Which Pergola is Right For You?
Are you looking for the best pergola to buy for your outdoor space? When trying to transform your outdoor living space, the addition of a luxury pergola is a great start. Pergolas are versatile structures which not only provide shade and shelter, but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden or patio. However, navigating the expansive range of pergola options available can be overwhelming. From choosing the right materials to selecting the perfect design, there are several factors to consider.
In this blog post, we will provide a step-by-step of how to choose the best pergola for you, and provide our expert insights here at Walker Landscape and Design.
Pergolas can take your outdoor space to the next level, but there are many factors to consider when choosing the perfect pergola for your garden.
Step one: Identify what you’ll use it for
Before diving into specific pergola options, it's essential to evaluate your outdoor space and determine how you plan to use the pergola. Are you looking to create a space for entertainment, for chilling and unwinding after work, or perhaps a space to ensure your outdoor kitchen stays dry? Maybe a bit of all the above?
Ultimately, if you can decide on your most important use for your pergola, this will feed into your decision making process. Here are some of the most popular use cases for our premium aluminium pergolas.
Creating an outdoor dining area
A pergola can serve as an inviting outdoor dining area, providing a shaded and sheltered space for enjoying meals with family and friends. It offers protection from the sun's glare and creates the ideal ambiance for al fresco dining. It ensures you can use your outdoor kitchen all year round, instead of standing under an umbrella at the end of the garden sorting the barbecue.
A relaxation zone
Think a comfy firepit setting with marshmallows, or a way of secluding your swim spa or hot tub. Your pergola can provide a gorgeous space where you can unwind, read a book, or simply enjoy the beauty of your garden while sheltered from the elements.
An outdoor entertainment space
Turn your pergola into an entertainment space by incorporating features such as a built-in bar, outdoor kitchen, or multimedia system. It becomes the perfect venue for hosting gatherings, parties and outdoor celebrations, offering ample space for mingling and socialising.
Establish the perfect balance of nature and work with an outdoor workspace
Set up a stylish outdoor workspace under your pergola, leveraging luxury outdoor furniture as a desk set up with comfortable seating and a laptop. It provides a refreshing alternative to indoor offices, allowing you to work outside, enjoying fresh air and natural light while still being able to see your screen!
Create a designated play area for your children or grandchildren
Create a dedicated play area for children under your pergola, equipped with toys, games and seating. It offers a safe and shaded space for kids to play and explore outdoors, fostering creativity, imagination and physical activity.
Step two: Consider which type of pergola you need or want
One of the most critical decisions when choosing a pergola is selecting the right material. Each material option comes with its pros and cons, impacting not only the pergola's appearance but also its durability and maintenance requirements.
Material selection is a crucial decision when it comes to choosing the right pergola for your space.
Wooden pergolas
Wooden pergolas are renowned for their natural beauty and warmth as well as being lower in cost than alternative material choices. While some timber choices, such as cedar and redwood, are popular due to their resistance to decay, there are some drawbacks to wooden pergolas.
Of course, wooden pergolas may be aesthetically pretty but they lack functionality.. Whether its an open roof you decide on, or a solid one… thats what you’re stuck with despite the ever changing weather. If you’re sat under your open wooden pergola, the chances are, you’ll be still be boiling hot (or wet if it’s raining) and potentially blinded by the sun.
Wooden pergolas are perfect for adding depth and natural decoration to your outdoor space, but aren’t the best choice if you goal is to make better use of your garden year-round.
Metal pergolas
If you prefer a sleek, modern aesthetic and want to use your pergola year-round, metal pergolas offer durability and minimal maintenance.
Here at Walker Landscape and Design, all our Renson and KE pergolas are crafted from strong, yet lightweight aluminium for ultimate durability and a contemporary finish, as well as being more eco-friendly due to their lightweight nature and recyclability. Explore our recent project: The Hoole Project to explore how a Renson Pergola can transform your outdoor space.
Glass-walled pergolas
Combining strength and versatility, pergolas with glass sliding doors offer the best of both worlds, working with metal frames to create an indoor-outdoor space. These structures are fast to install and can be perfect for outdoor cooking, outdoor chill out zones or outdoor offices.
Once you’ve decided on your pergola material, bearing in mind your budget, sustainability preferences, maintenance and aesthetic appeal, it’s time to get creative with the style and design of your pergola.
Step three: The style and design of your pergola
Possibly the most exciting part of building your dream pergola: deciding it’s style and design. Though you can buy pergolas that are in stock and can be installed and delivered quickly, it’s best to order a bespoke pergola to be built to your requirements. This will allow you to style and design your pergola to your needs and use.
Both the Renson pergola range and KE pergola range come with various customisation options to choose from, enabling you to truly make it your own. From enhancing your pergola with integrated lighting, to adding sliding glass doors, a pergola can be personalised to level up your outdoor living space.
Here at Walker Landscape and Design, our Renson pergolas have many optional extras to truly make your pergola your own. For example:
Screens (surface-mounted or integrated) are ideal to enhance privacy, act as a wind shield, protection from insects and add a decorative element to the pergola. They also allow you to control sunlight exposure or offer shade.
Glass doors , louvres and sliding panels are an ideal option to offer weather protection, maintain an open feel and provide versatility in adjusting sunlight exposure and airflow.
A variety of wall options, such as a fixed wall with vertical or horizontal line structure truly define the space, adding architectural interest, providing the ideal backdrop for plants and greenery.
Extend usability with heating, speakers, LED lighting, sensors and remote control to create your dream ambience, enhance safety and convenience tailored to your preferences.
Explore our projects to see how we have helped design our client’s personalised pergola solutions to bring their dream outdoor space to life.
Buy a bespoke pergola in Cheshire or Manchester
Choosing the best pergola to buy for you and your family is a crucial step in transforming your outdoor space. By considering factors such as space, materials and design, you can create a pergola that meets your unique needs and seamlessly blends in with your modern or contemporary garden design.
Whether you desire a designated outdoor kitchen space, a relaxation space or want to add privacy to your hot tub area, our designers here at Walker Landscape and Design are on hand to bring your vision to life.
Contact us today to explore our range of bespoke pergolas and to book your showroom appointment.