Guide To Modern Gazebo Design
If you don’t know much about gazebos, you may think of the traditional octagonal or circular-shaped structures you often see in old parks or gardens. And while those are certainly nice, gazebo design has come a long way over the years. As trends in construction have shifted from expressionism, filled with curves and non-symmetrical items, to a modern form filled with new materials and the simplicity of carefully-crafted angles, gazebo designs have evolved as well.
Although you can still come across plenty of gazebos shaped like an octagon with a circular roof, the more common gazebos constructed today are square or rectangular, with a roof made from a modern material such as steel.
What is a Gazebo?
Although gazebo design has evolved over time, the basic idea of what a gazebo is hasn’t changed. Gazebos are open-air structures supported by columns and containing a roof, helping to provide shade and protect its occupants from adverse weather.
Gazebos have existed for thousands of years and have a variety of purposes. Whether it’s growing garden items, providing a shady retreat from the heat, serving as an entertaining space, or storing items such as grills, furniture and even cars under the safety of a roofed structure, a gazebo is both a stylish and functional addition to an outdoor space.
Modern Gazebo Layout
Traditional gazebos were often circular or octagonal in shape with a set of support columns around the outside and a roof on top. These gazebos often had short “walls” on a majority of the sides that were essentially fences, forcing entry and exit to a designated spot or side.
Modern gazebos are often simpler. They are usually square or rectangular, incorporating angles into the design. They are typically four or six-column structures with a roof and contain no walls, allowing entry from all sides.
They are usually made from wood or metal, and the layout allows them to be either small, intimate structures or large ones that are several hundred square feet.
Modern Gazebo Roofs
A big change to modern gazebo design has come in the form of the roof. Traditional gazebo roofs were often extravagant, dome-shaped structures that varied widely from gazebo to gazebo. They were often made out of wood and covered with shingles, similar to what you would see on many of today’s modern houses.
Today’s gazebo roofs are much simpler, but they’re much stronger and add to the functionality of the structure. Rather than being made of wood or other materials that could give way to weather events such as strong winds or heavy snow loads, the best roofs are usually made from strong metal such as steel.
In addition, there are typically three roofing styles that maximize efficiency while keeping with a modern architectural style:
Hip roofs: These roofs consist of pieces that meet at a ridge on top and slope downward to meet the tops of the columns on all four sides.
Peak roofs: These roofs consist of two sloping pieces rising from the two longest sides of the gazebo and meeting at the top to form a ridge. These are different from hip roofs because the smaller sides have support beams between the top of the columns and the ridge, allowing for another style element.
Slope roofs: These roofs are almost flat across the top, but are built at a slight angle to prevent rain from settling on top.
All three styles are functional in that they drain rainwater. And our gazebo roofs hold up to 30” of snow!
Transform Your Outdoor Space with a Modern Gazebo
If you’re ready to give your patio, garden or yard a makeover, why not a modern gazebo?
We have modern four and six-column gazebos made from either cedar or galvanized steel. Cedar is among the sturdiest woods, while steel is an extremely strong metal. In addition, our roofs are steel, which is anywhere from 50-200 times as strong as other metals such as aluminum. We have hip, peak and slope roofs, so no matter your style, we have a modern option for you. We’re so confident in the strength and durability of our gazebos that we’ve PRO-TECT™ Tested and Proven them to withstand up to 100 mph winds and up to 30” of snow load, backed by our industry-leading five-year warranty.
Our modern cedar and steel gazebos come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 10 feet by 10 feet all the way up to 20 feet by 12 feet. In addition, we also make grill gazebos; smaller gazebos designed for cooking underneath. Most also come with our exclusive PowerPort™ feature, which allows you to charge devices, lights, blenders or anything else.
Spend quality time making memories outdoors with a modern gazebo today!
