8 Shade Structure Ideas From Summer 2020’s Top Outdoor Photos
See how various materials and other details create comfortable and stylish pergolas and other shade structures
Annie Thornton
October 5, 2020
Houzz Editorial Staff
This Trending Now story features a selection of the most-saved outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz in summer 2020.
Adding a permanent structure like a pergola to your outdoor space can improve livability and comfort by providing a large swath of shade in the heat of summer. In the cooler months, some designs can even help extend your outdoor living season with fully covered roofs, mounted heaters and outdoor fireplaces that bring the comforts of the indoors to the outdoors. On top of that, pergolas and other shade structures are an opportunity to create a standout design feature that can enhance your home and landscape. For inspiration, consider the shade structure designs in the following collection of popular outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz in summer 2020.
Adding a permanent structure like a pergola to your outdoor space can improve livability and comfort by providing a large swath of shade in the heat of summer. In the cooler months, some designs can even help extend your outdoor living season with fully covered roofs, mounted heaters and outdoor fireplaces that bring the comforts of the indoors to the outdoors. On top of that, pergolas and other shade structures are an opportunity to create a standout design feature that can enhance your home and landscape. For inspiration, consider the shade structure designs in the following collection of popular outdoor photos uploaded to Houzz in summer 2020.
1. Streamlined Metal
This clean-lined pergola in Dallas by Southwest Fence & Deck frames a contemporary backyard area for entertaining and cooking. Though the open roof structure means the pergola won’t protect against rain, its evenly spaced slats help to shade the space on sunny days. Overhead lighting strategically integrated with the pergola provides illumination in the right places once the sun goes down.
This clean-lined pergola in Dallas by Southwest Fence & Deck frames a contemporary backyard area for entertaining and cooking. Though the open roof structure means the pergola won’t protect against rain, its evenly spaced slats help to shade the space on sunny days. Overhead lighting strategically integrated with the pergola provides illumination in the right places once the sun goes down.
2. Colorful Accents
An outdoor structure isn’t where you’d typically expect to find bold color accents, but this pergola by Rock Paper Scissors Landscape Design Build in the San Francisco Bay Area does just that with its bright pink brackets. While much of the outdoor eating area features rich earth tones, including the California Gold slate patio, mahogany stone wall and redwood pergola, the pink hardware and orange grill front add a bold, playful feel to the space and coordinate with the striped outdoor throw pillows.
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An outdoor structure isn’t where you’d typically expect to find bold color accents, but this pergola by Rock Paper Scissors Landscape Design Build in the San Francisco Bay Area does just that with its bright pink brackets. While much of the outdoor eating area features rich earth tones, including the California Gold slate patio, mahogany stone wall and redwood pergola, the pink hardware and orange grill front add a bold, playful feel to the space and coordinate with the striped outdoor throw pillows.
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3. Upgraded Indoor-Outdoor Living
More than ever, our yards are becoming natural extensions of our indoor living spaces. This covered outdoor area by Fautt Homes is an example of how to take the comforts inside the home to the outside. The vaulted wood ceiling protects the entire area from inclement weather, while its dark stain creates a warm, cozy vibe.
The covered area also features an outdoor kitchen, built-in storage, cushy furniture and a wall-mounted TV, adding to the comfort factor. With the large rock fireplace and mounted heaters, patio season could extend well into fall in colder climates, while those in mild regions might spend all winter outside.
More than ever, our yards are becoming natural extensions of our indoor living spaces. This covered outdoor area by Fautt Homes is an example of how to take the comforts inside the home to the outside. The vaulted wood ceiling protects the entire area from inclement weather, while its dark stain creates a warm, cozy vibe.
The covered area also features an outdoor kitchen, built-in storage, cushy furniture and a wall-mounted TV, adding to the comfort factor. With the large rock fireplace and mounted heaters, patio season could extend well into fall in colder climates, while those in mild regions might spend all winter outside.
4. Breezy Fabric
An outdoor living space that provides a shading, cooling effect is a top priority in hot areas like Phoenix, the location of this outdoor room by Unique Landscapes and Custom Pools. An oversize pergola shades a 480-square-foot patio in gauzy white fabric, cooling the space while still allowing the breeze to pass through. You can see how the pergola structure goes through the fabric in multiple areas so the cover will stay in place even on gusty days.
The inviting space features an outdoor kitchen, dining area, gas fireplace and seating area. The pergola posts stand in brick pillars, framing 14 linear feet of built-in seating. Opposite the seating, the outdoor kitchen has an easy-to-clean porcelain tile countertop and backsplash.
An outdoor living space that provides a shading, cooling effect is a top priority in hot areas like Phoenix, the location of this outdoor room by Unique Landscapes and Custom Pools. An oversize pergola shades a 480-square-foot patio in gauzy white fabric, cooling the space while still allowing the breeze to pass through. You can see how the pergola structure goes through the fabric in multiple areas so the cover will stay in place even on gusty days.
The inviting space features an outdoor kitchen, dining area, gas fireplace and seating area. The pergola posts stand in brick pillars, framing 14 linear feet of built-in seating. Opposite the seating, the outdoor kitchen has an easy-to-clean porcelain tile countertop and backsplash.
5. Contemporary Meets Industrial Style
This pergola from Denver landscape design-build firm EVOKE features custom steel frames with retractable fabric canopies so the structure can adapt to changes in weather.
The pergola sits on top of a sand-finished concrete patio, which leads to an outdoor grill station and other areas of the backyard. Decorative outdoor lighting, potted plants and cushioned furniture create a warm outdoor living room feel.
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This pergola from Denver landscape design-build firm EVOKE features custom steel frames with retractable fabric canopies so the structure can adapt to changes in weather.
The pergola sits on top of a sand-finished concrete patio, which leads to an outdoor grill station and other areas of the backyard. Decorative outdoor lighting, potted plants and cushioned furniture create a warm outdoor living room feel.
Shop for patio furniture
6. High-Contrast Ceiling
Designers often refer to the ceiling as the fifth wall, meaning that it’s another opportunity on which to make a design statement. A good example is the warm wood ceiling on this shade structure in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by KLH Custom Homes.
The ceiling provides beautiful contrast to the black structure, showcasing the sloped roofline and dramatically lightening up what could otherwise have been an overly dark space.
Designers often refer to the ceiling as the fifth wall, meaning that it’s another opportunity on which to make a design statement. A good example is the warm wood ceiling on this shade structure in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by KLH Custom Homes.
The ceiling provides beautiful contrast to the black structure, showcasing the sloped roofline and dramatically lightening up what could otherwise have been an overly dark space.
7. Landscape Destination
A pergola can be used to add structure and definition to your yard and, when placed away from the house, can also create a destination that draws you into the yard.
In this garden in Surrey, England, landscape designer Ed Oddy of Ed Oddy Garden Design placed a wood pergola over a garden dining area. The structure projects up over loose, whimsical plantings of yarrow (Achillea sp.), red-hot poker (Kniphofia sp.), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’), guiding visitors to the table. Eventually, climbing roses will grow around the dining area in a fragrant, shady embrace.
From this view in the kitchen garden Oddy designed, you can see how catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’) and fragrant lavender (Lavandula sp.) frame the gravel path that leads to the satellite dining area.
A pergola can be used to add structure and definition to your yard and, when placed away from the house, can also create a destination that draws you into the yard.
In this garden in Surrey, England, landscape designer Ed Oddy of Ed Oddy Garden Design placed a wood pergola over a garden dining area. The structure projects up over loose, whimsical plantings of yarrow (Achillea sp.), red-hot poker (Kniphofia sp.), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’), guiding visitors to the table. Eventually, climbing roses will grow around the dining area in a fragrant, shady embrace.
From this view in the kitchen garden Oddy designed, you can see how catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’) and fragrant lavender (Lavandula sp.) frame the gravel path that leads to the satellite dining area.
8. Grassy Cover
If you’re looking to protect your outdoor space from sun but not necessarily rain, a bamboo shade cover can be a great solution, and often a more affordable one. In this home by Dovetail Design Group in Sydney, the grassy pergola cover over the metal structure contributes to a warm, casual vibe. The pergola extends off the home, taking indoor living outside. String lights and a light wood deck further warm up the space, making it an appealing destination day or night.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about landscape design
Browse outdoor photos
Find pros in your area
Shop for outdoor products on Houzz
If you’re looking to protect your outdoor space from sun but not necessarily rain, a bamboo shade cover can be a great solution, and often a more affordable one. In this home by Dovetail Design Group in Sydney, the grassy pergola cover over the metal structure contributes to a warm, casual vibe. The pergola extends off the home, taking indoor living outside. String lights and a light wood deck further warm up the space, making it an appealing destination day or night.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about landscape design
Browse outdoor photos
Find pros in your area
Shop for outdoor products on Houzz
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I have to concur with those who note that the open structures are pretty but basically not functional in hot or rainy climates. I'm in Oklahoma where we have ferocious heat for a couple of months but for many months can be comfortably outside. My pergola is attached to the house and just off the kitchen. It is a canvas awning. They are quite expensive and require maintenance. We get a lot of rain and they do grow lichens. No one will agree to clean it and just advise you to get a new one every 10 years or so .Falling branches can puncture it. I've just decided to be philosophical about it. But I love having it. We eat out there, read the paper, use the table for a potting station in the spring. I have seating for 10. Many happy moments.
I like the structures with louvers but I think here the louvers would never be open. We get tornados and my vertical supports have stood up to it. They are a very heavy metal pipe-just immovable.
You have to think about wind as well as rain and snow.
Please i haven't get my zip code
@John MacKenzie
Thank you for the link!