Pergola Options for New York: Best Materials, Styles, and Features
Picture this: you’re sitting on a hill overlooking a stunning lake. Vineyards line the valley. Trees just beginning to show their autumn hues. You’re next to your sister and your spouse, sipping wine and sharing about your week.
Upstate New York boasts so many beautiful vistas that it’s a shame not to be outdoors whenever the weather permits. If you’re looking for a simple, room-like structure that accentuates the landscape instead of detracting from it, a pergola may be a good fit for your landscaping.
At Keystone Custom Decks, we want you to enjoy New York’s beautiful weather and have the perfect outdoor space for family and friends!
Today, we’ll talk about your pergola options: should you consider a wood or vinyl pergola? Is it better to build one that’s attached to or detached from your home? Is a traditional or contemporary style more your vibe?
Let’s explore the options!
TL;DR - Pergola Options
- Wood pergolas offer classic charm, vinyl offers durability, and aluminum gives your space a contemporary look.
- Attached pergolas are fantastic if you want to add shade to an existing deck, while freestanding pergolas add dimension and living space to your yard.
- Choose a modern or traditional style depending on the aesthetic of your home and landscaping.
- Finish off your pergola with additional shade features such as sails or louvers. Then add furniture, string lights, or even an outdoor kitchen!
Why Pergolas are a Great Option for New York Homeowners
A pergola is an outdoor structure with columns that support a roof of crossbeams and rafters, creating a semi-shaded area. Traditionally used as a structure to support growing vines, most modern homeowners use their pergolas as an outdoor living area. Growing vines on a pergola is still an option, but leaving it bare is more common.
Pergolas offer a unique compromise between an open deck or patio, which has no roof at all, and a porch or pavilion, which has a full roof. It offers the room-like feel of a pavilion, blending the outdoors and indoors in a way that naturally puts guests at ease.
The open lattice pattern of the roof offers partial shade—ideal for warm NY summers. As fall approaches, a pergola makes a beautiful setting for a fire pit (with proper precautions). This gives guests the cozy feel of being in a room together, sitting around a fire, combined with the invigorating feeling of being outdoors.
Choosing Pergola Materials: Wood, Vinyl, or Aluminum
If you live in Upstate New York, you know that your outdoor structures need to handle a little bit of everything—sweltering summer sun, crisp fall winds, heavy lake-effect snow, and plenty of spring rain.
Wood pergolas blend beautifully with the natural scenery of the Finger Lakes, the Adirondacks, and the rolling countryside that defines the region. The warm tones and organic texture of cedar or redwood fit right in among trees and stone patios, creating a timeless, rustic charm. However, the region’s fluctuating humidity and freeze-thaw cycles can take a toll. Wood requires regular sealing or staining to prevent rot, warping, and fading over time.
Vinyl pergolas are built for low maintenance and long-term durability. Vinyl won’t rot or peel, and it’s easy to clean after the pollen-heavy spring season or after a long winter. The crisp white or neutral tones of vinyl complement the bright greens and deep blues of Upstate summers—and the golden foliage of autumn.
Aluminum pergolas combine durability and modern style. They’re lightweight yet incredibly strong, resistant to rust, and built to handle snow loads and temperature swings with ease. Aluminum pergolas usually have a modern look (we’ll talk more about contemporary vs classic designs later), and though they can be more expensive upfront, they pay off in longevity and minimal maintenance.
Whether you’re drawn to the traditional warmth of wood, the low-maintenance simplicity of vinyl, or the sleek resilience of aluminum, your pergola can be tailored to fit both your home’s style and Upstate New York’s demanding climate.
Attached Pergolas vs. Freestanding Pergolas
You can build your pergola so that it’s attached to your home, or you can build it as a freestanding structure in your yard. Let’s explore both options.
Attached Pergolas are ideal for homeowners who are looking for a simple way to either:
- Add shade to an existing deck or patio attached to the home
- Give the deck or patio a more room-like feel, creating an indoor-outdoor experience that inspires deep conversation
An attached pergola offers enough shade to provide a noticeably cooler experience, which also reduces indoor temperatures, keeping A/C costs down in the summer. It also looks beautiful and is a relatively inexpensive and simple addition to your home.
Attached pergolas are ideal for homeowners who already have an attached patio or deck and are looking for a bit of shade, or for those planning a deck project and seeking that one special touch.
Note: if you dream of growing vines on your pergola, an attached pergola may not be the best idea, as the vines may damage your home.
Freestanding pergolas add shape and dimension to your backyard or garden space. They’re perfect for homeowners who want:
- An outdoor living space in a specific part of their yard, such as next to the pool, or in a spot with a spectacular view
- A garden pergola covered in vines
- A way to add dimension and charm to their landscaping
Tip: If you’re struggling with placement, ask yourself, ‘Where do I wish people naturally gathered more?’
Traditional vs. Contemporary Pergola Styles
Most pergolas come in a classic lattice design, but there are contemporary options too, with sleek, minimalist lines. When choosing between the two, balance your personal style with the style of your home and landscaping.
Traditional lattice pergolas pair beautifully with the older farmhouses, lake cottages, and colonial-style homes common throughout the Finger Lakes and Adirondack regions. A traditional pergola made of natural wood feels warm and organic, blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, while a white vinyl pergola offers a stately yet classic design.
Contemporary pergolas, on the other hand, embrace clean lines, minimalist structure, and modern materials like aluminum or vinyl. They’re ideal for newer builds or homes with a more architectural edge. Sleek, squared-off beams and neutral tones create a striking contrast against Upstate New York’s lush greenery and changing seasons. Some modern pergolas even incorporate features like retractable canopies, integrated lighting, or adjustable louvers—great for making your outdoor area comfortable year-round.
When choosing between the two, consider your home’s style, your maintenance preferences, and how you plan to use the space. A traditional pergola offers rustic charm and a sense of coziness, while a contemporary design brings sophistication and simplicity.
Shade Options and Additional Features
Once you’ve chosen your ideal pergola, it’s time for the fun part! What are you going to do with it? What features will you add? How will you turn it into the beautiful, inviting space of your dreams?
Here are our ideas:
Additional Shade Features
The open roof of a pergola has many advantages—it’s simpler to build, doesn’t usually require a permit, and doesn’t accumulate snow. But it has disadvantages too. Namely, the shade offered by the lattice may feel inadequate on a bright day.
Some pergolas come with mechanical louvers that tilt to provide optimal shade depending on the direction of the sun. It’s also common for pergola owners to purchase canvas sun shades that you can retract as needed to tailor the amount of shade to the needs of the day and hour.
Plants and Vines
Traditionally, pergolas have been used as a framework for growing plants and vines, providing the added benefit of shade. Modern pergola owners don’t typically use them for plants, but it’s still totally an option.
Native plants like trumpet honeysuckle or American wisteria offer hardy, low-maintenance beauty. Or, take advantage of the ideal winery location and grow grapes over your pergola, ultimately harvesting them and making your own wine!
Just remember that vines can get out of hand, destroying masonry, siding, and roofing, so if you want to grow vines on your pergola, a detached pergola is your best bet.
Furniture
What would make your pergola feel inviting? A relaxing hammock? A couple of Adirondack chairs? A firepit?
Think carefully about your furniture choices. Pick pieces that:
- Are comfortable
- Have manageable maintenance (remember—because the pergola doesn’t have a solid roof, it needs pieces that can get wet)
- Are practical (e.g. tables for drinks and snacks)
- Match the style and beauty of your home
With the right furniture pieces, you’ll be amazed at how much time you spend in your new pergola!
Bonus: An Outdoor Kitchen
Finally, remember that your pergola options are not limited to a gathering space or a garden space—you can also put an outdoor kitchen beneath it! For more information, read our Guide to Having an Outdoor Kitchen in New York.
Where to Find a Professional Pergola Builder in New York
Do you feel like you have a better idea of which pergola will work best for your property?
At Keystone Custom Decks, we have over 40 years of experience building outdoor living spaces like pergolas, valuing integrity, clear communication, and a job well done. We’d love to help you make your dream outdoor living space a reality!
In addition to pergolas, we also construct:
Contact us today to have a meaningful conversation about your vision for your outdoor space. We look forward to hearing from you!