Timeless Style and Casual Elegance
Pergolas are enjoying a surge in popularity at the moment, and for good reason. Combining shade with natural light, they’re a perfect place to entertain or relax. Pergolas can provide shelter for a seating area, bar, dining table, or even a hot tub. Sometimes they even have swings suspended from the rafters!
Fun facts about pergolas: The word “pergola” comes from Latin, and the first reference to a pergola recorded in writing was in Italian in 1645. In English, the first reference was recorded in 1654. Pergolas have enjoyed various periods of popularity and were often featured in gardens in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Why Vinyl?
Traditionally, pergolas were made of wood, sometimes with brick or stone pillars. Modern pergolas can be made from a variety of materials, but one of the best choices is vinyl. Low-maintenance vinyl pergolas look as good as wood, but don’t require the on-going maintenance that wood does. You will never need to paint your vinyl pergola, or replace a rotting wooden rafter, or worry about insects burrowing into your pergola posts.
The best vinyl pergolas are structurally supported by aluminum or some other material. While you can purchase a low-cost vinyl pergola online, if it’s not structurally supported it’s more like a fancy lawn ornament than a long-lasting part of your outdoor living space.
Customize Your Pergola
While the basic structure of a pergola is constant, there are many ways to make the space your own. From the furniture inside to the enhancements all around, you can customize your pergola to your tastes. And if you prefer a simple, no-maintenance look, a vinyl pergola can stand on its own just fine.
Creative ideas to enhance your pergola:
- Train vines to grow up the columns and over the rafters
- String white lights around the posts and each rafter
- String white lights across the pergola
- Hang baskets of flowers or greenery from the rafters
- Place a cluster of planters at one, two, or all four corners
- Line one or more sides of the floor of the pergola with planters
- Hang curtains in each corner that can be tied back or released depending on the strength of the sun
