Good lapa designs start with how you will use the space: how many people sit at the table, where the braai goes, where the sun sets and which way the wind blows. Get those right and the roof follows. This page collects practical ideas for small lapas, modern lapas, braai, pool and bar lapas and lodge bomas, plus sizing, orientation and where the money goes. When your idea is ready, send one request and lapa builders in your area quote you on it directly.
Small lapa ideas
- A round lapa of about 3 to 4 m covers a small table and four to six chairs.
- A lean-to lapa against a boundary wall uses less space, but check the fire distances first.
- A thatch umbrella or gazebo on one or four poles shades a pool corner or a pair of loungers.
- Keep the braai outside a very small lapa, or choose a design with a proper chimney.
In a townhouse or estate, the HOA usually has rules on size, height and distance from the boundary, so ask before you draw.
Modern lapa designs
Thatch works well with clean, modern lines. Popular choices include slim steel posts instead of gum poles, a flat plastered or timber ceiling under the thatch, glass sliding doors to close one or two sides, a crisp metal ridge cap instead of a cement ridge, and a built-in braai and bar in plastered brick or stone. Some owners choose synthetic thatch for a lower maintenance roof. Steel, glass and ceilings add cost and need an engineer's input on the frame, so involve your builder early.
Braai, pool, bar and boma lapas
A braai lapa is built around the fire: a built braai with a chimney that ends well above the thatch and a spark arrestor, a prep counter, a sink and plug points. A pool lapa needs a non-slip floor that drains and room for loungers. A bar lapa wants a counter, fridges, lighting by a registered electrician and roll-down blinds. A lodge boma is often open to the sky in the centre for the fire, with a thatched roof around the seating. See thatch lapas for the build itself.
Sizing, sun, wind and budget
Lay out the furniture on the lawn with string, then add walking space around it. Face the open side away from the prevailing wind and afternoon storms, and use the roof to block the hot western sun. Keep the lapa away from overhanging trees that drop leaves and shade the thatch.
The biggest costs are roof area, the frame, the floor and any built braai or bar. A good steep roof and solid footings are where not to save; decorative extras can wait. Ask about a lightning mast on the Highveld.
Collect photos of lapas you like and note what you like about each: the shape, the ridge, the posts, the floor. Builders can price a design far more accurately from photos and a rough sketch with sizes than from a general description.
What to put in your request
- How many people it must seat
- Braai, pool, bar or boma lapa
- Traditional or modern style
- Space available and distance to walls
- Photos of designs you like
Lapa Designs and Building for homes, lodges, farms and venues
- Homeowners: a braai or pool lapa sized for the family table and placed out of the wind
- Estate homes and HOAs: a modern lapa that fits the estate's design guidelines and boundary rules
- Game lodges and bush camps: a boma with an open centre for the fire and seating under thatch around it
- Guesthouses and B&Bs: a small lapa per cottage or one shared braai lapa for guests
- Farms and smallholdings: a large farm lapa for gatherings, with a long table and a big built braai
- Restaurants, pubs and beach bars: a bar lapa or outdoor dining area with blinds and good lighting
- Resorts and holiday parks: a central entertainment lapa and small braai lapas beside the units
- Wedding venues, schools and churches: a wedding lapa with room for tables, a dance floor and a bar
- Builders, architects and developers: a lapa design and quote to add to a new house for a client
Frequently asked questions
Will you design my lapa?
What size lapa do I need for ten people?
Can a lapa be joined to the house?
Is a modern lapa more expensive?
Lapa Designs and Building by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg