14 pergola ideas to transform your garden, no matter its size

Pergolas are among the best garden structures out there, because they’re so versatile.

They’re a popular garden shade idea, for example, because there are a number of ways to cover them – but they also become a hub for relaxation and socialisation when you pair them with a few garden furniture ideas. It’s all about selecting pergola ideas that suit your garden size, style and budget.

To help you find the best pergola ideas for your garden, we’ve rounded up our favourite design, material and planting tricks that will transform an outdoor space.

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1. Create a living green canopy

Training greenery to grow up and over a pergola creates natural coverage that will look stunning when fully established.

Drill stainless steel eyelets into the timber and run thin tension wire criss-crossed across the roof (this garden wire set from Amazon is a great starter kit). Position one plant near the base of each wooden pillar and train the shoots to grow straight up the posts and along the overhead beams to create a canopy effect.

The best plants to grow up a pergola include honeysuckle, the heady aroma of which will smell gorgeous when you’re sitting under the pergola on summer evenings. Opt for fast-growing climbers that will establish themselves quickly and provide coverage in as little as two years, like wisteria and clematis.

2. Add a windbreak

If you’re looking for ways to weatherproof a pergola, start by thinking about the wind.

If a garden is prone to a chilly evening breeze, don’t leave the sides entirely open. Fix horizontal timber slats across just one side of the pergola – ideally, the side facing the prevailing wind. It acts as an architectural windbreak without entirely blocking the sunlight, and creates a backdrop to mount wall lights or hang outdoor mirrors.

Or, invest in a fabric side panel or blinds. You can order a retractable side awning from Amazon.

3. Invest in a bioclimatic pergola

If you’re thinking about making an investment with your pergola ideas, consider bioclimatic pergolas. These high-tech structures allow you to alter the roof and sides of your pergolas based on the weather, light and airflow to provide the most comfortable outdoor living experience.

Bioclimatic pergolas have seen a huge surge in popularity and technological advancement in recent years. Many of them now come complete with electric roofs, side screens, and even integrated lighting so you buy everything as one bulk package. This way, your pergola can be screened from the elements and well-lit, allowing you can enjoy it whatever the weather.

The slats on this Klikstrom Cucino Square Pergola from B&Q can be opened, closed or tilted.

4. Build your own pergola

It’s very easy to search online for pergolas and find exactly what you’re looking for, but if you’re someone who likes to get their hands on a DIY project, you might be interested to know that you can build your own pergola.

You can actually buy pergola kits, like this Forest Garden Ultima 2.4m x 2.4m Pergola from Argos. Just make sure you think about the space you have and the space you need to fit all of your outdoor furniture, for example. Then, you can decide what added extras you want to include, such as a pergola cover or decorations. It’s these little details that will turn a pergola into a true extension of your home.

5. Paint your pergola a calming colour

Small garden or compact patio space? Avoid painting your pergola a dark colour or staining the timber a very heavy shade, which can feel overpowering and might crowd a very small space.

Instead, follow a trick that garden designers often use when planning your small garden and paint the timber in a soft, blue-grey shade. Pale, muted greys and blues are ideal garden paint ideas, as they have a calming effect and mirror the colour of the sky, which helps the wood blend in and creates an airy, spacious effect.

6. Create an outdoor living area

The extra shade offered by a pergola makes the perfect spot for an outdoor seating area, with a garden sofa, bench or modular seating. Treat the space as an outdoor living room with furniture arranged in a sociable face-to-face set-up or positioned outward-facing to enjoy the view across the garden.

If your garden isn’t tiny, go dark and paint a timber pergola in a dark grey or black finish (or go for a metal pergola in a dark shade). Using a dark colour creates a more dramatic backdrop that looks super-stylish with colourful garden cushions, outdoor rugs and furniture set against it. Dark colours also make a great foil to show off greenery and plants, making the colours pop more vibrantly.

7. Hang layered privacy curtains

If you’re looking for garden screening ideas, a pergola provides the perfect foundation for privacy curtains.

Turn an exposed structure into a secluded area by mounting outdoor-grade curtain rods to the inside lintels of the pergola. Hang lightweight, water-resistant white or oatmeal outdoor curtains, such as these linen curtains from Amazon, or go for stylish sheer curtains like these from Amazon.

Leave them loosely tied to the posts for a breezy, coastal aesthetic during the day, or draw them shut to completely block out the neighbours’ view when you’re dining at night.

8. Stretch your space with an extra-large pergola

Opt for a super-sized pergola to provide coverage over a wider area outdoors.

Break the space down into sections for cooking, dining and relaxing by positioning furniture into clearly defined zones. Suspending outdoor lighting and greenery from overhead timbers will help to section off the space and create a visual divide.

With such a large structure, opt for a light-toned wood that won’t overpower the space, like this 6.6m x 4.2m NLC XL Wooden Pergola from B&Q, rather than a very dark shade. Hanging greenery, foliage and flowers in strategic spots will help soften the linear look of the timber, too.

9. Decorate with outdoor lights

There are so many ways you can upgrade a pergola with garden lighting ideas, and the overhead slats provide an ideal base for string lights like these from Amazon.

Or, create a magical mood on summer evenings outdoors by suspending a colourful array of fabric lanterns from the beams of a pergola. Position them in clusters above a dining table to create a stunning focal point that will wow guests when entertaining.

Suspend lanterns from coloured ribbon or cord, staggering the heights and alternating the colours for a pretty clustered effect. Use solar lanterns that will recharge in the sunshine by day and then come on automatically as dusk falls.

10. Add an easy-up roof for a rustic look

Give a standard timber pergola extra coverage to provide shelter from the hot sun or gentle summer showers using natural reed or willow. This Primrose premium willow screening from Amazon is ideal.

Lay the screening cross-ways over the wooden beams for a relaxed, rustic roofing. While not as sturdy as a solid roof structure, the effect is visually pleasing and will offer a welcome escape from the very hot sun while still letting in soft dappled beams of light.

11. Set up an outdoor kitchen

Give your outdoor kitchen ideas protection from the elements by positioning your set-up underneath a freestanding pergola. While it won’t offer full coverage from the sun and rain, it’ll create a more sheltered spot that will provide welcome relief from the sun when it’s at its hottest.

Having an open-roofed structure is also a smart idea when it comes to outdoor cooking equipment, as it will allow plenty of ventilation so that smoke, steam and fumes don’t build up.

12. Decorate with plants

Whether you’re entertaining guests or just want to jolly up your outdoor space, a pergola offers up lots of potential decorating possibilities that are super-easy to put together, from simple coloured bunting or fairy lights that can be strung across the overhead beams to hanging decorations and planters that can be suspended above.

Make an easy-hanging floral or green display with a few trailing plants to go above an outdoor dining table. It will create a fabulous focal point and add a splash of colour for summer parties outdoors. Use a couple of old bicycle wheels or plastic hoops spray-painted and suspended with rope from the overhead beams. Then, simply attach hanging planters from S-hooks filled with colourful summer blooms.

13. Squeeze in a corner pergola

If you’re short on space outdoors, opt for a half-sized pergola instead of a full-sized version. Designs range from corner and fan-shaped pergolas to hexagonal designs and compact arbours, which can all be slotted snugly into a corner, creating a mini hideaway while still giving a panoramic view of the garden.

Opt for a pergola or arbour with a built-in trellis, like this Blooma Chiltern Corner Arbour from B&Q, or try adding your own panels, and then train foliage to grow up and around the framework to provide shelter from the elements. It’s a brilliant garden corner shade idea.

14. Opt for low-maintenance metal

For a modern alternative to the traditional timber pergola, make a style statement and opt for a sleek, metal-framed design instead. Style-wise, a sleek aluminium frame looks streamlined and striking, so it’s a good choice for contemporary outdoor schemes. Unlike timber, metal won’t be affected by the elements, so it will need little maintenance or upkeep.

For extra coverage on warm days, consider a pergola with a retractable textile canopy that can be easily opened out when it’s very sunny or there’s a summer shower.

FAQs

Which of these pergola ideas are you adding to your list?