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How to Decorate a Pergola for Summer Hosting
Lifestyle
Hazy summer days are the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy your garden. If it’s a recent installation or you’re considering purchasing, you might be wondering how to decorate a pergola and create a comfortable space where guests can relax and enjoy the warm weather. Here at Exterior Spaces, we’ve got you covered! Whether you’re planning a relaxed afternoon gathering or something more extravagant, our tips will help define an inviting space where guests want to return again and again.
How to Decorate a Pergola
1) From Indoors to Outdoors
A continuous interior design between your home and garden pergola extends living areas into the outdoors, creating an inviting atmosphere that’s perfect for summer hosting.
Pergolas connected to a new build might have a modernist décor that incorporates neutral colours, such as white, black, and grey. To complete the look, fill this space with aluminium furnishings and appliances for clean lines and a sleek aesthetic. If your pergola is attached to a more traditional home, you could bring in the warmth of wooden furniture and a casual layout that embraces chaos rather than formality. The same goes for wall decorations; similarly themed posters or art will strengthen the connection between your home and add a personal touch.
Bifold doors, sliding doors and French doors create a dynamic boundary between the indoors and outdoors, improving accessibility and sightlines into your garden. This bolsters the tie between your home and pergola, blurring the physical distinction between the two.
2) Embracing Nature
Your garden can be a peaceful haven in the summer months, filled with the smell of freshly cut grass and blooming garden flowers. So, bring the tranquillity of green spaces into your aluminium pergola by decorating this space with a nature-inspired design.
For a visually stunning retreat, select climbing flowers that harmonise with the colours of your garden bed. The clematis offers an incredible variety of flower shapes, sizes, and colours to cultivate a vibrant exterior that improves privacy for your festivities. Fill your pergola with vivid flower arrangements, and clip plenty of hanging baskets onto empty roofs and walls. Planters are another low-maintenance option that adds a burst of green to more contemporary layouts.
To emphasise this biophilic design, consider using natural materials for your surfaces and furnishings. Stone and marble are a suave aesthetic for countertops, whilst wood and rattan furniture blend perfectly with surrounding plants. Botanical motifs complete the layout and could be integrated into pillows, blankets, and table decorations.
3) Fitting Garden Furniture
Garden furniture is at the heart of garden festivities, defining the style and purpose of your aluminium pergola. For a charming dining area with that rustic feel, use natural materials for your table and chairs and opt for a casual layout that suits impromptu al fresco lunches. To build a bustling outdoor bar, place stools and high-top tables around your unit to create a social and engaged atmosphere. Or, if you fancy a relaxed spot for catch-ups, deep-seated aluminium sets and chic tables form a lavish open-air lounge in the heart of your garden.
When designing a summer party space, it’s good to prepare for the erratic British weather. Although a bioclimatic pergola becomes completely weatherproof with the louvres closed, durable garden furniture made from robust materials will minimise upkeep. Decorate your furniture with plush pillows and cosy blankets to keep guests comfortable as the night cools and ramp up your inbuilt heaters if things get too chilly.
4) Improving Privacy
If your garden or patio is exposed, consider savvy privacy features that allow you and your guests to relax away from prying eyes.
Aluminium shutters are an elegant accessory that blocks nosy parkers from snooping around your outdoor fun. Think Venetian blinds on a larger scale, offering a sophisticated look that pairs perfectly with aluminium frames. Their practical design means they are easily adjusted to control visibility and sunlight, keeping everyone comfortable during afternoon soirees.
Additionally, lightweight fabrics are a cost-effective way of decorating a pergola for summer, that simply drape over your aluminium structure’s walls. Despite poorer protection against bad weather, they are an easy way to add shade and privacy to a more traditional space. Choose vibrant colours, patterns, and textures to create an aestival snug and complete the look by stringing summery garlands with vibrant hues across the roof.
5) How to Decorate a Pergola with Lights
Decorating a pergola with lights sets the tone for evening festivities and can transform the nature of this entertainment space. To establish an enchanting refuge, line the pathway to your garden pergola with solar lanterns and crisscross string lights. Festoon lights and vintage-style lanterns have a similar effect and pair perfectly with a rustic interior to complete its bohemian charm.
The versatility of LED lighting makes them an ideal choice for a celebratory party atmosphere. At the start of the night, a simple white light is perfect while the party warms up and guests get to know each other. If things get a bit more raucous, crank up the volume on your bioclimatic pergola’s in-built speakers and set different or alternating colours to match the vibe.
6) Fire Side Fun
What better feeling is there than sitting around a fire chatting with old friends? Bring that campsite atmosphere into the comfort of your aluminium pergola with a fire pit and have laid-back get-togethers long into the night.
Wood-burning fires are a simple and homely choice that brings the crackle of timber and earthy aromas of burning logs into your garden. Alternatively, gas-powered pits are a safe and convenient option that quickly ignites with a consistent flame, letting you host without worry. Both provide an ambient focal point for the festivities, but if the night gets too nippy, turn on your pergola’s in-built heaters through the Somfy Tahoma home automation system.
Whichever firepit you choose should be safely positioned in a non-combustible pergola with an open design that ventilates any smoke. Clear any flammable materials or structures nearby in case of a rogue spark, and ensure your roof has a minimum height of 10-15 feet for complete safety.
Visit Our Showroom for more Inspiration
Hopefully, our tips on how to decorate a pergola have provided plenty of avenues to explore when designing your outdoor space. Explore recent blogs on our website for more ways to decorate a pergola and discover how other outdoor structures like verandas, glazed structures and carports can transform the exterior spaces of your property by chatting with our in-store sales team.
