30 Trending Palm Beach Pergola Ideas

In Palm Beach, or any part of South Florida for that matter, maximizing the time you can enjoy your deck, pool or patio, requires a nice mixture of sun and shade spaces. If your backyard is blessed with plenty of square footage, you can certainly establish dedicated shaded and sunny areas throughout the property. Most homeowners prefer to design a patio cover that can play double duty as both a sun/shade blocker while also keeping the rain from spoiling the outdoor fun. In this article, we’ll look at some of the pergola trends that have been hot here on the Gold Coast in 2021, and then dive into some beautiful (and functional) pergola ideas to spark your imagination.

8 Palm Beach Pergola Trends

Your outdoor living space is not only an extension of your home, but an extension of your unique style. As you envision your outdoor living space, make sure to consider some of the features or architectural design elements that will tie into your existing outdoor aesthetic and make your pool deck, patio or garden stand out from the neighborhood. Here are some popular trends we’ve seen in outdoor design in 2021 to help get the creative juices flowing.

Trending Colors

Better Homes & Gardens was spot on when the magazine highlighted black, charcoal gray, warm whites and creams, classic navy, and gray-greens as popular exterior colors for 2021. While the lighter array of colors is more popular here in Palm Beach, making your pergola pop with one of these darker colors can really turn the structure into a centerpiece of any backyard. With our ability to custom match the pergola’s exterior powder coating to just about any color, the entire canvas of nature is at your disposal when selecting your pergola’s color.

Lighting Trends for Accenting Architectural Features

Integrating LED lighting into the beams of your pergola is a great way to keep the party going after the sun dips for the evening. Using down-lights for illuminating the entertainment space is pretty common, but accenting up-lights are trending this year too. Up-lights are a great way to showcase architectural aspects of the outdoor space and create a more comprehensive sense of the scale of your entertainment area.

Cooling Fans

When the shore breeze dies down here in Palm Beach, it’s great to be able to flip the switch on an overhead patio fan. Most of our customers have been opting for fans embedded in the pergola’s beams to maintain air circulation and keep the shaded space cool.

Solar Panels for Some Green Cred

Pergola fans and LEDs need a power source, and there’s no better option than augmenting your pergola with small solar panels to drive those conveniences. Not only do the solar panels offset the electrical costs, but they also provide a chance for some humble bragging during dinner parties.

Trending Outdoor Furniture

Upgrading your entertainment space with a pergola is a surefire way to spend more time in the backyard, so making the space below the pergola comfortable and inviting is also a necessity. Bring a resort vibe to your outdoor living space with outdoor couches and chairs upholstered to accent the home’s exterior style.

Plants for Color and Privacy

The warm and humid environment in Palm Beach makes for ideal conditions for some amazing tropical plants. Choose ground plants for areas where you’d like to maintain sight lines throughout the property, or select climbing vines that can be trained to a trellis to create a more private setting under your pergola.

Outdoor Kitchens Are Everywhere

One of the most popular pergola ideas we see in our customer’s projects is the addition of an outdoor kitchen. Because the pergolas we employ can seal out the rain, they become an ideal place to cook and dine even when the weather turns damp. Outdoor kitchens can range from a simple grill grate over a fire pit to elaborate full-service kitchens with sinks, wet bar, grills, pizza ovens, etc.

Intuitive Sensor Arrays

No one wants the outdoor fun to stop for the almost-daily afternoon showers here in Palm Beach, so we always recommend our customers consider adding intuitive sensors to their pergola. With an integrated rain sensor, the pergola will automatically close the louvered roof at the first sign of rain without you having to interrupt your family time or afternoon nap.

4 Pergola Decor Ideas

Keeping your outdoor living space on trend is always a plus among the haute home life of South Florida. Here are some fun ways to bring a touch of your personal style to your covered patio.

1. Curtains Mute the Sun and Elevate the Style

Adding slightly opaque curtains to a pergola is a great way to dim the harsh sun as the cloth billows in the breeze for a real tropical feel. Choose light colors to maintain an airy open feel, and play with the curtain length to create the perfect amount of pooling on the ground. A polyester microfiber material stands up to the elements and can be found in an array of colors and patterns to accent your outdoor space.

Playful Swing

Bring some nostalgic fun to your freestanding pergola with a pergola swing. Design choices can range from a simple rough-hewn slab of wood suspended below thick rope and a classic porch swing built for two to a resort-like hanging daybed with comfortable cushions and throw pillows. Depending on pergola height, the materials used to hang the swing can add even more décor accent to the space.

A Night Under the Stars with a Pergola Hammock

Fall in love with star gazing under your freestanding louvered roof pergola by incorporating a pergola hammock. Like all décor elements, the material selection should be an extension of the outdoor space’s existing style. Choose a rope hammock for a more rustic feel, woven yarn for more traditional hammock time, or a canvas hammock to impart a nautical theme along the coast.

A Fire Pit for Campfire Feels

Introducing a fire element to your outdoor living space bathes the entire space in an amber glow and serves as a beacon to cozy up in the evenings. Fire pit options range from easy-to-light gas fire pits clad in stainless steel to rustic stone pavers stacked in a ring that can easily double as a covered outdoor kitchen. Just make sure the pergola is properly designed to accommodate a fire pit with sufficient clearance to the pergola roof and plenty of ventilation.

30 Palm Beach Pergola Ideas

Advising our customers on what is trending in pergola design and functionality is one reason our customers continue to refer us to their friends, family and neighbors. When we sit down with a new customer, we bring a wealth of expertise in outdoor design to the table. Here are some of the pergola ideas that we can help you explore.

1. Pergola ideas With Roof – Pergola roof options are truly diverse, explore an array of colors, textures or even simulated wood grains to find an option that fits your outdoor style.

2. Open Top Pergolas – Open louvered roof pergolas will provide some shade for the space below and offer a lot of air circulation, but are obviously unable to block the rain.

3. Outdoor Roof Pergola Ideas – Pergolas can create a delineation of your outdoor entertainment space while accenting the décor, furnishings and landscaping that surrounds the patio or deck.

4. Pergola Ideas With Roof Variations – Pergola roofs can be designed as solid insulated fixed panels that create full-time shade, or with louvers that can adjust to control the amount of sun and shade or even block out the rain.

5. Pergola With Tin Roof – Some rustic designs can benefit from the old tin roof look, but most modern pergolas rely on durable powder coated aluminum roofs now, and the powder coating can be customized to look just like the old tin roof.

6. Pergola With Polycarbonate Roof – Polycarbonate pergola roofs are transparent panes that usually overlay static fixed louvers, they can be a good option for pool enclosures where you want the sun to reach the pool while blocking the rain.

7. Pergola With Aluminum Roof – Aluminum roofed pergolas provide a lightweight fabrication material that is still incredibly strong, so aluminum roofs are the most dynamic and flexible options on the market.

8. Steel Pergola – Steel pergolas with a metal roof would be rather heavy, so while they could be considered on a patio, powder coated aluminum is preferred for pergolas on a deck, roof or near a pool where a lot of water could encounter the support bases.

9. Wooden Pergola Ideas – Wooden pergolas deliver an Old World charm but the material is susceptible to rot, while custom powder coatings can clad aluminum pergolas in simulated wood grains for a similar look without the downside.

10. Wall-Mounted Pergolas – Wall-mounted pergola are an ideal option if you want to create an indoor/outdoor space that flows seamlessly from your indoor living space to the patio or deck.

11. Pool Pergola Ideas – Building a pergola over your pool allows you to control the sun and shade while you enjoy the cooling waters, or extend a poolside pergola structure to cantilever out over the pool for an architectural accent with similar results.

12. Pergola Attached With A Heating System – If you find yourself grabbing a sweater to sit on the patio at night, consider adding an infrared heating system to your pergola so a nice warming breeze is just the click of a button away.

13. Louvered Pergolas – A louvered roof pergola is the most flexible option for most backyards, patios, decks or pool decks, and its motorized adjustable louvers can be automated with rain and wind sensors for truly autonomous control.

14. Contemporary Pergolas – Pergolas can be customized to accent any architectural style, but the sleek lines of our pergolas are particularly striking for contemporary style homes.

15. Pergola Combined With an Arbor – Create a welcoming entryway to your garden or backyard by incorporating an arbor into your pergola design that allows vines to climb over attached trellis works.

16. Corner Pergola Ideas – If you have a small nook or corner of your yard or garden that could use a design boost, adding a corner pergola can establish a hidden oasis with plenty of privacy.

17. Pergola On a Deck – Adding a motorized louvered roof pergola to your deck can turn the space into a multidimensional outdoor living room that can allow full sun, angle the louvers to create shade or close the louvers completely to block out the rain…add retractable shades or insect screens to enclose the space when desired.

18. Gabled Pergolas – A gabled roof pergola not only adds more height to your outdoor entertainment area but its exposed beans can be great architectural accents for the space.

19. Pergolas For Landscaping – Your new pergola can be a space of respite for both you and your favorite exotic plants, simply add some lattice work to the pergola exterior so climbing plants have room to grow without damaging the pergola structure itself.

20. Traditional Pergolas – Historically, pergolas were crafted from wood, or even marble if the builder was particularly skilled, but today we rely on advanced aluminum that can be powder coated to look just like aged wood or ancient marble.

21. Lighted Pergola Ideas – Embedding LED lights into the beans and support columns of your pergola can provide light to entertain by or create accent lighting that shows off the architectural aspects of your outdoor space.

22. Cantilevered Pergola – With the pergola roof cantilevered out over a deck, patio or pool, the structure can appear to float above your entertainment space so support columns do not interrupt sight lines of a sweeping beach view.

23. Pergolas As A Transition Structure – Attached to the home, a pergola can create a seamless transitional space from indoor to outdoor living.

24. Pergola On A Pathway – Covering a pathway between garage and home with a pergola keeps you dry and out of the blazing sun when entering and exiting the house.

25. Pergolas For Kid-Friendly Outdoor Spaces – Limiting the amount of sun on the patio will allow the kids to spend more time outside without fear of the sun’s damaging rays, and when those afternoon showers would normally drive everyone indoors, the party can continue.

26. Pergola With Curtains – Adding fabric curtains to your pergola is a great way to add a splash of color that can unite your outdoor design aesthetic, or simply create some privacy on the patio.

27. Bioclimatic Pergola With Louvered Roof – With full control of your louvered roof pergola you can decide how much sun and shade is ideal on any giving day.

28. Pergola Ideas For Urban Spaces – A pergola can turn a small patio or roof deck in a densely-built urban high-rise into a mini resort getaway accessible right outside your door.

29. Outdoor Kitchen Pergola Ideas – If you have dreamed of a gourmet outdoor kitchen, an automated louvered roof pergola will ensure your outdoor entertainment space is cool in the mid-day sun and dry in the afternoon rain showers.

30. Pergola Ideas For A Wet Bar – Covering your backyard bar with a pergola will create the shade you need to safeguard the ice cubes in your cocktail from the blazing sun.

Conclusion

If these pergola ideas and 2022 outdoor design trends have sparked a creative vision for your backyard, garden, patio or deck, please contact us to explore how SYZYGY Global can make your luxury outdoor living space a reality.