20 Gazebo Ideas for the Prettiest Backyard of All Time
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If you’re a Sound of Music fan, you’ll appreciate a good gazebo moment as much as a dress made from some old drapes. There’s that scene when Liesl and Rolf twirl and leap across a gazebo’s benches (we all know how that one ended). Then, of course, there’s the moment when Captain von Trapp confesses his love to a blushing Fräulein Maria as moonlight streams through the delicate glass panes. While you might not have the benefit of a villa and sprawling Alpine grounds to frolic across, you might want to consider adding a gazebo to your own backyard for a touch of elegance. Not only do gazebos provide a statement focal point for your yard and a conduit for connecting to the great outdoors, but they also provide a perfect venue for alfresco entertaining or a little quiet time to yourself.
But what, exactly, makes a gazebo, well, a gazebo? As gardening guru Patrick Taylor defines it in the Oxford Companion to the Garden, a gazebo is an “ornamental building of slightly uncertain character, without the gravitas of a temple nor with the frivolity of something more whimsical,” he writes. The word itself comes from a “jokey” Anglo-Latin phrase for “I shall look about.” Similarly, these garden structures—generally fashioned from wrought iron, clapboard, or trelliswork—have “undertones of cheerful if insubstantial and ephemeral prettiness.”
“A gazebo is one type of garden folly—a somewhat whimsical destination within a landscape that feels separate from a home’s architecture, secluded, and of the land,” landscape architect Geoffrey Valentino, partner at the firm Hollander Design Landscape Architects, tells ELLE DECOR. When it comes to determining whether a gazebo would make a fitting addition to your backyard, first, consider the size of your outdoor space. Because a gazebo is meant to offer its own little slice of escape—“a great destination within the landscape,” as Valentino puts it—they’re best suited to larger yards or more formal gardens.
Landscape designer Sam Spiegel concurs. “In order for them to be used effectively, they need to be placed where they can be properly appreciated from a distance with the correct plantings to accentuate the details chosen for the gazebo,” Spiegel added. He endorses situating the structure at the end of a long garden walk so it feels as though the gazebo itself is a special destination.
Whether you have developed a pastiche for manicured landscapes and trimmed verdure or have left your billowing garden to its wonderfully wild devices, whether you’re in need of a contemporary poolside retreat that’s front and center of everything or a hideaway that’s submerged behind foliage for a peaceful outdoor escape, we’ve pulled our favorite gazebo moments from the archives of ELLE DECOR and beyond for even more inspo for a paradise-status backyard. These fabulous structures will inspire you to live deliberately in the backyard of your dreams.
Pergola and Gazebo Hybrid
Leave it to Bunny Williams to create one of the most stylish gazebos we’ve ever seen. This look (which includes her now out-of-stock gazebo for Ballard Designs) features a cozy sitting area, complete with a rattan-base table and matching seating. The bird feeder hanging above adds the perfect touch.
Victorian-Style Gazebo
If gingerbread is more your flavor, take inspiration from the Victorians. This cheery painted gazebo, in Halifax Public Gardens in Nova Scotia, creates a cool oasis amid the more formal plant beds.
Pretty Glazed Gazebo
Not all gazebos are open to the elements. We are particularly keen on this white structure, which features glazed windows and doors that can be shut on cooler evenings.
Petite Green Gazebo
If you have a small backyard, fear not: you can always install a gazebo that’s meant for one. This sweet green variation virtually disappears among the lush plantings...perfect for a midsummer daydream.
Glass Gazebo
If you want to immerse yourself in nature but avoid its less appealing aspects (read: insects), why not try an all-glass gazebo? This rose garden setup accommodates alfresco dining...without the alfresco part.
Pond Gazebo
If your property has a water feature like a pond, stream, or even an ocean view, consider positioning a gazebo nearby as the perfect spot for contemplation. We can practically hear the gurgle of water now.
Statement Gazebo
Would you prefer a poolhouse or a gazebo? When it comes to this sunny look—from Keith Williams of the landscape firm Nievera Williams—you don’t have to choose. Here, a substantial, pagoda-like structure floats alongside a pool, allowing sun worshippers to take a break for a casual lunch. Just add margaritas!
Palm Tree Gazebo
This all-white gazebo, also by Keith Williams of Nievera Williams, takes its cues from the tropical landscape, with charming palm-tree inspired supports.
Overgrown Gazebo
Gazebos, just like pergolas, can provide the perfect place to let climbing plants run wild and, when left to their own devices, it can create the dreamiest garden feature. Here, a garden gazebo is completely engulfed in ivy.
Hideaway Retreat
This double-roofed octagon gazebo located in the backyard of Linda Rodin’s Long Island home allows the surrounding foliage to take center stage, almost pocketed in for a cocooning oasis. Our favorite detail? Rodin repainted the gazebo to match the house.
Outdoor Ostentatiousness
This gazebo, on the back doorstep of Minnie Driver’s Hollywood Hills home, takes outdoor dining to the next level. Decked out with a vintage French chandelier, chic hanging lanterns, and a Peter Dunham Textiles tablecloth, there’s surely something here to whet everyone’s appetite.
Grotto Gazebo
This open-sided gazebo, known as the Temple of Love, sits atop a hill at Untermyer Gardens in New York for an unobstructed hilltop view of the surrounding oak trees, one of which dates to the 1910s. We can almost hear the birds chirping.
A Palatial Canopy
You might not think of putting a water feature within a gazebo, but this verdant oasis in the ornately decorated Bahia Palace gardens in Marrakech is proof that the foot traffic space lost is well worth it. We’re particularly obsessed with the mosaic ceilings and tiled flooring, dating back to the end of the 19th century, which bring a sense of unimposing grandeur. Moroccan architecture at its finest.
Elevated Forest Gazebo
Designer Gray Walker of the Charlotte, North Carolina design firm Gray Walker Interiors designed what is a veritable secret garden in her backyard, complete with a timber gazebo perched atop the sloping landscape. We couldn’t imagine a more magical spot for a summer afternoon lunch, could you?
Magnificent Menagerie
While this gazebo-inspired structure, Christopher Spitzmiller’s own design for his home in Millbrook, New York, is for doves instead of humans, we’re taking all the notes for our next project. A shingled roof surrounds adjoining windows that look out at the surrounding dahlias and hydrangeas. Those doves have quite a room with a view.
Classic for a Reason
This archetypal white gazebo located in Lush City Park in Madrid calls to mind the classic look that often comes to mind when dreaming up a backyard addition. Its hexagonal shape facilitates a 360-degree view of the surrounding lush grounds.
Banded Beauty
This octagonal gazebo, erected in the Singapore Botanic Garden in 1930, is proof that you can reinterpret the classic Victorian aesthetic with flair. The banded motif is a symbol of this garden, appearing throughout its 200-acre grounds.
Under Cover
This Malibu, California, backyard structure, designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, prioritizes comfort as much as it does style. While it’s giving off cabana vibes more than gazebo ones, we’re loving Lawrence Bullard’s choice to create a daybed moment beneath this roofed structure. Dressed with vintage suzanis and a generous display of decorative pillows, there’s something here for everyone.
Charming Enclosure
We almost want to break into a song (cue the Sound of Music soundtrack) in this delightful traditional gazebo, which when closed can be completely encased. In addition to its elevated seafoam-hued paint, the structure was given added character with a charming inverted curved roof.
Grecian Structures
The covered back patio of this French fantasia of a home is honing our favorite gazebo aesthetic, incorporating classic Greek motifs. We’re especially obsessed with the decorative wrought- iron fencing that adds a modern twist to a traditional style.
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