I’m Obsessed With This One Hotel Staple That Keeps Backyards Cool and Private – And I Can’t Believe It’s Just $140
It’s the resort-inspired shade upgrade I’d choose over a parasol every single time
For me, the crowning glory of any hotel stay is the pool. By ‘pool,’ I suppose I actually mean the opportunity to shut my eyes on a comfortable chaise beneath a beautiful gazebo, preserving my blowout while curtains billow in the breeze and someone hands me a spicy margarita with extra lime.
I don't have staff, unfortunately, but a clever shade idea is a lot easier to acquire – and probably a lot more necessary given the heat wave we're having. Enter Sunjoy. You may not know the name, but having sold more than 10 million gazebos across North America, you probably should. For the Fourth of July, one of its best-selling styles, clad in breezy mesh for whimsy, airflow, and mosquito protection beneath a ventilated two-tier canopy, is down to just $140. Much less than a resort stay.
Several colorways of this sturdy, powder-coated steel gazebo have already sold out, but you can still snag it in grey, navy, or the beige seen here. It’s rated 4.8 stars across more than 200 reviews and includes anchoring kits to secure it to the ground.
What you put underneath it is your prerogative and depends on the sort of backyard you’re working with. If you've got a pool, I'd pair it with two chaise lounges and a side table. If you're working with a lawn or patio instead, I'd use it to shade a seating group – perhaps even an outdoor dining table, anchored by a chic outdoor rug.
This Wayfair gazebo makes it easy to partition an outdoor space and create entirely different atmospheres – one backyard, multiple little worlds.
This kind of naturally zoning style gives a backyard structure and whatever furniture you’ve got going on newfound authority. It’s not a collection of patio chairs; it’s an intentional little retreat, thanks to the UV protection, inherent privacy, and the bliss that is bug-free bliss that is mesh. Nothing is less relaxing than swatting a mosquito off your arm.
As much as I love a parasol, it can only do so much. If you want shade that creates a real room outdoors – and somewhere you’ll actually want to kick back for an entire afternoon – a gazebo is my shade of choice every single time. The hotels, it seems, are onto something.
More Resort-Style Gazebos
Taking a page out of the book of my favorite resorts, here are a few additional gazebos for more complete shade this summer.
If privacy isn’t a must, and all you’re after is shade, this gazebo makes a statement where it counts, with elegant latticework on each of its four posts that would look like a dream alongside a bistro set or antique-style patio furniture. And bonus: it has integrated corner shelves for whatever you’d like to keep within arm’s reach.
Absolutely enraptured by the drama of this pointed roofline. Regal, elegant, and exactly the sort of structure you should sit beneath while someone from your household brings you your beverage of choice – or, with room for eight to ten people, the other way around as you play host.
The reason your backyard might be falling flat is that it lacks structure. Add a gazebo, resort-style outdoor furniture, and your summer beverage of choice, and you might very well one-up some of your favorite hotel stays.
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