When you add a deck and a pergola to your landscape, it transforms your outdoor living space from ordinary to extraordinary. These features add function—they can provide a cool spot to relax and entertain, a place to grow and nurture plants, and a design focal point to add value to your property.
So, if you’re considering decks and pergolas in Sutherland Shire, follow the expert advice mentioned below to fit them smoothly into your landscape design.
O1. Start By Chalking Out a Plan in Your Head
Before you start building, imagine your whole landscape design. The deck and pergola should complement your other outdoor elements—think garden, pathways, or pool area. Incorporate elements such as colour, material, and form to create unity. For instance, a wooden deck complements a vibrant green garden, while a pergola with vines can help bridge the gap between hardscaping and softscaping.
Tip: Draw a rough plan in your mind, measuring the level of privacy desired and how you plan to use it.
O2. Select Materials That Complement the Setting
Choosing the right material for decks and pergolas in Sutherland Shire is crucial to ensuring that your deck or pergola seamlessly fits in with your home or garden. Timber is a popular option, and availability varies by brand. Composite decking is another low-maintenance option that imitates wood.
Hardwood or treated pine can make a pergola feel warm and organic, while others can look great in modern or minimalist gardens, such as aluminium or steel.
Tip: For harmony, match or complement existing elements, like fences, garden beds, or the exterior of your home.
O3. Consider the Functionality
What are you going to do with the space? Do you want it to be for entertaining, lounging, eating out, or offering a shady retreat? The purpose of your space will greatly affect the scale, shape, and orientation of your deck or pergola.
For a dining area, a pergola provides shade on sunny days and can be accessorised with retractable awnings or outdoor lighting for the evening. Elevated decks can be used to flatten out a slanted yard, and ground-level platforms are a perfect way to bridge indoor and outdoor space.
Tip: Partner with deck builders in Sutherland Shire to develop ideas for built-in benches, planter boxes, or lighting that will increase usability and comfort.
O4. Blend With Nature
Add landscaping around your buildings to soften them up and let them blend in like part of the scene. Screen decks with shrubs, native grasses, and decorative stone provide visual weight to the space. Vines or climbers accustomed to climbing a pergola can even lend some privacy, keep it cooler in the heat, and add visual interest.
Tip: Fill potted plants or hanging baskets around pergolas to bring the structure into the garden with minimal replanting.
O5. Personalise the Look with Small Details
Customise your deck and pergola with finishes that match your style. Add character with coloured stains, decorative screens, or laser-cut panels. Outdoor furniture, rugs, cushions, and lighting can turn the space into a genuine outdoor room. For pergolas, consider including ceiling fans, pendant lighting, or even outdoor speakers to make it much more inviting.
Tip: Consider the weather when choosing furniture – choose a material that suits the weather in your location.
Ready to elevate your outdoor space? Look for a landscape designer with ample experience. Contact Southern Scape Projects and start planning your dream backyard today!
