Jun 18 2008
A Space for Reflection
With the rush of every day life becoming even more…well…rushed, it is no surprise that more and more people are looking for their own quiet place to relax, meditate or simply enjoy a cool drink in relative calm.
This can be done in a variety of spaces from the home spa (also commonly known as the bathroom), gyms, hiking or an all time favorite, the back deck or pool. It really isn’t shocking to find out that everyone has their own special place for reflection and that for many, nature can be the biggest tools for unwinding. Unfortunately, this isn’t a blog about creating a perfect bathroom spa, and believe me, I have the designs already in place - I just need to win the lottery, so I will have to go with something that is just as great. Designing a backyard space or more specifically, using a pergola to make that space of reflection.
Pergolas can provide the perfect area for a place of reflection and although they can be used to create a diversity of spaces, one of my favorite uses for a pergola is in this capacity since they can accommodate so many elements.
You can build a pergola to reflect the need of any space but when you are creating a private reflection space, it is suggested to keep the space and the pergola small. Since the overall affect is different for everyone, you should only follow this as a loose guideline to creating your own reflection space.
For me personally, I prefer to have a quiet place to sit and relax; maybe a spot in the shade to read. Since my meditation will come in the form of the written word, a perfect setting would be one with sun dappled shade and a pergola of dark wood nestled into a horseshoe flower bed filled with tall perennials. A small pond may rest to one side but the main focal point would be the climbing roses that grace the top of the pergola itself.
Comfortable wicker chairs and a small table would complete the space under the pergola and a lush carpet of grass would grace the floor since nothing is more relaxing to me than feeling my toes sink into cool grass. The water would be for reflection, the chairs for comfort, the flowers and gardens for nature and the pergola for the seclusion that I was looking for. Having an extra chair or two would make it a multi functional space where a friend or loved one could curl up beside me and chat but the main point would be the calm.
And that would be my perfect reflection spot. Of course, there could be other ways to create it with more water, such as a small stream running beside it and a Asian water garden theme. It could be a place of meditation, completely free of any furniture except a small mat to preform yoga on.
It can be nestled into a corner of a corner or resting on the highest grade of the garden but the main theme that would shine through would be that it was a place to rest. A spot to take a moment, inhale the fragrant garden around it while you refresh yourself from the busy schedule of meetings, grocery shopping, errand running and if you are a parent, all the things that go hand in hand with children.
So if you are looking to create a space for reflection, what better structure than a pergola could you use?
Sirena Van Schaik
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[...] Dave wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt73103_2569.jpg With the rush of every day life becoming even more…well…rushed, it is no surprise that more and more people are looking for their own quiet place to relax, meditate or simply enjoy a cool drink in relative calm. … [...]