Shading is the biggest problem in the case of a patio connected to the house. There are less and less plots with big trees, so the problem should be solved artificially. A pergola can be a showy solution.
Pergola is a frame made of wood, it is open at the sides with a trellis top. The wood has to be properly treated to make it weatherproof. The nervure of the wood remains visible under burnishing and lacquering, so it can be seen in its natural beauty. Painting makes the structure more uniform, it handles the pergola as a freer focal point because of the range of colors.
Pergola filters the sunshine on its own but mostly it is plant-clad. If we don’t want to toil with caring plants, a light, breathable cotton fabric should be fixed on its top which provides the perfect shading. It is enough to tie it loose, on just some points for removing it easily in the case of a storm, but the textile moved by the soft breeze looks nice in good weather.
Its size is defined by the usage of the area: bigger meals, two-persons-chatting, swinging in a swing-bed etc. It not necessarily has to cover the whole patio, this way there remains place for sunbathing also. It can stand alone or can be joined to the wall of the house also.
Pergola can be used as a rain-roof above the entrance door and the car park, as a cover above the pathway leading to the outbuilding, as shading above the windows, for highlighting the entrance of the garden etc. Its great advantage is that it looks very good even in winter when covered by snow.
Ask for help of an interior designer for planning the pergola harmonizing perfectly with the building.