Restaurant Outdoor Dining Areas Benefit from Classic Pergolas

With so much competition between restaurants to attract customers and offer something unique, more are turning to outdoor dining as the centerpiece to the experience. Who doesn’t enjoy the ambiance of quiet outdoor meal, away from the noisy and bustling interior? It certainly beats going to another restaurant with walls covered with fake memorabilia or cute pictures of someone else’s grandparents in an overly forced effort to be fun! Like the interior of a restaurant, outdoor décor requires planning and thought. Will it be simple umbrellas or something more sophisticated and attractive? A simple way to create a unique and classy dining atmosphere is with a pergola. From modern, straight vinyl pergolas to a Mediterranean styled cedar pergola, the functionality and possibilities are endless! First the pergola will be unique to the restaurant. For a relatively small expense, the structure will provide some shade and lots of style. Any hot dog stand is able to use a colored umbrella. Add vines, plants or hang other décor accessories from the pergola and your outdoor world is taking shape. A great addition to the pergola is a motorized awning, so rain or even a noon sun can’t interrupt lunch! The shade awnings should be cut specially for the pergolas and the colors should also blend with the restaurant. Be a little daring with color—not everyone can go with classic Kelley green! One design feature to pay special attention to are the columns. Columns make the pergola! Large round columns complete the Tuscan look. Straight and square columns add the clean, modern look. Use cedar for more rustic applications. The pergola top may attach directly to a wall, only using columns on the opposite side. The pergola columns may be anchored to brick columns, a concrete patio or even to a wooden deck. The project is straight forward and simple. Choosing the style and maintaining a great wine list is the hard part!