If you’re interested in buying a pergola for your garden, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the different design options available. A pergola offers a wide range of options for your outdoor spaces, capable of being used as a workspace, a leisure space or simply as a relaxation space. 

Pergolas can be attached to your house, installed above a patio or used as a standalone structure within your garden. In this guide, we’ll take a look at a range of pergola designs for your garden, explaining the utility of this traditional garden structure. We’ll cover the ways a pergola can be placed within your garden and then look at some of the ways it can be utilised.


For more ideas about decorating your pergola, have a look at our article on the subject by clicking the button below.


A Modern Pergola Connected to Your House

Terrace of a house with pergola roof and wood planks flooring

Using a pergola as a bridge between indoor and outdoor spaces is a popular contemporary pergola design for modern houses. Whether using a lean-to design or a standalone pergola next to your house, they can make a beautiful gateway into your garden. Whether left bare or decorated with climbing plants, a wooden pergola will bring both style and practicality to your garden.

Standalone Pergola Designs

A luxurious contemporary pergola design idea is installing one as a standalone feature within your garden. These can provide a focal point within a larger garden and can be utilised in a variety of ways, such as over a fire pit. Whether installed over decking or a patio, a standalone pergola can create a beautiful garden space, to which shade can be added with a fabric roof or curtains.

A Smaller Pergola as a Garden Entrance or Covered Walkway

Garden with Pergola structure with bright colors during late summer season

Another gorgeous pergola garden design option is to use them as a decorative feature within a garden. A small pergola can create a beautiful covered entrance to a garden, welcoming visitors. These can be placed within a fence and decorated with plants and hanging baskets to blend aesthetically with a garden.

Another option for a classic pergola design is to use a pergola as a covered walkway within a larger garden. Covering a garden path with a decorated pergola can create a stunning space – perfect for a luxurious garden. A covered walkway evokes the gardens of the arts and crafts movement, an eye-catching landscape design feature within your garden.

Creating a Covered Dining Space With a Wooden Pergola

frame Outdoor kitchen and dining area under a pergola at the spacious patio of a home

Larger pergolas within your garden can be used to create a covered dining area for family and friends. A larger pergola design, either connected to your house or installed within your garden, can easily cover a dining table and chairs – creating a beautiful outdoor entertaining space. 

With the installation of a roof, either a solid roof or a green roof made from plants, you can bring shade to your dining area. Installing lights within your pergola will allow you to use them in the evening. You can install hanging lights within the beams, or hang spotlights over the table to provide greater illumination.

A pergola can create an outdoor dining space next to your house, or further out into your garden. Installing a pergola over a patio or decking can bring both style and sturdiness. It can be the perfect way to share a family meal or entertain guests in your garden.

A Shaded Workspace Within Your Garden

Another popular modern pergola design is to use one as a home workspace. With many of us now working from home, people are looking for a change in environment. Installing a small pergola with a roof will give you a shaded space within your garden, perfect for working outside during the summer. 

A desk and a chair will conveniently fit underneath a small pergola, either attached to your house or further within your garden. Installing an outdoor living space surrounds you with nature, helping to boost your concentration and your mood while allowing you to appreciate your garden throughout the day.

A Relaxation Space For One or Two People

Picture of beautiful residence with garden at night

By attaching a small pergola to your house, you can create the perfect outdoor relaxation space for a couple of people. Facing a chair or two into your garden, alongside a compact coffee table, will make for a stunning space from which you can chat, watch the sunset or enjoy a nightcap.

Further design ideas that can augment a small pergola include using hanging baskets or potted plants to add colour and life or using lights to allow your seating area to be used into the evening.


Bespoke Wooden Pergola Kits From The Porch Specialist

We build custom-designed wooden pergola kits, which can be used for a variety of purposes within your garden. If you want a small pergola connected to your house to use as a social space, we can create the perfect modern pergola kit for you. 

If you want a larger pergola to install within your garden over a dining area, our team will tailor their bespoke pergola design to your specifications. Our design process is completely bespoke, with our competitive prices calculated based on the materials used.

Our pergola kits are constructed from sustainable green oak or Douglas-fir timber. We employ an expert team who use state-of-the-art equipment to check the structural integrity of all wood in our kits, and to cut each piece to exact specifications. 

We can deliver across the UK, and if you have a little DIY experience you’ll be able to build your new pergola yourself, saving money on labour. We include detailed instructions with our kits, and can supply design drawings if required.

We offer bespoke no-obligation quotes on our wooden pergolas, so if you know what pergola design is right for you, simply contact us through our website and we’ll return to you with a price as soon as possible. 

We enter production as soon as an order has been placed, dispatching across the UK once work has been signed off, allowing you to build a pergola perfectly designed for your garden as soon as possible.
Get a quote on a pergola kit today, or speak to a member of our team to learn more.

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