Living on a busy street, working with less than 300 square feet — an arbor will turn a previously underutilized space into a warm and winsome front entry, a garden to be admired, or a concealed haven.

Imagine being nestled in the comfort of your own personalized paradise with an arbor you have always dreamed of. With this arbor guide, you can now dream with your eyes open and glean some useful tips to build your own arbor.

In the many years of designing and fabricating outdoor living environments, we have found that when most people are wanting an arbor they are often looking for an aesthetically pleasing accent to the larger outdoor living shelters.  And, it makes perfect sense. Used with a cabana, pavilion, pergola, or gazebo — arbors do draw the eyes to include more of the surrounding landscape for a larger composition.

Arbors act as an open invitation, a grand entrance, gateway, guide, or destination.

In essence, arbors — often harmonized with a trellis — give more artistic license to orchestrate  the entirety of a yarded area.

William Strachey —one of America’s first historians— recorded in 1612 that the houses of Virginia were “like gardein arbours.” From the earliest records that describe what an arbor is, as, with other shade shelters, it is like trying to define "house." A house serves the purpose of a place to live, but are distinctly set in time by its style, material, and how it is used. For some American Indians, a transportable teepee was home — for someone else, their residence may be a houseboat or a skyscraper apartment, etc.

Over the last seventy years, the classifying of shade shelters and architectural garden structures —are by in large— been formalized into distinct categories of what characteristics define an arbor as an arbor, a pergola — a pergola, or a pavilion — a pavilion, etc.

All in all, this makes talk of outdoor living shelters straightforward and understanding others a little simpler. Arbors, though, have a bit of a curveball that challenges its trademark and imitates its imprint —and that is: the trellis.

ShadeScape® Trellis Kit #TimberFrameTrellis

To give a full range of useful tips and ideas to how you can build the arbor you always wanted — there is just no other way around it — the trellis must be included.

Trellises are unique from arbors, sometimes featured as a latticework, wall, fence, or extension of a gazebo, pavilion or pergola. And it is often partnered with an arbor.  But what makes arbors and trellises so inseparable are the roles each of these fine art of garden shelters play. Trellises enable a landscape designer to build upon the constitution of the landscape as a whole, forming entryways, gateways, guides, or destinations — and so do arbors. In some projects, arbors and trellises have had so many shared characteristics — technically it could be classed as both —a trellis and an arbor.

Arbor Outdoor Living & Landscape Ideas Plus 22 Tips To Start Building Your Dream Arbor

People are enamored with tall things, spaces with height, stature, and elevation. It is why people travel the globe just to stand in awe of towering monuments, naturally formed or man-made by aspirant geniuses. In an outdoor room, where the ceiling is the sky, an arbor sets vertical lines in horizontal surroundings. It gives a place for the eyes to go upwards for a stronger presence — a sense of grandeur.

Tip #1 — Plan Your Arbor to Give the Impression of Increased Height

For added height keep everything vertical. Even though there is no fixed ceiling, view the outdoor space as an indoor room. Keep in mind, higher ceilings cause a room to feel spacious and widespread while lower ceilings will either feel cozy or closed in.

Whenever something is taller than it is wide it will create an illusion of height. The greater the difference is between length versus width, the more outstanding the effect is. It is also dependent upon the flow and size of the area. Smaller spaces will produce a stronger monumental bearing. Choose low-profile furniture, with shorter backs to advance the impression of additional height.

Tip #2 — For Formalistic Form

The width of a gateway is governed in part by its use and available space. Dependent upon the overall layout — in general — a wider gate will have a more affluent appeal. If you are looking to give your gate formal flair, widen the opening.

The above Theme Park massive gate plan has an extra-tall wicket door on either side of the double gate. A wicket gate is a pedestrian door built within a wall, fence, or door as seen on the right ShadeScape® Theme Park Gate Plan. Wicket doors can be a door within a door such as a doggy door or a pedestrian door built into an extra-wide gate or wall. In this way, a wicket door can give the formality of an expanded opening and include the benefits of a narrower alternative door or passageway.

Tip #3 — Lighten the Weight

Double gate doors aren’t just to give you an up-scale look, they are also for practical purposes as well. Wider gate openings allow for things such as moving garbage cans, a lawnmower or wheelbarrow.

If the gate needs to be extra-wide, opting for a double-door will lighten the weight.

Arbors frame and enhance an existing gate or leading up to a gate. It is also easy to install and arbor with the intent to add a gate at a later date. A single door gate bears a cozier, cottage style aura.

Typically, on smaller structures such as arbors, a swing gate is sufficient as it will not swing out that far. The only time you will see a slide or rolling gate on an arbor would be if it was integrated with a fence or wall and there was some advantage — such as a tight space — for the gate to slide parallel to the fence line. For larger areas, slide gates are often easier to open and close. If it involves an extra expansive opening, the gate could be geared with remote control — for automated back and forth slide.

Gates set within a trellis wall such as seen in this ShadeScape® DIY trellis plan are a fine example of when a rolling gate is a plus. Installing latticed screens on the trellis will still allow the light to get in while giving additional privateness.

Cantilevered roofs expand the shade for all-day protection — and it can be tastefully designed to give extra protection, on any or every side.

People have a natural fascination with fire and all its enticing, illuminating glow. If you already have an existing fireplace or fire pit you are already well on your way to an even better outdoor living area with a trellis. Light of the fire pit or fireplace lengthens the time to be together out of doors.

To really increase the entice and illuminating glow — put in color-changing lights. It has long been understood by architects and artists that color not only generates a certain atmosphere but it also affects emotions and mood.

Green is calming and reduces stress. Blue is also calming. Yellow is a happy color and red increases energy. Whatever colors that brings you delight will create a happier ambiance with your firelight.

Lighting can be added in many ways. Western makes it easy with a ShadeScape® trellis kit. All ShadeScape® kits can be drilled for power or upgraded with a TimberVolt® power post.

Placement and distance is an important factor. Aim your movie screen in the best possible direction for the least amount of light. The sun is the brightest of all lights so plan where you want your trellis or arbor to suit your movie viewing without the glare. Add some hanging curtains, permanent or folding walls, that will block light. Additionally, look for other light sources that can be turned off. When placing your shelter, consider every angle. Will light from the kitchen window or the street be distracting? Yes, a kitchen light can be turned off but not the streetlights.

Note: If you are near a pool, make sure your arbor outdoor theater will be installed far enough away from the "splash zone."

There are dozens of inspiring ideas and designs for creating a gorgeous garden pathway whether it be wood, flagstone, concrete pavers, grass or the natural earth.  Creating a portal with an arbor gives a sense of order. Garden and landscape portals are timeless — a nostalgic, reminiscence of our Old English and Early American heritage — and a first-class modern architectural showpiece.

Walkways, pathways, entryways — they all lead to someplace else. But what about the journey itself? That is all part of the adventure. The dynamics and dimensions and style of an arbor or trellis cover can completely change the dynamics of a landscape. Lights are always beneficial to a walkway, pathway or entryway for protection, and charming ambiance but only at night.

As stated earlier, arbors are an open invitation, a grand entrance, a gateway, a guide to a destination. Framing an entryway with an arbor brings balance and definition to the panorama. Western Timber Frame™ garden arbors and trellises add an inviting feel to a garden and make it easy to accentuate with hanging baskets, pots or growing boxes.

It might not even be a pathway, but an entrance to a garden, yard divide, or a designated area. In a sense, arbors are the doors and trellises are the walls that frame the outside world, we love to be in.

Top a fence, concrete posts, or wall or other existing responsible architectural structures with a trellis or arbor. This DIY arbor plan was designed for a concrete wall over an entrance. It is built to give quite a bit of coverage over the area as seen from the top view on the plan.

On the trellis and arbor plan here, it is the mono-pitched shed roof — also referred to as a pent roof, lean-to roof or skillion roof is sloped only on one single side. There is an array of roof design options for creating beautiful architectural arbors and trellises. Just as a pergola or pavilion, an arbor or trellis can sport a roof style that will best suit the space in the way it will be used. There are many more roof ideas. If you would like, check out this: 24 roof ideas to get you started.

There are so few days that are as sentimental or more beautiful than your wedding day. A timber frame arbor is an impactful and elegant composition creating an obvious focal point for the bride and groom. The solid wood timbers are also extremely easy to decorate with wedding decor.

Timber frame ShadeScape® wedding arbors, gazebos, pavilions, and pergolas are impressive architectural masterpieces enjoyed long after the ceremonies are over. In all reality, your future great-great-grandchildren could be married beneath the same wedding arbor, gazebo, pavilion or pergola they played under as kids.

Of the thousands of ideas, you don’t see exactly what you are looking for, that is the beauty of a ShadeScape® shelter. You can discuss your ideas and how you envision your wedding arbor to be with a Design Manager. Our Design Managers know the industry and with your suggestions, they can pull your project together.

ShadeScape® wedding arbor kits are at times, set up for temporary wedding vow renewal cover – in indoors and outdoors settings – and then at a later date, installed to its permanent location.

A free-standing uninstalled arbor works perfectly because of Western Timber Frame's patented The Dovetail Difference® design.

Finding the right poolside shade might not always seem that easy, however, trellises are ideal. Surprising though it may be, trellises can provide quite a lot of shade while taking up very little space. Installing your own poolside trellis will make life a lot easier than hanging onto portable pool shade covers that get blown and broken down in the wind.

The border outlines the property, the real or artificial line that separates your landscape from that of next-door resident or real estate. Boundaries separate, dividing or enclosing areas for specific purposes or guides.

With some creativity, perhaps some potted plants or vines, your trellis will turn a city terrace or urban space into a garden, rather than barren rooftop. A city garden with timber trellises gives quick coverage and conceals the view of unsightly walls or buildings.

Latticed trellises are fantastic for screening or concealing wherever it is needed. It is also an excellent structure to adhere to or enhance with memorabilia, artifacts or pieces that bring you everyday delight.

If you delight in antiques, a timber frame outdoor trellis makes an excellent backdrop. Instill a nostalgic reminiscence feel by placing some signature pieces around with some splash of wildflowers. Bring on the pleasant scents of flowers and herbs and surround yourself in an aromatic retreat. Draw in some geometric patterns and stimulating textures. Put up curtains, hang wind chimes, potted plants with dynamic shapes. Build it to please your personality and interests.

The garden is the perfect canvas for trellises to paint in interest, add richness while giving wind protection. Garden trellises are timeless — even a small trellis delightfully enhances a humble garden. A garden trellis is also a problem-solver. It hides an adjacent building or unattractive view — is a foundation for vines and vertical gardening.

The customary usage of garden trellises is for vertical gardening. With some creative imagination, plan your garden to sculpt in some beautiful geometric patterns. Also, design your trellises with your plants in mind. For shade or sun-loving plants, it provides as much shade or sunlight you want and is all in the design and location.

Inspire your colorful foliage, ruffled leaves and other horticulture lovelies with a garden arbor. Garden arbors are not particularly designed for vertical gardening but it easily can be. Simply install lattices or potted walls. Like the garden trellis, an arbor gives shade — more especially overhead shelter for plants that need some protection from the sun.

Install a trellis for a backdrop to a work of art, an arbor bench seat, bed, table or swing into some previously unremarkable area and it will turn a garden to be admired, to double as a cozy reading corner, chess or mini pickleball table, or any other activity your family enjoys. Hang a punching bag... paint a hopscotch pad...encourage mind and body exercise.

Life is movement. Invite animation and motion. Liveliness could also come from the subtle effect of birdhouses. Provide for the birds and bring some music to a rediscovered patch of earth. The oscillation of a water fountain would help drown out sounds while acting as a natural humidifier. Interacting not only instills a sense of care and value throughout the property as a whole but it strengthens our vital connection to the earth and childlike love for the outdoors.

Give a destination targeted expectations with dual-purpose.

At Western Timber Frame™ we customize for the uniqueness and expansion of businesses and recreational purposes. From beautiful timber entryways to massive shade shelters — we can do what will suit your needs.

Arbor and/or trellises offer a quick and ever so easy renovation, alteration, or addition to an existing storefront, or business setting without slowing down or detouring some business while under construction. ShadeScape® timber arbor and trellis shelters are a quick and durable solution that — as stated previously — can be installed in most cases, in as little as ONE Afternoon.

Meet Your Design Manager

Your Design Manager will also ensure that the design is within your budget and time constraints. He will spearhead your project so that it is aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.