New Pergola!

I really miss our screened porch. For some time, I've been hoping to make part of our deck seem more room-like.

Last week I did a little shopping and asked on the An Inch of Gray Facebook page which of these we should keep, and which we should return:

1) 11 ft solar telescoping umbrella from Bed Bath and Beyond

Or

2) 9.5 x 9.5 Metal Pergola from Home Depot.

Well, 100% of the respondents picked the PERGOLA and Tim and two friends assembled it on Saturday. They secured it to the deck with bolts.

I am in love!

Definitely the right choice, even with one caveat.

Here's the thing:

It looks terrific, but it doesn't provide any rain protection for our furniture. I don't like heading to the deck in the morning with the doggies and my tea and getting a wet rear end from rain and dew. The kind of tent/canopy I was looking for originally would have provided rain protection, but none would fit on the side of the deck.

Here are two examples of what I originally wanted, but were just too big for the only rectangular space on our deck.

So, with our deck size/shape, it was either pergola (and only sun protection) or umbrella (rain and sun protection, but the potential for it to blow away).

Go, Team Pergola!

It makes such a cozy space, and we have eaten dinner there the past few nights. It's going to be a great place to sit with a cold beer. Truthfully,  on the hottest Virginia days, it will be too hot, and on rainy days it's a no go as well. But that doesn't mean I'm not smiling every time I walk by and look at it!

Ta-Da!

Shade cover pulled back:

 Bigger view of deck:

I'd love to add a rug, but Tim is against having a wet rug sit on a wet deck. As you can see, we need to re-stain the deck. Thoughts?


P.S.

If you like the look of a pergola and have an even smaller deck area, this (8 x 8 one) might work for you: