No. 19 Pergolas · Desert & Southwest
Poolside Timber Cabana with Curtains
A poolside timber cabana with beige curtains and daybed seating sits on flagstone paving alongside a swimming pool with submerged loungers on a tanning ledge beside desert cactus planting.
Design notes
Desert and Southwest design is shade, earth and sky. Look for stucco or adobe in earthy tones, flat roofs with deep overhangs, decomposed granite and gravel instead of lawn, and planting of agave, yucca, saguaro, ocotillo, palo verde and desert wildflowers. Corten steel, concrete and rammed earth handle the sun; ramadas, shade sails and pergolas make midday usable; and lighting stays low so the stars can compete.
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




