If you’ve been hearing more about pergolas lately, there’s a good reason for that. Pergolas are all the rage in outdoor living designs because they can be beautiful and serve several different functions. Have you been thinking about incorporating a pergola into your outdoor space? If so, Dallas pergola builder Archadeck of Northeast Dallas-Southlake can work with you to design a custom pergola just right for your home.
We look at pergolas from two points of view: beauty and function. What’s great is we can combine beauty and function in your custom pergola design. You don’t have to choose between the two!
The Beauty of Dallas Cedar Pergolas
Cedar is the pergola wood of choice for Dallas-area homeowners. Besides being incredibly beautiful, cedar doesn’t have to be stained. Unfinished, it weathers to a silver-gray color over time, so if that’s not the color you want, you can choose to stain or paint the wood or use a deck sealer with UV protection. (It’s the sun’s UV rays that bleach cedar to silver-gray.) Cedar resists rot and decay, and the oils in cedar that give off the lovely cedar aroma are unattractive to insects.
The Pergola’s Many Functions
Shade
The traditional reason homeowners add a pergola to their outdoor living space is for the shade it can provide. Right from the start, here is an opportunity to get creative. As the homeowner, you’ll need to decide how much shade you desire. An open and airy design will allow the most light. Your Archadeck design consultant can show you how widening or narrowing the placement of the pergola’s slats and rafters will increase or decrease the amount of shade it casts. For maximum shade in the earlier and later parts of the day, you’ll want to orient the pergola in a north-south direction. You’ll still get full sun in the middle of the day.
Rain and sun protection
For a rain barrier, and to screen out the sun’s UV rays, we can add a Polygal cover on top of the pergola structure. The downside is that you’ll lose some of the natural light a pergola usually lets in. Covered pergolas are especially popular near the swimming pool. The covered pergola will provide respite from the beating sun for anyone who has spent too much time in the pool.
Privacy
While a pergola alone won’t provide very much privacy, we can attach a vertical privacy screen to accomplish that. The privacy screen can be made of matching cedar and can be as ornamental as you like. Because we’re custom designing it for you, the possibilities are limitless. Privacy screens can have a lattice pattern, or shutters, or alternating wood slats that allow more air flow than a solid fence would.
Extension of a back porch or patio area
If you want a larger porch or patio area, and the area is covered by a roof, we can add a pergola that extends from the roof outward to enlarge your defined space. It’s the perfect middle ground for those who don’t want to sit in a dim area under a fully-covered porch but also don’t want to relax in full sun. We do want to caution you, however, that adding a pergola so close to the house will reduce the amount of natural light coming in through the windows.
Design element
There are so many ways a pergola can enhance the overall design of your space. If you place a pergola at the edge of your outdoor living space, the eye perceives that as a boundary defining the area. We can also build a pergola to anchor a deluxe outdoor living space where deck, patio and outdoor kitchen need some element to draw them together as a whole. Without visually tying it all together, an outdoor kitchen or dining area can look lost. A pergola added to a patio becomes a vertical element giving dimension to an otherwise flat space.
Transition element
A pergola can serve as an elegant transition or gateway piece leading from one area into another. It defines the space is if to say, “Over here is the patio with a dining space, and if you come through here you’ll arrive at the pool area.”
Focal point
A custom pergola can show off your personal style. Combining natural design elements, wood and stone, is a beautiful statement in itself. We Texans love natural elements throughout our custom outdoor living spaces. Try adding a stone bench with planters or a statue under the pergola as a stunning focal point.
Outdoor room
Placing a hammock or swing under a pergola turns that space into an enticing outdoor room all on its own. We have seen pergolas wired for lighting, ceiling fans and even speakers. Why not create the space you need to unwind and relax?
We hope you’ll agree with us that a pergola can take outdoor living to another level in a number of ways. These versatile structures can add dimension, rustic charm or elegance to any outdoor space.
At Archadeck of Northeast Dallas-Southlake, we welcome any project, large or small. Whether you’re creating a deluxe outdoor living design from scratch or you simply want to add a pergola to your existing space, we would love to design a pergola that fulfills your purpose. Contact Archadeck of Northeast Dallas-Southlake today at (972) 904 – 3325.
Agustin & Amanda Garza
