BACKYARD BLOG

Pergolas and Patio Covers

Oct.10.2014

A pergola or patio cover can be a very useful addition to your home. Pergolas and patio covers add resale value to your home and provide a way to take advantage of outdoor/indoor living.

Pergolas

A pergola is similar to an arbor but with subtle structural differences. Pergolas have support columns at two sides, generally designed with a lattice roof. They are open, welcoming spaces, often constructed just to add such a friendly space to the backyard. Pergolas function to provide footholds for plants that grow upwards.

Designed so that the area beneath is a cool, shaded spot for entertainment and recreation, pergolas are often installed above patios and porches so that people can sit outside in the shade and enjoy the weather. They can also be freestanding and very private. Arbors are generally curved and don’t provide much shade or an expansive space beneath. Pergolas have been used for centuries, especially in Italy, to create attractive, warm spaces for spending times with loved ones and entertaining.

Pergolas are generally made of wood or metal, latticed together so that vines and similar plants can take hold, flourish and generate shade. They are often added to gardens as a useful and ornamental feature, but many homes without gardens include pergolas to create a romantic backyard sitting area. Homeowners can add many different types of design features to pergolas to create the look they want.

Bamboo and other types of live foliage add color, texture and shade. Fabric can be draped in unique areas to add to the romance. Drop shades and privacy shields can be installed to increase privacy and weather protection. Curtains add color, shade and style to a pergola, and the furniture, barbecue setting and accessories beneath can be fully customized to create the perfect oasis.

Perhaps you live in Arizona, where the weather much of the year allows you to eat outside much of the time. The right pergola or patio cover can provide an excellent space for outdoor dining. It’s important in an outdoor dining space that the area is protected from heat, rain or bugs. Barbecues need to have sufficient coverage, so that anything on the barbecue stays clean and ready to enjoy.

Diners also need sufficient shelter and the ability to enjoy your meal comfortably. Fully-customizable pergolas can help create such an atmosphere. They can also create romantic, shaded walkways and passages between homes. They exist in both front and backyards. Sometimes supported by stone columns, it is common for the design of a pergola to be similar to that of ancient Roman decor.

Patio Covers

Pergolas are great patio covers, but not all patio covers have to be created with the look of a pergola. Patio covers are an extension of the house that protect the patio from elements and give it shade. Like pergolas, patio covers are useful for creating private retreats, game rooms, barbecue areas and romantic sitting areas.

Patio covers are often created with a lattice look but can be built with other types of design work, too. Patio covers are helpful at the edge of pools when people enjoying the pool need a break from the sun or a place to cool down. Completely closed-in patio covers provide shelter in areas where there is lots of rain or wind, and help to keep shade on outdoor plants that don’t need as much sun.

Both pergolas and patio covers are often made of Alumawood®, a type of aluminum product that appears to be wood but has more durability and weather-resistant properties. Pergolas and Alumawood patio covers are functional, attractive, customizable and add value to your home. As shade structures, they help to reduce energy costs and allow you to spend more time outdoors.

As ornamental creations, they can elevate the design of your home to a new height – and they are areas that are easy to update with each new season. Guests enjoy the “vacation” feeling that a well-designed and well-built pergola or patio cover can establish. So do potential homebuyers, who continually focus on finding homes that also feel like a vacation or oasis in the city.

The growing outdoor/indoor lifestyle trend greatly affects the value that pergolas and patio covers add to a home. It is important to remember this when choosing a pergola or patio cover, and to make sure the one you have installed will fit in your desired lifestyle and the lifestyles of potential homebuyers in the future. Contact our helpful team today to learn more about pergolas and patio covers.

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