Creating great memories with family and friends often starts on the patio. If this past summer ended up being too hot for comfort sometimes, now could be the ideal time to plan for next summer by installing a pergola. Whether you’re adding a pergola to an existing patio or starting from scratch, here’s how to make it yours, with three ideas for including a pergola in patio designs on Long Island, NY.
One of the most elegant permanent shelter structures, the classic pergola often becomes one of those “I wish I’d done this sooner” projects that make outdoor living so much more pleasant. The word pergola has origins in Italy, where travelers often come across open wood structures covered in vines sheltering outdoor living areas.
A pergola has open sides and an open ceiling to allow for easy movement of air. It creates a cool, relaxing space by scattering sunlight by placing slats of wood across the structure so that you’re never in full direct sunlight. Pergolas can be covered in vines to provide additional shade: wisteria, clematis, grapes, and climbing roses are some climbing plants that could grow on your pergola.
There are no size restrictions to pergolas. You could opt for a small one to shelter an outdoor couch or two. Or, you could choose to enclose most of your patio with a pergola that keeps your key outdoor living spaces (outdoor kitchen, dining area, and seating area) out of direct sunlight.
And, pergolas come in a range of styles—including custom made—to ensure that they complement every architectural style.
A Place to Rest or Entertain
Place a seating area under a pergola for the perfect place to hang out on a sweltering summer day or a place to cool off after you’ve had too much fun in the sun. Or place a few lounge chairs or outdoor couches within the pergola, and you won’t have any reason to retreat indoors on a hot day. At night, lighting up your pergola with festive string lights makes it into a wonderful intimate spot for relaxing with friends. If your pergola is at the poolside, you’ll have a wonderful retreat next to the pool, along with an elegant feature that makes your backyard look like an exclusive resort.
A Place for Cooking and Sharing Meals
Pergolas are ideal for gathering. Whether your pergola houses a dining table near your grill or your entire outdoor kitchen is sheltered within the pergola, it’ll be “the” place to gather with family and friends all summer long. You may find there is no better place to enjoy each other’s company than in a romantic pergola—you might even forget where you are, and think you’re in Tuscany!
A Longer Outdoor Season
And you can extend the summer outdoor entertaining season by adding an outdoor fireplace along one side of your pergola to create a cozy space that’s comfortable well into the colder months. If cold winter winds are an issue, you could install a temporary plastic screen on the windward side. Combined with the warmth of the outdoor fireplace and the wind block, the pergola will be much more comfortable any time of year.
If you are opting for a large pergola that will shelter your outdoor kitchen, outdoor dining area and seating area, you could reduce clutter within the space by opting for a gas-fueled fire table. This will provide some warmth, plenty of ambience, and a very chic dining solution.
If you want to transform your pergola into a multi-season feature, your landscape design contractor could add a temporary polycarbonate roof, to keep out rain while still maintaining the open-air feel. And in summer, when air movement is key, the temporary roof could be removed and stored away.
