When looking to create an outdoor living area — somewhere to entertain friends or family, or perhaps just to relax — functionality and style have to come together to create the ideal space for your garden. Pergolas are the perfect way to combine functionality and style with their wooden lattice structure providing a shaded walkway or seating area that is easy to personalise with some simple, and cost-effective, hacks.
Lights:
Lighting can revolutionise a living space with its ability to create mood and ambience in addition to the practicality that comes from having a well lit seating area or walkway within your garden. The posts that form the sides of pergolas are an opportune place to wrap with fairy lights, while the lattice across the top of the structure creates a base from which to trail lengths of lights or even to attach pendant lighting. Subtle, low-level lighting can create a space that can be used well into the night, while also establishing a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy.
Drapes:
With their open sides, pergolas are a fantastic way to create a beautiful seating area from which to enjoy the garden around you. Sometimes, however, it is desirable have the option to temporarily create a self-contained area, protected from the sun or wind. Adding drapes to a pergola can not only have this practical purpose but is also a quick and easy way to add style to the structure and to bring the style from inside your home to the outside.
Plants:
The posts that make up the very structure of pergolas create an ideal place for training plants and vines. Although this decorative idea is not immediate, and can take time and effort, the result creates something that looks effortlessly beautiful. When considering plants for your pergola, good options are roses and clematis, both erupting in flowering beauty in the summer, while honeysuckle and jasmine are a brilliant choice for those who enjoy scented flowers. If your pergola is situated in a shaded area, ivy is a hardy choice and one that can also be used to decorate the wall of a house adjoining an awning, without the need to worry about the lack of sunlight the plant will be exposed to.
Seats:
When considering seating for your garden establishing the primary function of the area can ensure you create an outdoor space that works for you and your needs. If you are creating a dining space, then a traditional patio set might be appropriate or perhaps church pew style seating and a long table could create a look that better suits your style. If the area underneath the pergola or awning is going to be used primarily for lounging and relaxing, sofas and comfy chairs (with furnishings appropriate for the outdoors) could work better for you.
A home doesn't end the moment one steps outside of the backdoor; by choosing the right outdoor structure for you and your home, and by using these simple tips to personalise the area, the garden can become another place where you will love to spend your time.
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