If you have an outdoor deck, back porch or patio, you can add hours of enjoyment to your outdoor space by adding a pergola. Ideas for pergola design and style can be found everywhere, too - from your local neighborhood to home and garden sources online.
If you’re interested in some ideas for adding or improving a pergola, here are some options to inspire you:
Create shade & privacy
A pergola is one of the best ways to add both shade and privacy to your outdoor space. However, depending on the structure itself, there are plenty of ways to go about it. For instance, canvas and other sturdy cloth varieties have always been great choices for a pergola’s roof and walls.
Another option is to hang screens made of natural materials like bamboo. Roll-up screens are convenient for raising and lowering to follow the angle of the sun, and can also shield against the wind. Other pergola decorating ideas like string lights and outdoor dining furniture can benefit from the extra shade and protection, no matter what style you choose.
Consider wood alternatives
A wooden pergola is the classic choice for outdoor spaces, but alternatives to wood have gradually grown in popularity. Metal options like a steel pergola are a chic alternative that can create a more industrial vibe to your patio space.
A steel pergola makes a bold and unique statement in your yard, and also provides you with a long-lasting outdoor feature impervious to most forms of environmental damage.
Other options for wood alternatives include vinyl, fiberglass and other galvanized metal.
Cultivate a living shelter
Gardens and pergola design often go together. One beautiful way to create shade and dimension to your outdoor space is to encourage trailing and climbing vines to cover a natural wood pergola. A pergola creates a stable outdoor structure for plants to thrive upon, and depending on your climate, you have myriad options to choose from.
You can even grow some vegetables using your pergola as a support. Plants like squash, melons and cucumbers all grow best when given a structure to climb, and their greenery helps create natural shade and privacy.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
