Outdoor pavilions are great backyard features that can serve multiple functions. They can provide a private, outdoor space for rest and relaxation, outdoor dining with friends or quiet conversations with family. An outdoor pavilion will provide many opportunities for enjoyable outdoor activities, as well as beauty and visual interest in your landscape.
Outdoor pavilions typically have a closed roof and open walls, so they provide good shelter from outdoor elements like sun and heat, rain and wind. They can be designed and built in various sizes, shapes, styles and materials, so it’s easy to create a structure that comfortably fits the size of your yard and enhances the beauty of your home and landscape. Take a look at five popular Bergen County backyard pavilion ideas.
Poolside Pavilions
For most Northern New Jersey homeowners, a poolside pavilion is the most popular type of backyard pavilion in Bergen County. It provides an outdoor space for pool parties and allows a perfect area for swimmers to escape the hot sun or relax after a long swim. Swimmers can dry off and relax in the pavilion and change clothes before heading home or back to the house.
Most poolside pavilions are located adjacent to the pool for easy access. Simple pavilions usually have comfortable seating with few amenities, but some may have storage areas for fresh towels and pool supplies. To create privacy and a place to change clothes, poolside pavilions often have panels or draperies that can be drawn when needed.
More luxurious poolside pavilions often have outdoor fireplaces that provide cozy atmosphere and warmth for swimmers, especially welcome on cool days and chilly evenings. If the pavilion is large enough, it may also be used for outdoor dining and include great amenities like an outdoor kitchen, wet bar, large screen TV and surround sound system.
The style and size of your backyard poolside pavilion will be determined by your lifestyle needs and your budget, so it’s important to give some thought to how you intend to use your poolside pavilion before you decide to build.
Garden Pavilions
For Bergen County homeowners who don’t have a backyard swimming pool, a garden pavilion provides a quiet retreat to enjoy the beauty of nature. Garden pavilions are great outdoor features that showcase lush, beautiful landscapes.
Imagine sitting in a tranquil garden setting where you can look at a beautiful rose garden, listen to the sound of birds chirping and watch colorful butterflies flutter through your landscape. By building a garden backyard pavilion in Bergen County, you can enjoy the beauty of nature year-round.
Garden pavilions put the focus on landscaping, so creating a lush, healthy backyard landscape is essential. Whether you prefer the look of a casual, rambling garden with lilac and sunflowers or a well-maintained, formal yard with boxwoods and azaleas, a garden pavilion will add unique ambiance to your landscape.
What better way to relax than in a beautiful garden pavilion surrounded by colorful blooms, aromatic scents and the soothing sounds of nature?
Patio Pavilions
Not all outdoor pavilions are located in the backyard. Some are built over an existing patio area that’s adjacent to the house. These pavilions are separate structures, but often look like they are part of the main house because the size, style and materials used enhance existing architectural designs and features.
Many patio pavilions built next to the house have folding doors or movable walls that open up completely across the patio area. This creates the illusion of more indoor space and the appearance that the pavilion structure is actually attached to the main house.
If you have a patio or terrace area that’s located in the yard rather than next to the house, you can still build a beautiful backyard pavilion in Bergen County over the area.
When choosing a design style, building materials and colors, it’s important to choose things that complement your home’s style and features. For added appeal and safety, build outdoor walkways in those same materials that connect your remote patio or terrace to your house.
Beautiful stone or brick walkways will add color and texture to your landscape and create the illusion of more depth in your backyard.
Dining Pavilions
Outdoor pavilions create a perfect setting for dining with family and friends. They offer a cozy atmosphere and a comfortable outdoor space where you can dine outdoors year-round. By adding an outdoor kitchen to your pavilion, you can create a private backyard area with convenient amenities for cooking, dining and cleanup without going back and forth to the indoor kitchen.
Outdoor kitchens can be designed to include state-of-the-art amenities such as grills, refrigerators, ice makers, sinks, dishwashers, wine coolers, beer kegerators and storage compartments for cooking utensils, cookware and dinnerware.
If you build a Bergen County backyard pavilion that focuses on outdoor dining, make sure your pavilion is large enough to accommodate your dinner guests. Consider a dining table that’s large enough to seat at least 10 people and comfortable chairs that are easy to move around.
Since pavilions have open walls, choose outdoor fabrics that are designed to withstand outdoor elements. Outdoor fabrics are fade-resistant, water-resistant and stain-resistant, so they perform well in year-round weather conditions.
For privacy and shelter from sun, rain and wind, consider outdoor draperies or movable panels that you can close when needed. You will also need adequate lighting if you plan to dine in your pavilion after dark.
Enclosed Pavilions
Typically, outdoor pavilions have closed roofs and open walls, but there’s nothing to prevent you from making modifications that offer added benefits. The fall and winter seasons in Northern NJ bring cold temperatures and considerable rainfall.
To use your backyard pavilion in Bergen County throughout the year, you may want to enclose your pavilion so it stays warmer. Here are some great options:
Glass Walls
For added warmth and protection from rain and wind, you can enclose your pavilion with low or full-height glass walls. You’ll stay warmer during fall and winter weather, and you won’t lose the view of your house and landscape.
Moveable Walls
If you build a large square or rectangular pavilion, you can add sliding or folding doors on the longest sides. You can close them on cool days and evenings during fall and winter and open them during spring and summer.
Outdoor Draperies
For a less expensive option and a casual appearance, movable screens, fabric panels and draperies work well to create more warmth and privacy. Outdoor fabrics can add interesting colors, textures and patterns to your pavilion space.
If you’re looking for a way to get outdoors year-round and enjoy outdoor activities, a backyard pavilion in Bergen County is the perfect solution. It will create great opportunities for outdoor enjoyment, as well as unique appeal for your home and landscape.
Outdoor features, like pavilions, pergolas and gazebos, add a comfortable, inviting atmosphere to any backyard and typically increase property values for most homeowners.
For outdoor pavilion design ideas, talk to the professionals at Borst Landscape & Design. We can design and build a beautiful backyard pavilion that accommodates your outdoor needs and enhances the beauty of your home and landscape. Whether you have a spacious backyard or one with limited space, we can build the perfect outdoor pavilion for your Bergen County home.