into the pool. A well-lit retreat lit up with a fireplace, and adorned with long white curtains is just what you want. You can go for stone pillars for the pergola instead of wooden ones.
A pergola in white would perfectly compliment the look with the blues of the swimming pool, and the greens around. For the seating, you choose to go for cushy seats or even wooden chairs – whatever you desire for. Keep the decor to a bare minimum for a more modernistic feel.
– Sakshi Singh
