Last Updated on June 6, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford
Does your backyard lack a centerpiece? There’s nothing wrong with just having a neat lawn, but there’s a lot to gain from erecting a pavilion. From giving your property a distinct appearance to providing enough shade for friends and family alike, there are many reasons to look into backyard pavilion ideas.
Benefits of Having a Backyard Pavilion
1) Adds Visual Interest
One of the primary advantages of a pavilion in your backyard is that it gives personality. Pavilions are designed to leave a grand first impression any individual. This is due to how easy it is to look at the overall structure — its open layout allows you to admire the posts and beams with one look.
2) Protection from Sun and Rain
People love the idea of going to their yard to sit back and read a good book. However, you can’t enjoy your time on your lawn if it suddenly gets too hot or a drizzle occurs. If you have a pavilion, you have a relatively big area where you can not only sit but also lie down without worrying about the weather.
The shingled roof design ensures that the blistering sunlight does not reach you. On a related note, a backyard pavilion gives you a place to stay and not worry about insects crawling around you. And if you need a bit of privacy, a good and natural solution would be to plant shrubs around the pavilion.
Related: 25 Sun Shade Ideas For Your Backyard
3) A Space for Activities
A backyard pavilion can be used for a wide variety of outdoor activities. Apart from the usual reading sessions in solitude, the area can become a favorite hangout place. All you need are a good set of seats, lights, and delicious food and drinks in the afternoon or early evening.
If you have a spacious pavilion, you can even add an outdoor kitchen complete with counters and refrigerators. Plus, it’s likely that a pavilion will increase the value of your property; prospective homeowners will see that there’s more to do if they decide to buy your area of residence.
Choosing the Construction Material
For backyard pavilions, there are two primary materials: wood and vinyl. Both of them offer several benefits. First, wooden pavilions give a rustic vibe that’s perfect for a place to relax. But this doesn’t mean that wood cannot be used for contemporary designs. After all, wood comes in different styles.
Premium solid woods have different looks. You can choose the light pine wood or choose walnut for a more dramatic flair. Beech and ash are also decent options for a light-colored pavilion while mahogany works best if you want a darker shade.
On the other hand, vinyl pavilions are popular for their sleek and modern appearance. They come in either white or ivory — and you can’t go wrong with either of these. Why? These light colors make it easy to add fixtures and pieces of furniture with varying designs. Lastly, they’re easy to maintain.
Types of Backyard Pavilion
Want to have a place where you can rest after spending hours under the scorching heat of the sun? How about a place where you and your family or friends can spend time talking about stuff that interests everyone or just simply to chill? If your answer to these questions is YES then having a pavilion, especially in your backyard is the perfect thing for you to consider!
There are different types of pavilions that you can do for your backyard. I will show you the commonly chosen pavilions that people have in their backyards.
1. Standard style
Simply elegant, this is what people usually comment on when they see a standard pavilion. This design goes well with a modern and rustic aesthetic. Because of its simplicity, it is easy to match with any home style, so no need to worry about stealing the spotlight of your home sweet home or your beautiful garden.
2. Hex Bell Roof Pavilion
This design has an elegant drape in the roof and its pillars are very classic. Homeowners love this for its sophistication and stunning design.
3. Customized Pavilion with a Fireplace
Yes, you can have a fireplace in your pavilion! But before you decide to have this in your backyard, know first the type of fireplaces for your pavilion.
a. Wood burning – The cheapest fireplace you can have. Bear in mind that you need to have a chimney for appropriate ventilation if you chose this.
b. Gas – This is a bit expensive as you need to install the gas lines and pay for the natural gas. But homeowners tend to choose this over wood burning, as they don’t have to store wood near the pavilion, no need to have a chimney and you have control of the size of the fire.
4. Alpine Pavilion
This is best for people who have an appreciation for old-world artistry and construction.
Now that you have some ideas of these beautiful and classy pavilions you may be wondering how much it costs to build one. In most cases, the average cost to build a pavilion is in between $3,000-$12,000. The estimated costs for the material is in between $1,000-$5,000, and labor ranges $2,000-3,000.
If the cost of labor is a bit high for you don’t worry because you can actually build a pavilion!
How to build a backyard pavilion?
The difficulty of building a pavilion depends on your choice. Three main choices include:
Pre-assembled – It is the most expensive yet easiest option there is. You can just order a ready-made pavilion to be placed in your backyard.
Ready-made – This is a great choice if you have some DIY skills and have a lot of time to showcase your creativity in designing your pavilion. All the sections needed to build your dream pavilion is already prepared and it comes with detailed instructions to easily assemble it.
Please consider having a second person to help you set up this ready-made pavilion as the materials are usually heavy and large.
Built from Scratch – And yes, it is not impossible to make a pavilion from scratch! But before doing this, make sure that you have an advanced carpentry skills. You can design and build it yourself and you can save more money but spend more time on it.
However, if you don’t have more time to spend making your pavilion but would rather have it made from scratch then you can hire someone to build it for you, all you need to give is your design and provide the materials then the workers will construct your pavilion for you.
33 Backyard Pavilions Ideas
If you want something more than a regular-looking pavilion, consider constructing a cupola. This is a tiny dome placed on top of the roof. It’s a small addition, but it allows more light and air to enter. Also, you can experiment with the posts — make them round or stick to a square shape but apply beveled edges.
Now that you have a good understanding of pavilion and how to build one, let’s get to some beautiful ideas of the pavilion.
#1. Metal roof wood gazebo
#2. Gazebo
#3. Pavilion Design with Mirrors
#4. Timber Frame Pavilion
#5-6. Ramadas
#7. Wood Patio Gazebo
#8. Traditional
#9. Contemporary
#10. Classic and Refined
More Pavilion Ideas
#17. Tunba house
#18. Grand backyard pavilion with kitchen, bar, and bathroom
#19. Arbor Outdoor Living
#20. Asian style
#21. With fire pit
#22. Douglas VanderHorn Architects
#23. Wooden Backyard Pavilion with a Brick Paver Patio
#30. Cottage style with wood gate
34. Poolside pavilion
If you have a pool at home, it is a good idea to have a pavilion near it. It will be useful for resting after swimming.
35. Add an Outdoor Kitchen in your Pavilion
It is one of the trends right now to have a kitchen in your pavilion. You can also complement it with the eating area to fully enjoy and make use of your outdoor living space.
36. Asian inspired
For a tiny area like this, a mattress plays well as a seating and sleeping area. The sheer white curtains ties over posts are also perfect for adding shade without fully enclosing the area.
37. Wooden pavilion
This relaxing pavilion houses an outdoor living room with the shade of grey seating and some unique furniture. It is great for family gatherings or enjoying time with friends.
38. Small pavilion
Pavilions do not have to be huge. Instead of making it as your main spotlight, why not just make it a tiny ornament in your beautiful and spacious backyard?
39. Whitewood pavilion
This white wood pavilion showcases a simple yet very functional pavilion.
40. Be playful with the roof
Show your creativity by making your roof for your pavilion. Like this one, it has an open roof and wooden posts that are covered in vines.
41. Hot tub Inspired Pavilion
This design allows you to enjoy a 360-degree view of your surroundings and the four sections can slide open to give natural ventilation.
42. Garden Pavilion
Yes, you can shower your pavilion with different flowers. You will feel like you are in a fairy tale with this classic design that blends well with the lush blooms of purple and pink flowers.
43. Rustic style pavilion
Make your pavilion more interesting by using worn and natural wood beams.
Make sure that you choose a pavilion that suits your taste and serves the purpose that you want it to. With many pavilions available out there, it is important to take some time thinking about it.
