Whether you’re going it all on your own, or calling in professional assistance when setting up a gazebo or pergola, there are some design elements that can make a huge difference in your outdoor structure.
With these elements you can obtain greater value from your gazebo or pergola, making multifunctional spaces out of it while also raising your exterior appeal.
Fancying a pergola or gazebo covered with exotic fabrics, lattice, or glass? Do you like one of those roofed outdoor structures with an elevated deck, luxurious flooring, and towering headspace?
Read on to find out the best ways to get the most bang out of your gazebo or pergola.
Choose Uncommon Geometries
One of the best ways to make your gazebo or pergola a remarkable sight to behold is by using uncommon shapes. Rotunda designs are classical and quite rare. Rotunda gazebos and pergolas come with a domed roof and multiple pillars for support.
Octagonal gazebos and pergolas also have similar attributes, but unlike rotunda, they don’t have an uninterrupted circular shape.
Pagodas are also an uncommon form of gazebos and pergolas.
Originating from Japan, they come in oriental architecture, but with a markedly multi-layered roof structure and splendid woodwork designs. For a more classical rustic look, finish your pagoda with a muted accent.
If you want a wider structure to cover a much wider area, you can opt for a pavilion. A pavilion sprawls over a much wider expanse of land and can accommodate multiple functional spaces at a go.
You can set up a kitchen/grill area and dining area in it and there’ll still be enough space for a spacious lounging area. For more drama, you can opt for an octagonal pavilion with a domed or triangular roof.
Create an Outdoor Entertainment Hub
Ideally, your gazebo or pergola should support all your outdoor entertainment needs. It should be set up with lounging furniture and a dining table and chairs for hosting small meetings and family get-togethers.
If you’re running short of room, you can use multipurpose furniture instead of multiple single-purpose ones. You can use lightweight furniture that you can easily move in and out of storage.
Set Up an Outdoor Cooking Area ‘Grillzebo’
Still going indoors for foods and drinks when lounging outside? You can easily set up an outdoor kitchen or ‘grillzebo’ to serve up crowd-pleasing meals and drinks outdoors. You don’t need a fully furnished kitchen – just a grill/ cooker, a sink for washing utensils, and a counter for dishing out meals.
But besides a cooking or grilling area, you can also set up a bar with wine racks, glass racks, and coolers. You can also incorporate a fireplace to keep your guests warm during winter and to host countless rounds of BBQ during the summer and fall.
Spruce Up your Gazebo with Flowering
Add a splendid touch of nature to your gazebo with climbing flowers. Ideally, you should opt for a vibrant gazebo finish to contrast the colour of the flowers and greenery.
With a splendid array of flowers and greenery, your pergola will have an unmistakable ambiance and tranquility that are perfect for solo time outs and getaways.
To create more vertical space for the plants to clamber on to, you can opt for a folly gazebo, which is specifically designed to support climbing plants. Folly gazebos support ornamentals with metal poles and other design elements that hold leafy vines and other climbing plants.
You can also incorporate trellis in your pergolas to achieve similarly dramatic effects with sprawling greenery and flowers.
Turn on the Lights
Lighting is another distinguishing design element that can mark apart your gazebo. Spruce up your gazebo with paper lanterns, light ropes, and designer lamps. A chandelier in the middle of the gazebo’s ceiling can serve as the perfect focal point in your backyard.
But while artificial lighting gives you wider latitude for creativity, you shouldn’t take natural lighting for granted. Make sure your gazebo plan makes maximal use of natural light. You need to position your gazebo at an angle where you’ll get neither too much nor too little sunlight, depending on your geographical region.
Nonetheless, no matter the design features and elements you wish to incorporate into your gazebo or pergola, it’s always advisable to seek out professionals who can help you weigh the pros and cons of your choices.
