cabana outdoor living dining

Eat Out Every Day

Enjoy the pleasures of the outdoors and the opportunity to dine Al fresco under the protective shelter of a timber ShadeScape® pavilion or pergola kit.  A formal dinner or a casual picnic with family or friends tastes even better beneath the cooling timber beams providing a place where you can retreat to any and every day.

70th birthday pergola

Why We Should Eat Dinner Outside Together Often

The dining room is not just reserved for meals but is invariably the gem of meaningful time together. Eating together is an integral part of family life —often it is the happiest part of the day. A meal together is respite from the hurry of everyday life —the leaving behind of individual pursuits or quotidian distractions.

Regular, shared meals is the chance to have relaxed conversation, with chats often leading to serious discussions.  It provides the perfect opportunity to laugh, to listen, to tell stories, to reflect on the day, on recent events, and to connect with the ideals of who we are as a person and as a family.

family dining pergola

Dining in Nature is an Old American Tradition

The original Thanksgiving was held in the outdoors. Thanksgiving Day is a day of giving thanks for the providential blessings of the harvest and goodness of God celebrated in the U.S., Canada, Liberia, and in part of the Caribbean Islands.

On the 4th Thursday in November, Americans traditionally gather for a day with family and to give thanks for their many blessings. Although, this day was set apart as a day of thanksgiving, Thanksgiving was already being observed by many Americans before President Abraham Lincolns official proclamation choosing the last Thursday in November.

President Lincoln hoped that a national day of giving God thanks would help to heal the wounds of a nation.

Not Just For Dining

The dining room is the perfect place for games and activities.

Games such as I-Spy, for example, are a lot of fun for most younger children. A child can "spy" something and then ask the other family members to guess what it is. There is also an seemingly endless array of table top game ideas for enjoying family game nights in your outdoor dining room.

Anniversary, birthdays and holidays are especially fun when celebrating in an outdoor setting.

birthday pavilion

25 Patio & Deck Dining Shelters from Simple to Taj Mahal

Two Tone Pavilion Kit Pleasant Grove, Utah

Black Ebony and Alpine White is a beautiful a stark contrast of dark and light. Under the lights at night it creates some colorful hues for this inviting patio dining area.

evening night pavilion flag

Gazebo Dining Room Location Unknown

timber frame gazebo

Gazebos lift the spirit and are among the most captivating and beautiful architectural structures in the world. The name gazebo – means a shelter gaze from – where like the garden pagoda, people can rest and enjoy the surrounding view. The gazebo has built-in outdoor cupboards and countertops as well.

Custom Pavilion Kit Draper, Utah

pavilion kit with tv and pool outdoor dining

Custom pavilion kit with a built-in TV and fireplace next to a pool for an outdoor living and patio dining room.

Resawn Timber Pavilion Kit West Jordan, Utah

timber frame pavilion kit

An 8000 Series, 6 post ShadeScape® DIY pavilion kit with resawn timbers and custom olde wood stain.

Resawn timber creates a smoother surface for a more modern finish and is a matter of personal taste. On this ShadeScape® 8000 Series DIY pavilion kit it was a winning look that for the homeowners, was well worth it. Resawn timber requires a great deal of additional time and skill, even for a seasoned timberwright artisan. It also requires the highest quality grade material for a smoothed band sawn finish.

shadescape pavilion dining

3 Gable Pavilion Kit West Virginia

In beautiful West Virginia, another three gable ShadeScape® pavilion kit complete with an outdoor kitchen, barbecue, dining area, living room, fireplace, and outdoor television.

Two-Tone Gazebo Dining Room Midvale, Utah

"We had the gazebo set up in the yard, and it decided to rain first time this summer, and it rained almost 2 1/2 inches and so they cleaned out there where we were going to have the reception, and we all went under the gazebo. Most of us fit. And It was a little cold, but everybody was chummy and got together, and it worked out real nice.

I think it saved the reception actually cause people got out of the rain and got closer together, and we had food in here and dances and all kinds of stuff going on. It was a real good experience. Like I say, everybody that comes in just loves it." - K. Peterson

Deck, Pergola & Planters Location Unknown

table pergola

A 6000 series deck and ShadeScape® pergola kit with a suspended table made of Douglas fir makes this wonderful deck dining room an heirloom architectural masterpiece.

Although different in its appearance and characteristics, Douglas Fir is different in appearance and characteristics than Cedar wood or Red Cedar —which people often choose when desiring a natural finish to show off the wood. Although I love Cedar, personally, I would still choose Douglas Fir for its beauty, strength, stability and proven durability! Douglas fir is the architectural engineer’s first choice for expansive ceiling beams, trusses, collar ties, wall-tie trusses, girders and more. It is recognized for its superior strength to weight ratio. And with the abundance and availability of Douglas Fir you get unrivaled quality at a lower price that looks great!

There are also solid wood planters, tied together they create a very welcoming ambience. I really like the height of overhead clearance on this pergola. From the solid wood deck to the bottom of the lowest beam is eight foot six inches. Standing on the deck beneath and looking up to the roof of the pergola gives an awe, almost cathedral-like feel. From the deck to the roof is ten feet six inches.

DIY Pergola Kit For Outdoor Dining Skaneateles, New York

"Our experience with Western Timber Frame was delightful throughout every aspect…from the design phase to delivery and execution. The sales advisor contracted a cross country delivery arrangement to meet our tight deadline, and the exceptional quality of this product exceeded our expectations. The precision engineering of our pergola allowed for a precise assembly, almost like a jigsaw puzzle, that resulted in an extremely stable structure that is elegant and graceful. We highly recommend this company and its products." —Angelo Scopelianos

Tuscany Style Pergola Fruit Heights, Utah

pergola with lights
pergola posts
white posts lights pergola

You can admire great architecture and design from afar, but up-close — great work in a natural environment is at its apex, in your own backyard. Best of all you don’t have to travel anywhere to enjoy it.

This Tuscany style 8000 Series ShadeScape® timber frame kit is designed to match the elements of the home. The white posts showcase the same dimensional pattern as seen on the exposed beams featured on the house. What a lovely place to dine outdoors.

Dining Deck & Pergola Kit Draper, Utah

What a great place to eat breakfast. Breathing in the clean, refreshing air with the quiet and peaceful solemnity of this ShadeScape® pergola covered deck with a spectacular mountaintop view.

An 8000 Series ShadeScape® with latticed privacy walls and provides a spaciously comfortable deck dining room. Each latticed wall provides additional shade and privacy around the hot tub.

deck pergola dog
lattice walls hot tub deck

Fan Roof Pergola Bar Northport, New York

fireplace radius roof pergola arbor

Early American fan roof arbor kit featuring  a TimberVolt® power post, with an outdoor bar and stools for eating out.

Triple Post Dining Room Pergola Location, Unknown

cedar timber frame pergola
asphalt roof pavilion

Finished in a natural stain is a triple post, pool side, ShadeScape® pavilion kit for an outdoor dining area.

timber frame roof

Triple Post Pavilion Kit Sandy, Utah

After installing 12 post pavilion kit
fireplace pavilion lights

Contemporary Style, triple post ShadeScape® pavilion kit featuring TimberVolt® power posts with a built in fireplace and outdoor kitchen. With ShadeScape® sturdy timbers, one post is more than enough to provide adequate support for each corner but for those who are desires to make a massive impression; the triple post is delivers.

Patio Dining Arbor San Diego, California

kitchen arbor

Best breakfast barbecue space with an arbor ShadeScape® finished in a Canyon Grey stain with TimberVolt® power post.

Outdoor Dining Pavilion Newport, New Hampshire

todd fratzel pavilion kit

"Still looking great after several years! We love our Western Timber Frame!" —Todd Fratzel

See ShadeScape® pavilion installation process and third party review by Todd Fratzel from Home Improvement Construction.

Outdoor Dining Pergola Mapleton, Utah

A step roof adds a luxurious feel that is not only captivating to the eyes but it makes an impressive, bold statement. The extra ornamental features and added structural details add an aesthetic quality and that extra element of beauty to this patio dining area.

If you are covering the part of a front facade or entryway that has steps or an extra high window or doorway often a step pergola or pavilion is the way to go. This is because there is a sweet spot where you obtain the most sun-to-shade ratio and stepping the shelter down will extend the best overall comfort. You can learn more details about this Two-tone Step Pergola Dining Room

Pool Dining Pergola Kentucky

triple stain pool pergola

Private dining next to the swimming pool. Curtains or walls give additional privacy. With three stain colors and custom posts gives this pool dining area a unique look.

Outdoor Dining Pergola Location Unknown

Pergola with tables

12,000 Series Pergola kit finished in a Rich Sequoia stain for an elegant — and yet, massive outdoor dining room.

Outdoor Dining Pergola West Jordan, Utah

visiting beneath a pavilion

Patio time, the perfect place, day or night, to unwind and relax in the backyard with a friend, read a book or enjoy a barbecue get-together.

Outdoor Dining Tuscany Style Pergola Location Unknown

custom shade outdoor dining fire

Tuscany style ShadeScape® pergola kit for elegant patio dining features a decorative timber roof that creates some gorgeous shadows displays.

Deck Dining with Pergola Cover Vineyard, Utah

table pergola attached

Favorite place for the family to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner or do fun activities or hobby projects. As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of space to create a wonderful deck dining place to enjoy family time together.

Patio Pergola Location Unknown

outdoor dining pergola

Sometimes, we have people say they prefer the look of Ebony ShadeScape® shelters but they want to be cool. Wood is a natural and extremely effective insulator. It retains heat during the daytime and releases heat at night. The black color of Ebony will keep you just as cool as any other stain color.

Timber has its built-in natural thermostat. Just like a tree, the larger the dimensional scale of the wood the better it can regulate a thermal equilibrium for amelioration of temperature. Ebony timbers provide the perfect balance of comfort found in timber, and not in any other alternative shade material.

Black Ebony is a protective color that has a calm, magnetic, energetic strength. For some, it evokes a feeling of being grounded. To the Native American, Indian black is a symbol of harmony and listening.

Pavilion & Pergola Kit Provo, Utah

dining table pavilion living room

A gable roof ShadeScape® pavilion kit features TimberVolt® power posts with can lights and fan on the ceiling. The owners emphasize this is literally outdoor living. There is a barbecue area that will soon feature an outdoor kitchen —an outdoor sitting/living area with fire table and dining room that also has a fire pit. With 3 outdoor heaters, the family enjoys their breathtaking mountain view and living in the outdoors year-round.

Pavilion pergola outdoor living rooms
outdoor living room pavilion kit

Pergola w/ Cantilever Roof Location, Unknown

Each post is custom wrapped with wooden cladding giving it a clean, straight line, modern look with a traditional style. The homeowners also added privacy curtains complimenting the outdoor furniture.

pergola cantilever roof power

Pergola w/ Cantilever Roof Location, Unknown

A pergola covering an outdoor fireplace, pizza oven or fire pit in the backyard offers freedom from the life’s usual routine and delight the family with a camping atmosphere while enjoying all the conveniences and cleanliness of home.

Pergola w/Tapered 8 Sided Posts American For, Utah

timbervolt power pergola

On this custom, timber ShadeScape® pergola kit is a stunning and sweet surprise. Each of the eight supporting posts tapers from a perfect 12-inch by 12-inch square post into an eight-sided post, curving back into a four-sided post at the bottom roof beam. This is patio dining elegance.

Pergola w/Louvered Roof Ohio

For those of you who are not familiar with our louvered roofs, these are remote-controlled roofs that will open and shut at the click of a button. That way, you can have complete coverage when it rains or you can have it open to allow some light through on a nice sunny day!

Pergola Outdoor Dining Area Location Unknown

The cooling shade of solid wood timbers makes the best seats in the house, out-of-the-house. Another Kneaders just gained an outdoor eatery with a ShadeScape® Pergola Kit. Their devoted fans can now enjoy the sunshine with a side of sandwich, salad, and soup. All of the bread at Kneaders is wholesome and delicious, handmade and baked in a hearthstone oven. What a great way to soak in the morning sun, cool off in the shade for lunch or gather for a healthy evening meal.

Gazebo & Pergola Kit Columbus, Georgia - Carl and Debbie White

Carl and Debbie White of Columbus, Georgia share their experience (along with other ShadeScape® owners) of the installation and use of their timber frame gazebo.

The White's are a delightful couple —world class hostesses— and true Southerners that have endeared them to our hearts. They have an outdoor kitchen, bar, living and dining room where they host weddings and other events.

sbcf-gazebo-cake
People enjoying food

Pergola Plan Helper for An Outdoor Dining Room Layout

Determining the function of an outdoor living room and the kind of furnishings can help the decision process for choosing the right size of an outdoor living shelter.

Trends over the last decade generally size an indoor dining room at around 200 square feet. In most cases, an indoor room will need more space to navigate than an outdoor room. For an extra roomy and comfortable indoor dining room area it would be around 14' x 16'. An additional two feet will give you a more formal dining area — at 14' x 18'. This allows enough living space to set a larger table complete with chairs, bar, hutch or barbecue grill. For an outdoor room, it would be 12' x 14' and 12' x 16' for a more formal setting, comparatively.

Whenever you are planning an outdoor living area, it is easier to plan and envision your space when you compare it to an indoor room. However, in an outdoor room setting the sides are not necessarily closed in by doors, walls, or other enclosures. Without walls, an outdoor room will not only feel more open and larger than an indoor area of the same size, you do have more room to move out —around and about.

The list of typical outdoor room sizes shown below should only be used as a guide for general planning purposes to give an overall idea of square footage for a proposed plan.

Full Dining Room Small:  10' x 10' Medium: 12' x 14' Large: 14' x 16'

Eating Area Small: 8' x 10' Medium: 10' x 12' Large: 14' x 16'

Kitchen Space Small: 5' x 10' Medium: 10' x 14' Large: 12' x 18'

20' x 20' DIY Pergola Plan Layout

furniture layout pergola plan

16' x 20' DIY Pergola Plan Layout

12' x 16' DIY Pergola Plan Layout

10' x 12' DIY Pergola Plan Layout

floor plan layout pergola furniture

Dining Table Clearance

We generally recommend a minimum of 30–36 inches between the edge of your table and other furniture, an obstruction, wall —or anything else. Providing enough space allows people to move in and out of their seats or to walk behind chairs others are seated in for a more comfortable dining area.

Get the Free Ultimate Pergola and Pavilion Guide

Get the Free Ultimate Pergola and Pavilion Guide