Create the Perfect Outdoor Space With a Retaining Wall and Pergola in Overland Park and Shawnee, KS

When it comes to crafting a high-end outdoor space, a pergola and retaining wall in Overland Park and Shawnee, KS, can bring sophistication, function, and structure to your landscape. Imagine an inviting pergola shading your outdoor seating area, while a well-designed retaining wall creates depth and elegance in your backyard. These features are more than just eye-catching additions—they define space, enhance usability, and elevate the overall aesthetic of your property.

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The Purpose Pergolas Serve

A pergola isn’t just a decorative structure—it’s an essential piece of the outdoor living puzzle. It defines a space, adds architectural interest, and provides relief from the sun without completely blocking natural light. In Overland Park and Shawnee, where summers can get sweltering, a pergola offers much-needed shade while still allowing air to circulate freely. The open-air design makes it an ideal balance between structure and openness, giving you a defined space that still feels connected to nature.

Pergolas are also one of the best ways to add a sense of permanence and intention to an outdoor living area. Instead of scattering furniture across an open patio, a pergola creates a designated spot for relaxation, entertainment, or dining. Whether it's framing a paver patio, highlighting an outdoor kitchen, or extending your living space into the open air, a pergola brings both function and style.

We design and build pergolas to seamlessly integrate with your existing landscape, ensuring that the scale, materials, and placement complement your home and outdoor features. Our team at Hermes Landscaping works with high-quality materials and precise craftsmanship to create a pergola that isn’t just visually appealing but built to last in the Kansas climate.

A Pergola Creates the Perfect Lounging Area

A pergola can transform your backyard into a comfortable retreat, providing a shaded escape from the intense summer sun. With the right placement and design, it encourages airflow while blocking harsh rays, making it an ideal spot to enjoy a morning coffee or unwind with a book in the evening.

For added comfort, we can incorporate features like ceiling fans, hanging plants, and even retractable canopies to adjust shade levels throughout the day. Lounge seating, outdoor sofas, and soft lighting further enhance the space, making it feel like an extension of your home.

A Pergola Defines an Outdoor Dining Space

Outdoor dining areas are more inviting when they feel intentionally placed rather than simply positioned on an open patio. A pergola provides that definition, creating a space that feels like an outdoor room—without walls to close you in.

Incorporating a pergola over an outdoor dining area enhances the experience, keeping guests comfortable while adding a natural focal point. Whether you're hosting a summer barbecue or an intimate dinner party, the structure brings an elevated, resort-like feel to your backyard.

We carefully consider materials and design to ensure the pergola complements the surrounding landscape while providing the right balance of sun and shade. Integrated lighting, string lights, or even outdoor chandeliers can further enhance the ambiance, allowing you to enjoy meals outside long after the sun sets.

A Pergola Enhances a Fire Pit Area

A fire pit is a natural gathering place, and adding a pergola to the space brings a sense of coziness and structure. The vertical elements of the pergola help frame the fire pit, making it feel more like an intentional part of the landscape rather than a standalone feature.

Since fire pits produce heat and smoke, proper ventilation is essential. We design pergolas with open sides and, when needed, higher clearances to ensure airflow remains unrestricted. For added warmth and ambiance, built-in lighting or hanging lanterns can create a soft glow that complements the fire’s flickering light.

Whether you prefer a gas-powered fire pit for convenience or a traditional wood-burning option for the authentic crackling sound, a well-designed pergola can make the space feel even more inviting.

A Pergola Provides Shade and Style for an Outdoor Kitchen

When incorporating an outdoor kitchen into a backyard design, a pergola helps define the space while providing a practical layer of protection. With the right setup, you can grill, prepare food, and entertain guests without worrying about being directly exposed to the sun.

We design pergolas for outdoor kitchens with materials that withstand heat, smoke, and changing weather conditions. If your pergola will be positioned over a built-in grill or cooking station, we ensure there’s proper clearance and ventilation to keep the space safe and functional.

For those who want full control over their environment, we can incorporate motorized louvers, allowing you to adjust the amount of shade throughout the day. This makes it possible to enjoy the space even during the hottest parts of summer or open it up for extra sunlight on cooler days.

Using Pavers for a Retaining Wall

Pavers might be your first thought when designing a paver patio, but can they work for retaining walls? The answer: Not quite.

Retaining walls require structural integrity, and while pavers are excellent for horizontal surfaces, walls need a material engineered to bear weight and withstand pressure. Instead of pavers, experts recommend concrete wall blocks, natural stone, or segmented retaining wall systems that lock into place for long-term stability.

Why does this matter in Overland Park and Shawnee? The region’s clay-heavy soil is notorious for shifting with seasonal moisture changes. A professionally designed retaining wall accounts for this movement, ensuring proper drainage and reinforcement to prevent future cracking or bulging.

A well-placed retaining wall can carve out usable space on sloped properties, provide structural support for elevated patios or gardens, serve as a stunning visual element that complements a pergola, and double as additional seating around an outdoor kitchen or fire pit.

If you’re looking for a seamless aesthetic, pairing your retaining wall with a matching paver selection for your patio keeps everything cohesive and visually striking.

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Can You Cook Under a Pergola?

The idea of grilling under a pergola might make you hesitate—after all, smoke and heat need an escape route. The good news? With the right design, you absolutely can. An outdoor kitchen beneath a pergola not only adds visual appeal but also makes cooking outdoors more comfortable, whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue or preparing a quiet dinner outside.

A properly planned pergola provides the right balance of shelter and airflow, allowing you to cook without worrying about excessive heat buildup or smoke lingering in the space. Open-sided pergolas naturally allow air to circulate, but when working with built-in grills or smokers, additional features ensure safety and functionality.

Ventilation and Smoke Control

One of the most important considerations when designing an outdoor kitchen under a pergola is smoke management. Without proper ventilation, smoke from the grill can accumulate, making the space uncomfortable and potentially staining nearby materials. We ensure that pergolas built over outdoor cooking areas allow for unobstructed airflow, and in some cases, additional ventilation measures can help keep the space smoke-free.

For pergolas with solid or semi-covered roofs, we can integrate vent hoods over the grilling area to capture and redirect smoke. These function similarly to indoor range hoods, pulling smoke upward and away from the space. This is especially useful for covered pergolas or those positioned close to the house.

Choosing Heat-Resistant Materials

The materials used in and around an outdoor kitchen should be selected for their ability to withstand heat and exposure to cooking elements. We can incorporate materials that not only look beautiful but also hold up against high temperatures and frequent use.

• Natural stone countertops provide durability and elegance, resisting heat and weather fluctuations.

• Stainless steel appliances are ideal for outdoor use, offering resistance to heat, moisture, and rust.

• Paver surfaces underfoot ensure a fire-safe, durable foundation that complements the rest of the landscape design.

If the pergola structure itself includes wood, we ensure that heat shields or flame-resistant barriers are in place around the grill to prevent damage or fire hazards.

Putting Pavers Under a Fire Pit

A fire pit is a must-have for a luxury backyard, adding warmth, ambiance, and a natural gathering space. But choosing the right surface beneath it is just as important as selecting the fire pit itself. Pavers are an excellent option, providing a stable, heat-resistant foundation that blends seamlessly with the rest of your outdoor living design. Whether your fire pit is a cozy addition to a paver patio or a stand-alone feature, the right foundation ensures safety, longevity, and a polished aesthetic.

Managing Heat Dispersion

While pavers are durable, direct exposure to extreme heat can cause certain materials to crack over time. High temperatures from a wood-burning fire pit, in particular, can lead to expansion and contraction, which may weaken the surface below. To prevent this, we recommend incorporating a fire pit insert or heat shield. A metal liner inside the pit helps direct heat upward rather than downward, protecting the paver surface from thermal stress.

For gas-powered fire pits, heat dispersion is typically less of a concern, as the flames are more controlled and do not generate the same level of radiant heat as an open wood fire. Still, using heat-resistant pavers or fire-rated bricks ensures long-term durability.

Ensuring Proper Drainage

Kansas weather brings a mix of hot summers, heavy rains, and freezing winters, meaning proper drainage is critical for any paver patio or fire pit installation. Without adequate drainage, water can accumulate beneath the pavers, leading to shifting, heaving, or deterioration during freeze-thaw cycles.

We design fire pit areas with a sand or gravel base to promote water drainage, preventing moisture buildup that could weaken the paver foundation. If the fire pit is a permanent structure, we also ensure that any excess water can escape through drainage gaps or weep holes in the base.

Selecting the Right Paver Materials

Not all pavers are created equal when it comes to fire pits. We recommend materials that can withstand high temperatures and heavy use while maintaining a high-end look.

Brick pavers offer a classic aesthetic and are naturally resistant to heat, making them a popular choice for fire pit areas. Concrete pavers are durable and versatile, available in various colors and textures to match your landscape design. Natural stone such as bluestone or granite adds a sophisticated touch, with excellent heat resistance and timeless appeal.

Each material option provides a unique look and feel, and our team at Hermes Landscaping helps homeowners select the best match for their overall outdoor living vision.

How to Landscape the Top of a Retaining Wall

The top of a retaining wall is an opportunity to elevate your landscape design and add a finishing touch that blends form with function. Whether your retaining wall is built to manage elevation changes, define a space, or serve as a visual anchor in your outdoor living area, the way it’s finished can make all the difference in how the entire space looks and feels.

Incorporating Plantings for a Lush, Layered Look

Adding greenery to the top of a retaining wall brings softness and dimension, creating a natural transition between structured stonework and the surrounding landscape. Drought-resistant ornamental grasses sway in the breeze, creeping groundcovers spill over the edges for a lush, cascading effect, and neatly trimmed boxwoods offer a polished, architectural touch. We can select plants that thrive in Kansas’s fluctuating climate, ensuring they can withstand both the intense summer heat and the cold winter months with minimal maintenance.

Integrating Lighting for Evening Ambiance

Subtle lighting can completely transform the look of a retaining wall, turning it into a striking focal point after sunset. Low-voltage LED fixtures built into the capstones provide a warm, inviting glow, illuminating pathways or seating areas without overpowering the natural beauty of the space. Downlighting creates a soft wash of light over the face of the wall, highlighting its texture, while recessed lighting along the top edge can subtly define the space and improve visibility for evening entertaining.

Designing a Retaining Wall That Doubles as Seating

A well-designed retaining wall can serve more than one purpose, especially when it’s integrated into a paver patio or fire pit area. By incorporating a flat, wide capstone, the top of the wall can function as built-in seating, creating a seamless flow between hardscape elements. This is a practical and stylish solution for maximizing seating around an outdoor fire feature, an outdoor kitchen, or any other gathering space. Choosing a smooth, durable stone for the cap ensures comfort while also enhancing the overall aesthetic of the landscape.

Using Decorative Stone or Mulch for a Clean Finish

For homeowners who prefer a crisp, refined look, decorative stone or mulch can provide a clean, low-maintenance option for finishing the top of a retaining wall. Natural river rock, crushed stone, or even polished pebbles add color and texture while preventing soil erosion. For a more structured appearance, neatly arranged mulch beds filled with perennials or seasonal flowers can bring warmth and vibrancy to the space.

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