Garden Structure Ideas: Realise Ultimate Comfort in Your Garden
Need a sheltered space that invites lounging, dining, and entertaining in the garden? These garden structure ideas make lovely focal points in any outdoor living space. Not only do they make excellent shade ideas for the garden — they also facilitate outdoor entertainment and relaxation.
Garden shade structures help redefine outdoor spaces, blending functionality with beautiful designs. They cast cool shadows over seating areas during the hot summer and spring months and help protect you from the rain when it starts to drizzle. They’re also great opportunities to display your personal style in your garden.
Whether you have a small or large garden, there’s a good chance you’d benefit from one of these space-enhancing structures.
There are many types of garden structures, from pergolas to gazebos. Below, we’ll break them all down and discuss their benefits and uses. Read on to discover a myriad of charming, beautiful, and modern garden structure ideas to enhance your outdoor living space.
1. Pergola with Mood Lighting
PergoSTET 3m x 4m Rectangular Pergola with 3 Drop Sides and LED Lighting in Grey - £3,999.00
A freestanding luxury pergola is a great way to stay sheltered from the sun whilst still enjoying the open air in your back garden. And nowadays, pergolas can do so much more than provide shade. One of our favourite modern pergola ideas is mood lighting. The pergola above includes LED mood lighting around the perimeter of the roof. The lights are remote-controlled, colour-changing, and dimmable. It makes an easy, customisable way to create ambient lighting for evening entertainment. Plus, the overall outdoor structure has a stylish and sleek look.
2. Shaded Dining Spot
Kalama 8 Seat Rectangular Dining Set with Teak Table in Charcoal - £2,399.00
Whether it’s a pergola or patio extension, a shade-providing garden structure is an excellent place to host al fresco meals. Place your garden dining set under the cool, shaded area to create a comfortable and aesthetic appeal. This can also be a great place to put your outdoor cooking essentials, like the grill, to shelter them from the elements.
Add some outdoor lighting (like lanterns, string lights, or a fire pit) to make your covered dining space the best it can be. You’ll be able to dine in an ambient, illuminated outdoor room long after the sun begins to set.
3. Portable Garden Structures
Challenger T2 Oak 3m Cantilever Square Parasol in Anthracite £721.99
Garden parasols provide the perfect opportunity to create shade or cover from the elements in parts of the garden that might not be as accessible for other garden structures. A temporary option that adds an air of elegance and charm when hosting family get-togethers, or when hosting a summer party with friends.
Coming in all shapes and sizes to suit your style and needs, why not consider a stylish cantilever parasol, modern aluminium parasols, or opt for a traditional wooden parasol to elevate your perfect summer garden.
4. Greenhouse
Quay 3 Seat Sofa Set in Linen - £1,749.00
A backyard greenhouse is a lovely addition for year-round gardening. This type of structure can extend the growing season of your favourite vegetables with a controlled environment, shade plants that don’t like direct sunlight, and provide protection from pests. You can build your own greenhouse or have one installed in your garden. There are also ready-to-assemble hobby greenhouse kits for those just starting out.
5. Covered Patio
Cloverly 8 Seat Rectangular Dining with Teak Table in Latte - £2,349
A covered patio extension is a great way to enhance your outdoor living space. With a sturdy, durable, and permanent extension of your home built specifically for outdoor living, you’ll enjoy protection from the elements and create a garden that’s perfect for year-round use. Whether it's shielding against rain, harsh sunlight, or mild winds, a covered patio offers a comfortable retreat for relaxation and entertainment.
If you want more ways to spruce up your patio, check out our complete list of gorgeous patio ideas.
6. Shaded Lounging Space
PergoSTET 3m x 3m Steel Square Pergola in Grey - £1,399.00
An outdoor structure like a pergola or converted shed can become a relaxing haven. This setup is ideal if you don’t have a covered patio or simply need more shade.
You can then create a comfortable lounging and entertainment area with a corner sofa, a central table, and some surrounding chairs. You’ll also protect your furniture from direct sunlight, which can prevent fading and wear.
If you need more shade for the garden, we have a curated range of outdoor shade solutions, including modern, durable parasols. Or, check out our post on stylish garden shade ideas.
7. Plant-Filled Pergola
PergoSTET 3m x 4m Rectangular Pergola with 3 Drop Sides and LED Lighting in Grey - £3,999
Consider integrating nature into your garden structure. A pergola with climbing plants along the sides, roof, or just surrounding the open sides embraces natural greenery and creates visual appeal in the garden. Sitting under a plant-filled pergola will fill you with peace and foster a connection with nature. You can combine the setup with additional trellises or a vertical garden wall for even more climbing plants. Some of the best plants for pergolas in the UK are honeysuckle, morning glories, wisteria, and climbing roses.
8. Pool House
Metropolitan Right Hand Corner Group Set with Teak Table in Anthracite - £5,555.00
A pool house is a luxurious back garden addition to enhance the overall pool area and can also provide convenient changing and storage space. You can also use a pool house as a dining space, where you can host pool parties, birthdays, and barbecues.
Large windows, sliding doors, and open-air setups make pool houses all the more open and connected with the poolside area and also provides you with an opportunity to complement your home’s architectural style.
9. Covered Outdoor Kitchen
Santiago 6 Seat Rattan Oval Dining Set in Grey - £1,799
A covered outdoor kitchen makes cooking delicious meals easy in any weather. A shade structure like a pergola protects kitchen equipment from sun, wind, rain, and snow and helps create a more cohesive-looking outdoor living space. With a dining table not too far away, you’ll have the perfect setup to host any outdoor dining experience.
What cooking essentials should you place in a covered outdoor kitchen? Some popular options are kamado grills, pizza ovens, and classic gas BBQs. Check out our complete list of outdoor kitchen ideas for more inspiration.
10. Wall-Mounted Pergola
PergoSTET 3m x 4m Rectangular Wall Mounted Pergola with 3 Drop Sides and LED Lighting in Grey - £3,799.00
A wall-mounted pergola is a space-saving garden structure that you can attach to the side of an existing structure, like your home. While this can be a good garden structure idea for small gardens, a wall-mounted pergola will be right at home on a spacious patio as well.
11. Covered Walkway
Monterrey 6 Seat Rope Firepit Teak Bar Set in Grey - £3,449.00
A pergola or arbour that shades a walkway becomes a magical portal through the garden, especially when paired with climbing plants that provide shade. You’ll be able to stroll through a sheltered passageway that connects the different zones of the garden. For example, you can place a covered walkway between your patio dining area and the vegetable garden. A covered walkway can also contribute to your landscaping, making the design of your garden all the more sophisticated.
The wall-mounted side can connect your back door right to the outdoor shade. The structure creates an intimate seating or dining space, and the open sides provide an unobstructed view of the outdoors.
12. Adjustable Roof
PergoSTET 3m x 3m Steel Square Pergola in Grey - £1,399.00
A garden structure with an adjustable roof can be a game-changer when it comes to entertaining in your garden. Consider this pergola with an adjustable louvred roof. It’s completely adaptable to changing weather conditions, making your outdoor entertainment area flexible. You can simply turn the crank handle to adjust the roof slats, providing however much shade you need over the entertainment space. When it rains, there’s no need to take the party inside — closing the roof makes it fully waterproof, so you and your guests will stay nice and dry. An invisible water drainage system ensures you never need to worry about your furniture getting wet.
13. Wooden Pergola
Monterrey 3 Seat Rope Sofa Set with Ceramic Table in Grey - £1,799
A wooden pergola is a more traditional garden structure idea. Though it comes with fewer bells and whistles than a modern pergola, a simple wooden structure in the garden is a timeless choice. It may only provide partial shade, but a wooden pergola is natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing. It creates a rustic and charming atmosphere. You can add accessories, like trailing plants or curtains woven throughout the wooden roof slats, to add shade.
14. Garden Shed
Photo by Annie Shelmerdine
If you have a green thumb, a garden shed is a must. A garden shed provides storage for gardening tools, helping keep the outdoor space organised. It also helps protect your equipment from the weather. A garden shed can also be a great way to show off your personality in the garden. You can paint the shed an attractive hue for a pop of colour, or you can invest in a shed that matches the style of your house.
15. Enclosed Structure
PergoSTET 3m x 4m Rectangular Pergola with 3 Drop Sides and LED Lighting in White - £3,999
A screened-in garden structure can make spending time outdoors all the more enjoyable. A pergola with drop sides, like the one above, achieves the same effect – you can choose when to pull down the blinds and when to leave them open. Side shades or screens filter sunlight, providing more shade in an area of the garden that gets direct sunlight. They also keep the seating area cool and comfortable, add privacy, and can help keep the bugs at bay.
16. Gazebo
Photo by Pixabay
A gazebo is another structure that can serve as an elegant focal point in the garden. With 360-degree views of the whole garden, a gazebo will draw you to sit in the shade, read a book, and enjoy the tranquillity of the natural world. It can become a much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of the day. There are also many exciting styles to choose from. The architectural style of the gazebo provides a chance to add character and personality to your garden.
Perfectly Structure Your Outdoor Living Space
We hope this list of garden structure ideas will help you decide on the best structure for your space. As we’ve seen, garden structures can serve many purposes: providing shade, zoning off different areas, protecting plants and furniture, and complementing your garden’s beauty. No matter which one you choose, it’s sure to enhance the usability of your yard.
At Harbour Lifestyle, we help create stunning outdoor spaces where you can create lasting memories with your loved ones. We have a wide range of luxurious garden furniture for ultimate outdoor comfort. We’re also confident that bringing home one of our award-winning PergoSTET pergolas will help you experience outdoor luxury at its finest right outside your door.
