20+ Amazing Pergola Ideas For Shading Your Backyard Patio

Pergolas are ideal for creating outdoor rooms for your backyard patio, as they are typically attached or placed right next to your home or other structure such as a pool house. It is an open overhang with columns used for supports. Pergolas can also be used to grow plants, such as winding vines through the open roof structure. The purpose of a pergola for use in your backyard is to have an open space that is defined. It is also ideal for providing partial shelter from the elements. Add shade and style to your outdoor living space with the collection of pergola inspiration that we have provided for you below. Don’t forget to let us know which one of these is your favorite and why in the Comments below!

1. The custom pergola dimensions are 12×12, 9-feet high at the highest point. The materials used are cedar. The wood screen on the back keeps the structure secure from the elements. The fire bowl is from Paloform. The Roman Cobblestone pavers are from Mutual Materials in the color Summit Blend. (via Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design)

2. A farmhouse style patio in San Francisco features a pergola composed of cedar. All hard surfaces are bluestone. (via Diamond Construction Inc.)

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3. An urban roof garden in Chicago boasts mechanical pergola louvers, heaters, fire table, and custom bar, making this a 4-season destination. The Bioclimatic Pergola is made by Solisysteme. The adjustable louvered aluminum pergola combines form and function. It allows you to adjust to the sun manually or with a remote control! (via Chicago Specialty Gardens)

4. This outdoor space in Denver, Colorado features a custom-built pergola covering a dining area. McKinnon and Harris were used for the lounge areas, but the table was custom built. It is extra large and narrow to accommodate the space and entertaining, designed to match the McKinnon & Harris colors. (via Designs by Sundown)

5. This pergola-shaded outdoor dining room offers sweeping views over a lake in Massachusetts. The pergola is formed using pressure-treated wood framing with Azek composite veneer and cross members. The outdoor dining table set was purchased from Janus et Cie. The beautiful patio surface features a grid of pavers and grass. (via Timothy Lee landscape design)

6. A backyard patio in San Diego features a pergola that plays off the architecture of the home. Pergola dimensions: 16’x18’w. The outdoor dining set is from Restoration Hardware. The bluestone pavers is from Modern Builders Supply. (via ProPacific Builders)

7. Part of a multi-tiered deck in San Francisco, this pergola shades an inviting conversation area. Built-in seating surrounds a fire pit that offers warmth and ambiance. Lighting is integrated into the pergola and posts. The deck flooring is Ipe. (via Sue Oda Landscape Architecture)

8. A traditional style patio in Little Rock, Arkansas features an elegant outdoor dining space next to the swimming pool. A large stone table is complemented by metal chairs, with high-back wicker chairs framing the ends. A candle-lit chandelier is hung from the pergola, providing a romantic ambiance. Pea gravel is used on the ground to define the space. (via Providence Design)

9. A rooftop terrace in Chicago provides a shaded nook to curl up on an L-shaped outdoor sectional. The pergola offers partial shading, while a ceiling fan offers a cool breeze. The white latticework provides a privacy screen while allowing for climbing vines. (via Chicago Specialty Gardens)

10. A traditional-style urban deck in Chicago encompasses outdoor seating around a fire pit. An artificial grass area rug helps to pull in the greenery of the potted plants. The pergola provides shade to this outdoor space, while vertical wooden slats provide a privacy screen. (via Cynthia Lynn Photography)

11. A large rough cedar pergola with a dark walnut stain (sealed with Thomsons water sealer) offers a fabulous place for entertaining. A decorative concrete patio (Butterfield) uses an integral color (light tan) and release. A darker color ‘release’ was sprinkled on the surface. A “heavy texture” rubber mat was used give the concrete a stone-like aesthetic. It was then scored with a 3’x3′ diamond pattern so the surface appears like tile. The finishing touch was to seal the concrete with a glossy finish. The outdoor dining set is by Jensen Leisure Furniture. Cushions are custom using Sunbrella Fabric. (via Tanner Consulting LLC)

12. To secure the pergola posts, an 18″ long (6″ x 6″) iron sleeve was fabricated and set in concrete. The posts were then inserted and bolted. The top rails are 16″ on center (4 x 4). On the ground, the stone is 3/4″ Coral Pebble. Defining this space is a curved concrete seat wall covered in smooth trowel stucco and painted. The plants are Clumping Bamboo. (via Carl Balton + Associates)

13. This pergola/seating area is roughly 18 x 20. The material used to create the shade is ‘Sunbrella’ and was created and installed by Sun Coast Awning in Santa Cruz, California. An outdoor TV is concealed with a barn door enclosure. For the flooring, the stone is called Cameron Stone. They are 2″x24″x 24″ set on a sand and Base rock base. (via West Bay Landscape Co.)

14. Aside from providing shelter, pergolas can also add architectural detailing to your outdoor living space. This pool house in  Washington, D.C. features a pergola constructed through the entire length of the structure. Outdoor seating is set in front, while on the other side, a built-in fireplace and grilling station. (via Rill Architects)

15. A home in San Francisco features a traditional style backyard patio. A pergola offers shelter for this cozy outdoor living space. There is an integrated heater for warmth, while vines wind their way over the beams. The outdoor seating is from Restoration Hardware. (via Lauren Nelson Design)

16. A custom white-painted, wood pergola in Southern California provides shelter to a hanging swing. The landscape architect designed the daybed and Bradley Ornamental Metal in Orange, California built it. (via Michael Kelley Photography)

17. The design of this Cape Cod style backyard in Sierra Madre, California is inspired by the East Coast. A casually elegant Hamptons style deck provides a relaxing space for entertaining. Garden View Landscape and Pool custom-built the pergola. The canvas awnings (two) are Sunbrella Canvas Pattern fabrics  in cream and navy with grommets, attached to cup hooks on the sides of the beams. A Kirsh track was used to attach the awning within the leading beams. The beams are approx. 2 x 6 and the posts are 6 x 6. The flooring is scored concrete. (via Talianko Design Group)

18. A beautiful backyard patio in Charlotte, North Carolina features a pergola defining the space. A built-in fireplace uses a Pennsylvania Fieldstone, thin veneer. Fireplace dimensions: 5′ wide x 10′ tall with two (2) 4′ wide seat benches on each side. The hearth measures 8″ off of the patio surface, while the seats are 16″ high with 30″ tall seat backs. The outdoor lighting provides ambiance, including a chandelier and lanterns. (via Overstream Landscaping & Irrigation)

19. A pergola provides shelter to an outdoor spa, built from rough sawn cedar. This spa is oversized at 11′ X 8′. In warm months it is kept as a plunge pool at a cooler temperature. The gas furnace can heat the water to spa temperature in 30 minutes! The water feature is a Sheer Descent Cascade from Jandy. Adding additional privacy is a four-foot patterned Lannonstone wall backed up with 12-foot tall Mission Arborvitae. The paving is bluestone. (via Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors)

20. This backyard oasis features a pergola, waterfall, fire pit, and lighting. Sunbrella fabric is used for the outdoor drapery for additional privacy and shading. The stone used for the patio surface is called full range patterned bluestone, direct shipped from the East coast. (via Rolling Landscapes Inc.)