No. 55 Pergolas · Mediterranean
Timber Pergola with Poolside Daybeds
Beside a rectangular pool, a rustic timber pergola shades poolside daybeds on terracotta pavers, overlooking a Mediterranean Spanish Revival house with white stucco, arches, and terracotta roof tiles.
Design notes
Mediterranean design is about shade and thick walls. Look for stucco in warm neutrals, terracotta or travertine underfoot, arches and loggias that throw deep shadow, and gravel courtyards rather than lawn. Water is small and central — a fountain, a rill, a tiled spa — and planting is drought-tolerant: olives, cypress, lavender, rosemary and bougainvillea. Wrought iron, blue-and-white tile and a long table under vines finish the picture.
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





