Six years on from the pandemic, and all signs point to the fact that we’re still investing as much time and money in our gardens and outdoor spaces as we were in the thick of things. But it’s not just plants; homeowners are installing high-tech features such as outdoor showers and infrared saunas, glass houses, “party barns,” and, more than ever, pergolas.
That’s right — architectural pergola ideas have become the new status symbol for outdoor spaces in 2026. Once a simple structure comprising vertical posts that support an open room, the concept has been reimagined as a fully stylized outdoor living room, which not only adds value to your property but also square footage.
“A pergola is far more than just a garden structure,” agrees Mark Latchford, director of landscape design at HollandGreen. “It’s an architectural bridge between the home and the landscape that helps to define an intentional ‘outdoor room’ for dining, socializing, or simply relaxing.”
And, more than them just becoming a trend for our outdoor spaces, themselves — there are certain styles we’re seeing in the most interesting outdoor spaces right now, too.
Resort-Style Pergola Designs
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When it comes to styling a pergola in your garden, let your space guide you. “A well-considered pergola doesn’t obstruct the view, but frames it,” adds Mark Latchford.
For the design pictured above, the HollandGreen team took cues from Bali, constructing a minimalist timber pergola with a striking cantilevered bench that appears to ‘float’ around its perimeter. With the flick of a switch, the decking below slides away to reveal a 14-seater hot tub, giving the space not just a year-round, but multi-functional use.
To ensure it feels like another ‘room’ in the home, rather than an outdoor structure, the pergola includes built-in heating, ambient lighting, and a sound system, as well as an outdoor shower for post-dips.
Mark Latchford is the landscape design director at HollandGreen. He’s one of the UK’s leading voices in landscape and garden design with a body of work spanning everything from refined urban gardens to expansive country estates. His approach is rooted in long-term thinking — landscapes designed not just for immediate impact, but to evolve, mature, and endure.
2. Architectural Interventions
Rather than a home extension, have you considered a pergola instead?
(Image credit: Design: TAP Architects)
Another example of how to style pergolas in 2026 can be seen in the design pictured above by TAP Architects. Beautifully sculpted from steel and teamed with a glazed extension, the pergola features climbing plants beneath its curved frame, which filter light and create a contemporary ‘garden room’ that’s both architectural and whimsical.
“The pergola was conceived as a mediator between house and garden, bringing structure and symmetry while introducing a more playful and contemporary layer,” explains the firm’s director, Neil Taylor. “As planting grows through the steel frame, it will gradually soften, blurring the boundary between architecture and landscape.”
It’s a reminder that you don’t always need a full extension to transform your space, he adds. “Sometimes a lighter-touch intervention, such as a pergola, can create usable outdoor rooms, improve natural light, and fundamentally change how a home connects to its garden.”
3. Versatile Shelters
These days, pergolas are more than just a structure — it’s a multi-use space that adds to the value of your home.
(Image credit: Pete Helme. Design: Woodhouse & Law)
In the UK, unpredictable weather means pergolas are most effective when complete with walls and a sheltered ceiling. “Design for real life, not perfect weather,” says Nick Woodhouse, creative director of gardens at Woodhouse & Law. “A sheltered, versatile set-up will always get used more. Then layer in comfort — think generous seating, soft planting, and layered garden lighting — to create a space that works from morning through to evening.”
For the pergola pictured above, the studio designed a stand-alone pergola that made the most of its waterside setting. “The louvre roof offers flexibility in terms of shade from the midday sun and at the same time protection from any unexpected downpours,” explains Nick. “Given the unpredictability of the English weather, this adaptability is key to ensuring that the space is used to its maximum potential throughout the day and from season to season.”
Nick Woodhouse
Nick Woodhouse trained at the English Gardening School in Chelsea and is an RHS-qualified plantsman. He leads successful gardening practice Woodhouse & Law in London and Bath alongside fellow founder John Law and delivers residential and commercial projects across the UK and Mallorca. With a shared vision to break down traditional design boundaries, the studio offers a fully integrated service for homes and gardens, creating fluid, cohesive spaces that blur the line between inside and out and treat each project as a unified whole.
Why Are Pergolas Trending in 2026?
A pergola helps to zone your outdoor space, creating the feeling of an outside ‘room’.
(Image credit: Lilly-Joan Richardson)
Firstly, it’s financial. According to property research compiled by outdoor specialist Harbour Lifestyle, buyers are willing to pay up to 20% more for a home with gardens that are designed for year-round use (read: with pergolas). With the average UK house value sitting around £300,000, that could mean as much as £60,000 in added value for homes with thoughtfully designed outdoor entertaining areas.
In terms of how much it costs to install a pergola, you’d typically be looking at around £2,500 for a custom build, making it a particularly modest investment compared to other home improvements. Estimates suggest they typically deliver a return on investment of between 50% and 80%.
Money aside, with home wellness on the rise, people are looking for ways to bring nature (and all its benefits) inside their homes; a pergola, on the other hand, extends your home into nature. It protects not just you but also your furniture from the elements, meaning you can justify investing more in the best garden furniture and style your space with all the details, including outdoor rugs, cushions, and lighting.
Shop Stylish Pergolas
Dakota Fields
Cesaro Metal Pergola
If you can’t quite justify a custom, built-in pergola, there are plenty of designs that can be purchased off-the-shelf, like this freestanding steel pergola. With a retractable canopy and powder-coated steel frame, it gives the illusion of an outdoor room for less.
Sol 27 Outdoor
Bradenville 2.8 Sliding Roof Pergola
For something that offers a little more protection, this pergola features sliding roof panels and louvered paneling on one side to protect from wind. It has a strengthened aluminium frame, and the reviews include lots of images of it in people’s gardens.
Atkin & Thyme
Savannah BBQ Pergola Kit in Oak
Designed specifically for outdoor kitchens, Atkin & Thyme’s Savannah pergola is crafted from durable aluminium in a wood-effect finish. It’s got an adjustable louvred roof that can be opened and closed depending on the weather, and Texteline blinds to shield you from the wind. Neat and sleek.
From wooden styles to steel designs, a clever pergola doesn’t just give you extra space, but an outdoor living room that can be enjoyed come rain or shine. Something bespoke will, of course, make a statement, but ready-made designs mean you can add one to your garden in time for summer. In fact, even IKEA’s HAMMARON pergola is a popular favorite.
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