Pergola Styles

From traditional to contemporary pergola styles, there are hundreds of these fabulous garden structures to choose from: corner pergolas, Asian style pergolas, canopies, pergolas with decorative panels, modern, traditional, attached lean-tos, arbours, seated arbours, dining, walkway, rose arches, circular, hexagonal pergolas with pitched roofs, pods..........to name but a few.

So much choice!

If you're looking for inspiration and trying to decide which design you would like in your garden, here are lots of ideas to get you started.

All the pergolas shown come in the form of either ready-made pergola kits, or pergolas created from the step-by-step pergola plans.

There are, indeed, many manufactured pergola kits, including both the traditional and modern pergola.

The traditional-style, free pergola plans come in several different designs, which can be modified to create unique and individual features , and even given a simple makeover to become the epitome of ultra-modern.

There are also the additional pergola plans available, so you can create a more unusual pergola to fit beautifully in your space.

Let's start with the traditional pergola first.  It's as good a place as any...

Traditional Pergola Styles

Traditional pergolas tend to come in either wood or metal, each giving a very different feel to a garden.  Both have stood the test of time and have become even more popular in recent years, due to our love of being enclosed in a wonderful outdoor room in the sunshine and fresh air, and our love of eating outdoors.  

A traditional wooden pergola has either a square or rectangular footprint, with rafters for the roof.  It can be made into a walkway colonnade over which to grow beautiful climbing plants, used as a shady retreat, or can be set on a patio to enhance the space near to the house.  If it is attached to the house, it is called an attached pergola or 'lean-to'. We'll be looking at examples of this pergola style later on.

This is a good example of a traditional pergola kit.  Find more traditional pergola kit ideas here. 

This pergola style is easy to build in kit form, or from one of the free pergola plans.

Built from the free plans, this one looks stunning covered in gorgeous climbing plants...

There are other free DIY pergola designs that are included with the main pergola plans, which are also based on the traditional pergola style.

These are two of the simple pergola plans, which can be built to any size and, with the addition of 18 free templates, can make for very interesting rafter tail ends and a unique structure!  The rafter tail ends on a pergola give it particular feel, simple and stylish, ornate and individual.  They usually have shaped rafter tail ends.

Here it is with purlins to give extra shade...

Add trellis for beautiful climbing plants to grow through...

Pergolas made out rustic poles have a traditional feel, too.  Here are two pergola kits created in this design...

And for the traditional pergola in metal, we can see the beautifully intricate designs that can be achieved...

Many metal pergolas are found in a modular design, meaning a pergola of any length can be created to fit your space.  The metal pergola kits below are of particularly good quality.  They make the most stunning pergola rose arch walkway, or colonnade, with which to grace any garden.

More on metal pergola kits.

This is part of a bespoke range.

These are high quality pergolas built to last a lifetime.

This one, however, is very reasonably priced.  These metal arches can be joined together to form a long walkway.  Imagine ten of these joined together covered in fragrant climbing plants: a simple and effective way to create a fabulous garden feature on a budget...

Metal pergolas give a soft, traditional feel to a garden, especially when they are used as a support for the most fantastically beautiful climbing roses.

Pergola with a Deck

A traditional pergola with a deck can also give a very welcoming feeling. Although a deck pergola is usually created using a traditional style pergola structure attached to the deck, here, we have a corner pergola kit built onto one, too.  

This is the Forest Garden Pergola Deck Kit, including a balustrade around two sides, giving a cosy and attractive place to relax.

A double deck gives just that little bit extra room.

Modern Pergola Styles

For a simple garden design, with clean lines and simple, dramatic planting, modern pergolas are definitely something to consider.  

Gaining in popularity, largely due to the fact that we've wanted much more from our pergolas in recent years, they are becoming multifunctional structures, geared to enjoying our outdoor living space for a variety of purposes, and with a mind to different weather conditions - as well as being a statement piece!

Here are a few examples...

Attached Pergola Styles

If you're keen to have a fantastic outdoor room, an attached pergola style is the answer.  This is the most popular pergola style of all.

Some are found in a traditional design and some are very modern in their simplicity, but there are also many fabulously different pergola styles: the Asian pergolas in their myriad of designs, patio porches, awnings, canopies and the hexagonal pergola can all be made into a fantastic attached pergola for enjoying wonderful summer days entertaining or relaxing.

Pergola Kits

Additional Plans

What about this one for an attached pergola with a hanging seat, which can easily be made from the additional attached pergola plans...

Many different styles can be used as an attached pergola.  Take this one for example, which is a free-standing hexagonal pergola and one of the additional pergola plans...

To make it into a attached pergola, all that is needed is to cut the back rafter tail ends flush with the supporting rafter, so that the back rafters can butt up against the wall.  The pergola is only attached at 1/6 th of its perimeter, but this small section anchors the hexagonal pergola to the house, both physically and visually.  And doesn't it look great!

Joining only the two longer posts at the back of this exquisite Asian-style corner pergola, the same thing can be achieved; a wonderful pergola attached to the house, ideal for entertaining friends and relaxing in the sunshine.  This is one of the additional plans, too...

...and talking of corner pergolas, what about this one?  It's a real beauty! You can make it yourself from the additional corner pergola plans 

Here is a corner pergola kit used as a lovely feature for relaxing in the sun.....

and here is the same pergola with a built in BBQ. It shows how the same pergola can be used in different ways.

What's your flavour?!

Other unusual attached pergola styles come as patio pergolas, metal and wooden awnings, modern awnings in kit form and canopies.

Pergolas with an attached awning are very popular at the moment. Eating outdoors, in the shade, is a favourite pastime for us all!

The vinyl pergola shown above, right, has very tough polycarbonate panels in a simple, yet stylish design.  Ideal for al fresco dining.

Other Pergola Styles

Carports

A Pergola With Bench

This seated arbour can be made from the plans.

Swinging Arbours

Gazebos

Round Pergolas

Modern Pergolas

Awnings

Japanese / Asian Pergola

For more ideas and inspiration take a look at more pergola kits, pergola pictures, and pergola ideas.  The pergola ideas page helps you to choose and position your pergola for maximum comfort and convenience, and also considers other design options; put simply, of course. 

Let's choose a truly fantastic pergola for your garden!

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