Need advice on backyard structures and accessories??

Question:i would like to have a pergola (A garden structure with an open wooden-framed roof) but unable to decide on the shape/material and design!
whether(contemporary/mediterra...
the house is semi mediterranean semi contemporary. covered with stone and marble (neutral earthy desert colors. ) the house has visible angularity (two connected boxes by their corners). the garden floor is also covered with hard redish marble/sement and its full of plants (palms, evergreens cactus tropical...etc)

any suggestions??

oh...the structure will be free standing on an rectangular area of about 18 square meters (3*6)meters.

thanks

Answers:
Well first you must use Cedar or a similar wood that does not rot in the weather. I have always loved cedar since it ages really well. The bigest thing about the pergola is that you don't have a lot of design options for shape, but the little details are the trick.

You can either make it square or a pentagon or hexagon shape. With square your roof would be flat, with the others you can have a more pitched roof to the members. I know it is open framing, but sometimes if you grow ivy in the flat roof it takes over and crowds the walk space. Of course with the pitched members you don't feel so crowded.

Also the ends of the members you can cut to some scalloped design and that is a shape you can define yourself or use a standard shape. Maybe you brand the members with your last initial, or an old style Japanese blessing.