Outdoor Living
Pergolas Add to Enjoyment All Year Long By Peggy Werner
W
ith COVID-19 still raging, many people are spending more time at home. Unseasonably warm temperatures are allowing them to take advantage of the outdoors on many winter days. Pergolas add style, beauty, and definition to an outdoor space while also providing privacy, shade, and added value to a home, says Ryan Lemon, chief operating officer at W.A. Zimmer, 1700 N. Broadway, Huntington, Ind. “A lot of people are still spending more time at home and yet they don’t want to feel cooped up. Pergolas make it possible for people to work outdoors without sun glare on the computer screen, and some Now is a good time to figure out how to improve your outdoor spaces. Need ideas? Consult experts who know what people use the space just for products are available and can explain the latest innovations. relaxing or entertaining by adding an outdoor kitchen,” he says. area and extend the time you can spend outdoors all year. The A pergola is an outdoor structure consisting of columns that unique structure combines the functionality of a patio cover with support an open roof of beams and rafters. Free-standing or atthe look of a pergola. Insulated center panels help to protect a tached to your house, a pergola can cover a patio, deck or any space from rain, snow and sun and yet this pergola has the openoutdoor area and comes in a variety of styles and sizes. There are beam look of a traditional pergola. options like retractable side screens. Pergolas account for the vast majority of sales today at W.A. A standard pergola allows for partial shade. The open beams Zimmer and the structures can be installed year-round. As long let in natural light and provide a perfect setting for stringing outas temperatures stay above freezing, homeowners can adjust loudoor lights. A pergola can support climbing vines to enhance vres, says Lemon. your home’s landscaping. An operable pergola has remote-conAll structures from W.A. Zimmer are custom built and are trolled motorized louvres to give partial or complete shade with made from high quality and durable extruded aluminum, requirthe push of a button. ing no maintenance because the material doesn’t fade, rust, warp, A dry cool pergola is the newest way to cover an outdoor mold or need painting or staining. Colors available are white, sandstone (light beige) and bronze, the latter a rich dark brown. The family-owned company has been in business for more than 40 years and is owned by Bill and Marcia Zimmer. Their staff designs and builds maintenance-free and high-quality sunrooms, pergolas, patio covers and retractable awnings and screens. They take responsibility for the whole project, from start to finish, including getting permits to do the job. The company services only the products they build. W.A. Zimmer plans to open second location in Elkhart, Ind., this spring. It also maintains a display at Ginger Valley Garden Center in Granger, Ind., near South Bend. Learn more by calling (260) 356-1621 or visit the showroom A new pergola can be installed any time of year, weather permitting. Why at 1700 N. Broadway St., Huntington, Ind. ❚ wait for the spring rush? Tell them you saw it in ... Smart Living Fort Wayne
January 2022 • II
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