Heartland Pergolas

5 Reasons to Add a Pergola to Your Home

July 30, 2019 by Champion Brick

Pergolas can provide an elegant way to enjoy your back patio during the summer, fall and even spring seasons. They provide a nice sitting area that allows you to enjoy fresh air and sunlight without having to sit completely exposed to the harsh sun. Incorporating a brick foundation to your pergola is a way to elevate it even more. Champion Brick can help you to select just the right paver or decorative stone to add to your pergola and give it the look you want. Here are 5 reasons to add a pergola to your home.

Create a defined space.

Depending on the layout of your backyard and what you have done already, if you are looking to create a more purposeful space there or perhaps more functional one, a pergola is a great solution for both. This is especially true if you have a small back yard or don’t have a deck or patio. A pergola automatically creates an entertainment lounge or dining area, perfect for when you are entertaining guests.

Create privacy.

If you just have an open patio area but want to feel like you have a little more privacy a pergola is a great remedy. It is an open structure. but with that structure you can create privacy by adding drapes, latticework, or screens to a couple of sides. Get the feeling of some privacy while still enjoying an open space.

Create protection from the elements.

Already mentioned briefly, pergolas provide protection and shade from the harsher elements, such as direct exposure to sunrays or wind. They create a space to enjoy the beautiful weather while it’s around without having to worry too much about a sunburn.

Add value to your home.

According to experts, you can add as much as 20 percent value to your home with attractive landscaping. Unlike gazebos, pergolas are extremely affordable, but still add worth. They add a lot of beauty and interest to your outdoor area, making it a poignant asset if you decide to sell your home.

Combine it with different materials to make it shine.

If the previous four aren’t reason enough, incentive number five takes the cake for those who love landscape design and architecture. Pergolas have an elegant look in and of themselves, but when you combine that with other materials such as brick pavers, that look of elegance is furthered even more. Champion brick has a beautiful selection of stone or wood pavers that fit beautifully with a pergola or even decorative stone to frame the outside. Check out Champion Brick’s Heartland Pergolas page for examples of some of the striking looks of the combination of pergolas with brick and paver materials to see for yourself.

CONNECT WITH US

If you’re interested in adding a pergola to your home, Champion Brick would love to hear from you and talk with you about design options that fit your style. Connect with us via email on our contact page or find our phone number there to talk a professional today.

What Is a Pergola? Here’s What You Need to Know

July 24, 2018 by Champion Brick

Pergola? What is a pergola? It’s a type of dessert, right? Wrong!

While it might sound delicious, you are more likely to find a pergola in a garden than in the kitchen. Read on if you want to know what a pergola is and how it can improve your garden.

brown wooden pergola

What Is a Pergola?

Originating around the years 1645-55, the word pergola comes from the Latin word “pergula,” which means projecting eave. It is a garden feature, and it requires a horizontal cross-beam trellis framework supported by columns or posts.

Pergolas can be freestanding and are often used to create a sitting area or walkway. They can also attach to the side of a building. They are typically covered to provide a protected, shaded area. Furthermore, they can be left open or have vine-based plants trained over them.

Traditionally, the trellis is made from wood and the columns are made from stonework, mimicking the Italian style. Today, they can be made from a variety of materials, however, including stonework, brick, wood, or a combination of all of these.

If you want a covered seating area to look over the garden but don’t want a full extension or conservatory, a pergola is a perfect option.

With many types and styles to suit both traditional and modern tastes, they often make stunning visual focal points. A pergola can also be a versatile addition to any home or garden and offers plenty of room for customization.

Features and Benefits

There are a number of features and benefits of installing a pergola, and we’ll take you through the reasons one might be a good choice for you.

Bringing the Outdoors to the Indoors

Pergolas can be a great way to combine the outside and inside with a seamless transition. They create a defined space in your garden without being too enclosed.

With the opportunity to train some beautiful vines across the trellis, you can really blend in with nature by creating a natural ceiling. This can create a relaxing outside entertainment or eating space that feels natural and soothing.

Why not even add some drapes, outdoor lighting, and hanging baskets to give that extra “wow” factor?

Easy to Install

Not only are they affordable additions, they are easy to install, too.

For those of you DIY enthusiasts out there, you can find many pre-cut kits complete with instructions and all the necessary hardware. With a pair of helping hands to get those heavier posts and rafters up, installing one can make a great project.

If you’d rather have a professional handle the job, there are many landscaping companies who can help. Not only can they help with installation, they can design a custom pergola for your space too.

Protection from the Elements

A shaded or covered pergola can provide a cool, shaded area from which you can enjoy your garden. Shade, protection from the sun, and a beautiful sitting environment. What’s not to love?

Imagine a Heartland Pergola in Your Garden

A nice pergola can create a stunning focal point in any garden. Not only are they attractive, they are practical investments too. They expand the living space of your home and make more of your outdoor space usable.

If you’re considering a pergola for your backyard, contact us today for a consultation. We carry high-quality, customizable Heartland aluminum pergolas. Call us today to find out more!

Why You Need to Add a Pergola to Your Deck or Patio

May 23, 2018 by Champion Brick

Over 70 percent of US homeowners who have outdoor space would like to enhance this area of their homes.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to take weeks of dirt and disruption to smarten up your outdoor areas. As many homeowners in Milwaukee have learned, adding a pergola is an easy way to make an impressive upgrade to your garden.

These simple, open structures of vertical posts and roof beams have been popular since Roman times. Once used to grow vines and create features in landscaped parks, they’re now often used in private gardens.

Find out what’s the point of a pergola and how it can take your outdoor space from drab to delightful.

It’s the Perfect Way to Enjoy Outdoor Living

If you throw open the doors and windows when it gets warm, and you love to spend all of your time in the garden as soon as the sun is shining, it’s time to think about how you can create a better outdoor space that works for you.

Adding a pergola, either to the side of your property or as a freestanding structure in a larger garden, creates a defined area that you can use as an outdoor room.

The roof structure gives you a little privacy if you have neighbors nearby. And, with a simple table and chairs or outdoor lounge set, you’ve suddenly added a whole new area to your house where indoors meets outdoors.

You Can Create the Ultimate Entertainment Area

There’s nothing better than an alfresco party on a summer’s evening or a romantic dinner under the stars.

You can up your party game by making your pergola an entertainment area. A shaded area is great for serving food and drinks at a garden party, and it’s so easy to make it a comfortable place for your guests to gather.

You could even add a pizza oven to your pergola area. Although be warned: You might find it hard to get your guests to leave!

A Pergola Is Easy to Build

Garden landscaping projects can be daunting for beginners, but a pergola is an easy project to build and maintain.

Depending on the size of the structure and any local regulations, you probably won’t need a permit to add a pergola to your property.

Most commonly, pergolas are made from wood, but metal and vinyl structures, such as Heartland Pergolas, are becoming more popular because they’re so easy to care for and virtually maintenance free.

It’s Great for Plant Lovers

Originally, the purpose of a pergola was to train vines to grow across the structure. If you’re green-fingered, you can try planting climbing plants like bougainvillea and honeysuckle under your pergola.

The color, height, and beautiful fragrances will make your garden sing. And as the plants grow up and over the pergola, you’ll have a more shaded area in which to relax.

If gardening isn’t your strong suit or you’d like to add some shade to your backyard straight away, you can add awnings or loose fabric curtains to your pergola too.

You Can Show Your Style with Outdoor Decorations

Whether your house and garden are modern or traditional, Mediterranean-inspired or coastal-themed, there are plenty of outdoor accessories you can add to your pergola.

Seating should be your first port of call. Decide if you want to create a space for outdoor dining, chilling out, or partying, and pick durable furniture accordingly. Then you can bring out your personality with textiles, string lights, lanterns, and planters.

Is it Time to Enhance Your Outdoor Space?

With the best of this year’s weather just around the corner, now is the perfect time to think about adding a pergola to your outdoor space. Take a look at our great options for pergolas, and start planning your next project now. That way it will be ready for summer.

Not sure where to start? Contact us for more information on styles and choices!