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Pergola Plans and Designs For Great Home Exteriors

Sujata Iyer
You can come up with your own creative pergola plans and designs instead of going with the same old boring ones that everyone follows. You'll get some ideas further.
If you're looking for something to give the outside of your home a more appealing and welcoming appearance, then what you need is a pergola. What is a pergola? It is a walkway or a pathway in the exterior of the house, which is made using beams and a covering.
Simply put, it is like an elongated shed which extends lengthwise into the main area. A pergola is a beautiful addition that you can make to your garden.
If you have an attached pergola with your garden, then it can add a considerable amount of shade if your garden receives a lot of sunlight. 
If you are planning a pergola attached to your house, then it will give a beautiful effect as people walk towards your home. There are some creative DIY pergola ideas given here. Use them and improve the look of the exterior of your home.

Pergola Design Ideas

Let's first see what kind of pergola should be built and what kind of purpose the pergola should serve. Well, the first thing is that it should be a well shaded pergola. There's no real point of building one if it does not provide shade. After all, it is meant to be a transitional path that leads from somewhere to somewhere.
And since it is in the exterior, it only makes sense that if people have to walk through it, they should be protected from the hot sun. Else, why would they even use it in the first place.
Another use, if you don't want to use it as a walkway, is just for recreational purposes. You can use it for outdoor reading or for some other activities like an evening meal or a fun family afternoon playing board games or something of the sort. You get the idea, right? Well then, let's get to the pergola ideas.

Wood

Using wood to build a pergola is one of the most traditional methods. And probably the most popularly used one too. So, if you're thinking of going traditional, then a wooden pergola is the thing for you. You can get a pretty one built with plain wood and have it painted in some vibrant colors and designs.
Or you can opt for dark-colored, strong wood. Then you won't have to worry about painting it. If you're planning to go all out on the pergola designs, then you can also go for building one in ornately carved wood.

Bamboo

If you're thinking of an environment friendly pergola idea, then you can try out a bamboo one. The bamboo will keep the surrounding air cool.
You can add some pretty vines and creepers on the pergola's top. This will give it a green ceiling, which will have a truly calming effect on anyone passing through or sitting under it. Have flowering vines for a better effect. Spots of color in the middle of the lush green will definitely look nice and inviting.

Concrete

One of the good plans for a pergola is building it in concrete. It is definitely the sturdiest and the most durable of the options for a pergola. It can be a plain and simple one using concrete pillars and a ceiling.
You can paint wonderful colors and patterns on the pillars. Draw some figures in such a way that they seem to be bowing down and welcoming all the people who pass by.
You can have some beautiful outdoor lamps hanging at regular points within the pergola. They serve as lighting and they look very pretty in the night by adding a mystic and fantastic feel to the pergola.
Use any of these pergola ideas and plans and transform the outside of your home into the wonderful one that you always wanted. Have fun!