Modern shade solutions. Shady daze.

Keep your family covered in summer with the latest in modern shade solutions.

With outdoor spaces being used all year round, shade solutions have become a necessary component of a garden’s design. With a variety of shade systems to choose from, including umbrellas, awnings, shade sails and pergolas, and the option of fixed or temporary options, finding the most practical and stylish way to shade your outdoor area has never been easier.

Amazing awnings

Awnings are generally fixed to the house over windows and door openings to outdoor areas. Providing good protection from the sun. as well as privacy, awnings are perfect for both small and large areas. The good thing about awnings Is that, if you opt for one of the retractable models, you can have the maximum flexibility,- just extend when full protection Is needed, retract when protection from the elements isn’t required.

Folding arm awnings are another great option. They bolt to a wall and are wound out via either a crank handle or electric motor.

They project out up to four metres and are available with wind sensors to ensure the awning folds in should the weather start to get too rough. Then there are pleated concertina awnings, batten awnings, cantilevered awnings, seashell awnings and more.

Versatile umbrellas

Umbrellas are the most common type of shade solution, and they are by far the most affordable. Providing instant shade when you need it. umbrellas can be fixed or moveable, and can be used In gardens of all sizes. For a small garden or balcony, umbrellas can be wall-mounted and for larger spaces they can be fixed with a central or side post.

Some can be easily tilted or simply rotated In the direction of the sun to ensure complete shade is provided; others are cantilevered and have an arm that allows you to swing the canopy In a new direction. These are ideal for pool areas: one minute the canopy is covering you as you sit poolside, the next it’s positioned over the pool, giving shade while you or the children take a dip.

Sculptural sails

Shade sails are perfect for cover over a small courtyard area, patio space, pool or kids’ play area. Made of sturdy weatherproof cloth (some are of a breathable, knitted sail fabric; some of a PVC coated fabric), shade sails can be completely suspended on posts (using stainless steel fixing points) or suspended on posts on one side and fixed to the house or carport on the other.

Shade sails are available in many different sizes, shapes and colours, and they can be removed and packed away when not In use. They can be engineered to withstand high winds and will provide protection during summer and winter. For a more interesting look, you might choose to cover an area with two smaller shades rather than one large one. slightly overlapping one with the other to create a sculptural look.

Pergola perfection

Pergolas are a permanent feature in a landscape and can be designed to extend the indoors out. They can be freestanding or attached to the house, or they can be covered with a roofing material or left open with just some trailing vines to provide dappled shade. Being such a large and fixed feature of a garden, it’s important to choose the right location for your pergola.

How much shade you want to create is also an important consideration when it comes to pergolas. Sometimes, timber battens placed close together on top of the rafters may provide enough shade. If not, new-generation roofing technologies, which include opening roof systems comprised of operable louvres and motorised stacking roof systems, will allow you to enjoy the summer sun or sit In comfort, protected from the winter rain.

Fixed versus temporary

If you only want a shade solution as a practical feature in your outdoor area, then temporary solutions are the way to go. They provide shade from the sun. shelter from the rain and enable you to make use of your outdoor area all year round. When not needed, a temporary shade solution can be put away until next time.

If. however, you want to integrate a shade structure into your overall garden design, then a permanent fixture Is more appropriate. Forming part of your outdoor living space, permanent structures not only protect you from the elements, but they can also add style and sophistication to your outdoor area.

With such a wide array of shade systems to choose from, ensuring your outdoor area is covered couldn’t be easier. And with so many different designs at your disposal, you can be assured of a practical and stylish solution.

Outdoor rooms

External roller blinds are ideal for shading an outdoor room. The look is contemporary and you can use a sheer sunscreen fabric If you want them to be as unobtrusive as possible. Choose motorised blinds for ease of operation. Roll up or retractable exterior window shades are another option.

Timber shutters can be used for both privacy and weather protection. They go with a variety of design styles and are ideal for poolside cabanas, the sides of decks, verandahs or balconies where you have a part wall – or walls – in place. Kit form shutters are readily available for the home handyperson.