Skip to content

No. 84 Pergolas · Japanese & Zen

Louvered Roof Pergola Over Outdoor Kitchen

In a Japanese courtyard, a pergola with a louvered roof shelters a covered outdoor kitchen and cedar screens beside timber decking, maples, moss, and raked gravel.

Design notes

Japanese and zen design work by subtraction. Look for a few well-placed stones, raked gravel or moss instead of lawn, a Japanese maple or black pine pruned to show its structure, a stone basin or still pond, and timber and bamboo screens that hide the rest of the yard. Paths are stepping stones set to slow you down; colours are green, grey and charcoal with one seasonal flash of red.

What to look for

  • Clearance under the beams — 8 to 10 feet feels right
  • Slat spacing and orientation against the afternoon sun
  • Posts placed outside the furniture, never through it
0 Comments

Get the look

Collections featuring this pergola

All pergola collections

More to explore

More pergolas like this

See all pergolas

Switch rabbit holes

Browse everything