What to Put Under a Pergola
A pergola gives you a sheltered, defined space, and what you put under it decides what the space is for. From an outdoor kitchen and bar to a dining set, a lounge or a hot tub, this guide runs through the best options and what each one needs.
The short answer
The most popular things to put under a pergola are an outdoor kitchen and bar, a dining set, a lounge seating area, a hot tub, and a mounted TV for sport and films. What you choose comes down to how you want to use the space, and a solid roof overhead makes any of them usable in more weather. Some options, a hot tub especially, need proper planning for weight, base and services.
Match it to how you will use it
For entertaining
An outdoor kitchen and bar
A dining set for eating outside
A mounted TV for sport and films
Festoon or string lighting
For relaxing
Lounge or sofa seating
A hot tub or spa
Heaters for cooler evenings
Planters and greenery
The best things to put under a pergola
An outdoor kitchen and bar
The most popular choice. A counter, storage and a sink turn the space into a proper outdoor kitchen, and a bar-height counter makes it a spot for guests to gather. A solid roof keeps the cooking and serving area dry, so you are not chased inside by a shower.
A dining space
A table and chairs under a pergola gives you sheltered outdoor dining you can use through more of the year. The overhead cover means the furniture stays usable in light rain and out of the midday sun.
A lounge or seating area
Sofas, a corner set or a couple of loungers turn the space into an outdoor room to relax in. It is the simplest option and works well when the pergola is more about unwinding than hosting.
A hot tub or spa
A pergola makes a great cover for a hot tub, but plan it carefully. A filled tub is very heavy, so the base must be built to take the load, and the electrics and water need to be installed to the tub manufacturer's guidance by a qualified installer. Get that right and a sheltered hot tub is a genuine luxury.
A TV and entertainment setup
A mounted screen makes the space a garden sports bar and cinema. A solid roof shelters the screen and cuts glare. Our guide to putting a TV under a pergola covers the screen, mounting and power in detail.
Lighting and finishing touches
Whatever you put underneath, lighting makes it usable after dark and planters and soft furnishings finish the look. Our guide to lighting a pergola walks through the layers.
If the outdoor kitchen and bar option appeals, the Lumina Aluminium Pergola Kitchen does it for you in one unit: a bar counter, storage, and a stainless steel sink and tap under a solid wood-effect steel roof, so the kitchen and bar are built in rather than added afterwards.
Common questions
What can you put under a pergola?
Common choices are an outdoor kitchen and bar, a dining set, lounge seating, a hot tub and a mounted TV. What suits you depends on whether you want to cook, dine, relax or entertain.
Can you put a hot tub under a pergola?
Yes, and it makes a great cover, but plan it properly. A filled tub is very heavy, so the base must take the load, and the electrics and water must be installed to the manufacturer's guidance by a qualified installer.
Can you put a kitchen under a pergola?
Yes. A counter, storage and a sink make a full outdoor kitchen, and a solid roof keeps the area dry. Some pergolas, like the Lumina, come with the kitchen and bar built in.
Can you put a TV and sofa under a pergola?
Yes. A mounted screen and lounge seating turn the space into an outdoor room for sport and films. A solid roof shelters the screen and the furniture.
Do you need a solid roof for what goes underneath?
A solid roof is not essential for everything, but it makes far more of it usable in poor weather, and it is important for anything you want to keep dry, such as a kitchen, a TV or soft furnishings.
A pergola with the kitchen built in
The Pergula Lumina comes with a bar counter, storage and a stainless steel sink under a solid wood-effect steel roof, ready to ship from UK stock.
