We have been wanting to transform our backyard area since the day we bought our home. It’s been a slow transition, but we are getting there. I worked with Tilly Design this year, they designed a full-color scaled plan that included a pergola. Tilly Design provides virtual landscape plans for your backyard. I was completely blown away by Tilly’s concept and how much the pergola alone would transform our backyard.
Last year, we hired Homepro RX to build a new patio for our backyard. Our old patio was composed of rock and broken asphalt. It wasn’t pretty to say the least. Not only was Homepro RX professional, efficient and reasonably priced, but they listened to my needs and did a phenomenal job. They walked through all of the details with me, from start to finish, and made sure I was 100% satisfied with the end result. For our patio design, I had a very specific concept in mind and they made my vision come to life. With that said, they were my top choice for our pergola construction.
Building the Pergola
I showed Jorge, owner of Homepro RX the vision and plans from Tilly Design. Jorge said he would be able to make the design come to life and I had all the faith that he would.
The entire job took under two days from start to completion. For the first day, I was home and able to work alongside Jorge to answer any questions he had. Jorge even cut a sample piece of wood to make sure the cut was exactly what I wanted for the pergola. He showed me two different styles for the edging and it was so nice to have a visual before making my final decision. His team also put tape down on the patio to show where the posts would stand and if I was happy with the wall- thru space.
By the days end, the pergola was pretty much finished. They even boxed in the posts for a finished look. On the second day, they re-installed the siding and even framed, we were so impressed. I would definitely say that Jorge is a perfectionist. He called me the following day that the job was finished and asked me when a good day would be for him to stop by. He wanted to inspect the finished job and see if I was happy. We were incredibly satisfied and are already in the process of another project with Homepro RX.
Function of the Pergola
Our patio has full sun throughout the day. We wanted the pergola to provide us with some shade. Homepro RX installed the top pieces 5 inches apart to provide us with the maximum amount of shade. We will also be installing roof panels to make the pergola useable during rain and protect us from the elements.
Lighting
This is where I shine. I love home decor and DIY. Our budget was definitely put into the build of the pergola. I knew I wanted lighting, but didn’t want the price tag of hiring an electrician. I went to IKEA and bought a pendant shade, Home Depot for 3 foot of jute rope and Amazon for a remote operated light and bam, I had a functional light in my pergola.
Decor
I tried out two different rugs for the area and settled on a black and cream to make the pergola pop. Your tabletop decor can offset the rug or you can make it a focal point.
I try to use melamine dinnerware outside; it is plastic and won’t break. You can still have the table look sophisticated, but with less worry about your indoor breakables.
Add some comfort to your table with pillows on the end chairs and a cozy blanket. I also added some fresh flowers and candles as my centerpiece. You can also add a ceramic pot with a topiary or faux moss. Make your table extra special by adding flowers from your own garden.
I have two head chairs at my table that I actually refurbished over the summer to incorporate them better with my decor. It is amazing what a can of spray paint can do for furniture. Now is the time to shop for outdoor decor as it is all on sale. Do not let the color of furniture deter you as it can always be restored and refinished.
I think of the pergola as an extension of our home. We now get to have an outdoor living space that can take us well into fall or winter weather with a fire pit. We get to enjoy dinners outside, the kids now have a place to cool down after playing in the backyard and its also an area to entertain guests that come over. Next on our agenda are shrubs around the patio and poured concrete for our grill. Also stay tuned for a DIY on an arched mirror that will go on the back wall under our pergola.
