Outdoor shaded areas: how to create and make the most of them

The outdoor shaded areas are a very important part of your garden or terrace, which you should make the most of. By furnishing your outdoor shaded areas with attention and criteria, it will be possible to create a space sheltered from the rays of the sun, where you can enjoy moments of relaxation and carefree moments with family and friends, during the spring and summer days.

Sometimes our garden or terrace has no shade or is sheltered from the sun; in these circumstances we will ask ourselves how to shade the terrace? In this article we will give you some important advice regarding the enhancement and furnishing of your shaded outdoor spaces.

Shaded space with gazebo

The gazebo represents a very common solution used by many people to create a shaded space sheltered from the sun in their outdoor environments. The gazebo is characterized by a light structure (usually made of metal or wood) and covered at the top. This type of furniture is easily removable and being open on the sides, it will not adhere to other buildings.

Usually these structures are characterized by a load-bearing structure made of wrought iron, aluminium, structural wood or masonry. A gazebo can be a fixed structure or alternatively have a temporary character.

Which cover should I choose for an outdoor gazebo?

If you intend to set up and install a gazebo in the open space of a period house, located in the town centre or in the countryside, it is best to prefer a minimalist, clean and linear design, giving your spaces an idea of modernity.

In this regard, our roofing advice is to use the colour white or graphite.

In more modern furnishing contexts and where there is no need to create a particularly sturdy cover, you can instead resort to solutions of a gazebo or pergola with wheels, to move the structure easily to the desired point.

Shaded space with pergola

The pergola is also a particularly light structure, usually made of wood or metal. This structure is open on at least three sides and at the top. Just like the gazebo, the pergola has no foundations and is therefore easy to remove.

A pergola also consists of a scaffolding made up of vertical uprights and horizontal elements. The purpose and purpose of this structure is to create a shaded area in an open space, with the help of plants, climbing plants, straw, or sheets that must be easily removable.

If there is a fixed roof at the top of a pergola, in this case we can no longer speak of a pergola but of a canopy: this distinction is very important for the purposes of the building rules for the installation of this type of structure.

Shaded area with tent

Even a tent can be a simple solution to create a shaded area in an existing outdoor space, such as a balcony, terrace or garden.

Shaded space with pergotenda

The pergotenda is a structure that can be qualified as outdoor furniture, if it is of modest dimensions. This furniture is by nature very similar to a curtain, since it is characterized by a light and easily removable structure. The pergotende are usually made of metal and are covered with the help of a sheet (sometimes retractable to pack) of straw or bamboo.

It is possible to install a pergotten without the need for masonry work, since its structure is made up of light elements, assembled together and such as to make it possible to remove them, after dismantling and not demolition operations.

As far as the installation of a parchment in outdoor areas is concerned, it should be specified that it is one of the free building interventions, since it is an extremely light structure characterised by the presence of retractable curtains that do not alter the shape of the building. Also for this reason this solution is excellent for those who wonder how to cover the terrace or garden from the sun. 

Roofing of a pergotten

As far as the roofs of a parchment are concerned, they can be made with aluminium slats or with the aid of a simple waterproof sheet. If you decide to opt for a cover with aluminium slats, adjusting their inclination will allow you to find the right balance between light, ventilation and temperature, so as to obtain maximum comfort.

For the installation of the different roofing structures to create a shaded area in your outdoor spaces, it is always a good idea to refer to regional and municipal building regulations, for more information and details on all interventions subject to free building.

Building regulations for terrace or garden structures

In the previous paragraph, after describing the different garden ideas for creating a shaded area in your open space, we have mentioned the regulations: before choosing any installation in our open space it is always important to pay the utmost attention to the regulations in force in your Region and Municipality of residence.

The regulations that you will have to consider and take into account in order to establish the appropriate housing title, for example for the installation of a gazebo in your spaces, are the provisions of the Building Regulations and the national regulations, if the area of intervention falls within constraints such as the landscape.

For the installation of a gazebo in your outdoor areas it is good to distinguish first of all between temporary and non-fixed gazebos and gazebos permanently affixed to the ground. For the installation of a temporary gazebo it is not necessary to be in possession of any residential title. In the case of a gazebo permanently affixed to the ground it will be necessary to apply for a Building Permit.

It is also important to specify that it is necessary to have a landscape permit for the following works:

• Porches, canopies, garden kiosks of a permanent type and open on several sides, with an area not exceeding 30 square metres.
• Accessories or technical volumes characterised by a volume emerging above ground, not exceeding 30 square metres.

How to light a pergola or gazebo

Lighting represents a crucial aspect in the furnishing of any space, even in the case of an outdoor shaded space. How can the garden be illuminated at no or relatively low cost?

Here are some ideas and inspirations for lighting a pergola or a gazebo in a modern garden, so that you can enjoy your outdoor spaces even during the evening hours.

The best choice to light a gazebo in an effective and inexpensive way, involves the use of LEDs: these are the perfect solution to save on electricity costs and at the same time provide you with excellent lighting quality.

Although the initial costs of installing LED lights are certainly higher than those that characterize the installation of a normal lighting system, over time the initial expenditure of resources will be amortized by the small costs in the bill.

LED lights do not emit U.V.A. and U.V.B. radiation. Lastly, these lights are ecological and certainly attract far fewer insects than traditional lights.

As an alternative to LED lights you can decide to light a gazebo or a pergola with a traditional chandelier, obviously if the structure of your installation allows it. In this case you can install a pendant chandelier, able to project the light exactly above the table inside the structure. In this way you will have the right lighting to dine outdoors or spend moments of total relaxation with family and friends.

Finally, you can decide to install a row of lamps in your gazebo or pergola: in this case it is a contemporary solution that has been used a lot in recent years, since it is very suggestive and of great visual and scenic effect. Also in this case excellent lighting standards will be guaranteed.