AI can definitely play its role in design. It doesn’t just help you visualize your ideas; sometimes, it straight-up hands you ideas you hadn’t even thought of. That’s what happened when I first played around with a modern pergola concept using the square cell lattice. The result? Total win. People loved it, and honestly, so did I.
So I figured, why stop there? I’m keeping the modern square lattice vibe going, but this time, I’m pushing things a little further to see just how creative we (me + AI) can get. And don’t worry, these aren’t just pretty renderings. The designs you’re about to see, they’re 100% real-life buildable. No sci-fi floating structures here.
Now, why square cell lattice? Because it leans into that clean, modern look (vs. the diamond cell that offers a more rustic look).
You can actually make this square lattice element happen in your own build. Whether you use pre-made lattice panels from the hardware store or custom frame your own, you’ve got options. You can keep it flat and simple, or go for a 3D layered look that adds depth and brings that high-end designer appeal.
Let’s look at some of the design ideas I’ve come up with, I think you’ll love them. There are some attached to a house and some standalone pergola designs in this selection, and also some with a fireplace incorporated.
Depending on how the roof is constructed, you could potentially get away with supporting the roof using just two partial walls, with no corner post – like you see above. Of course, you’d definitely want to run that by an engineer first. The contrast between the natural wood wall on the left and the black-painted, latticed glass wall on the right adds a really nice modern touch.
If you’re removing the right partial wall (as shown above), then you’re definitely going to need a corner support column.
The below eight designs are for the attached pergolas.
In these partially enclosed pergola designs, decide on which side of a pergola you prefer to keep open (photo above vs. below).
You may choose to have one wall partial, with a corner column for additional roof support – see below.
Visualize different size square cells, small and larger, with different looks.
If you’re planning a larger seating area or more furniture, you might want a more enclosed pergola to enhance the feeling of comfort.
The next two are detached pergola ideas.
Beautiful and cozy.
The above photo showcases a pergola combined with a backyard office.
This next batch of ideas is where I’ve incorporated an outdoor fireplace into pergola designs.
A detached pergola idea with a built-in wood-burning fireplace chimney.
An attached pergola idea with an outdoor wood-burning fireplace built into a house wall.
The two designs below are chimney-less meaning that your fireplace would have to be biofuel or electric faux fireplace.
Below are examples of how AI can help you visualize the exact elements that you may want to add, change, or remove from your pergola design. These next three designs are very similar and different at the same time.
These next three designs have glass-covered lattice walls.
