Made in the Shade: Canopies Add Value to Outdoor Living Space

(ARA) – Decided to get on board with the movement towards outdoor living spaces? While designing your outdoor environment, keep this in mind: Sun is not always fun. If your patio or deck gets a lot of sun, and you have no “shade management” plan, you could be missing out on hours of enjoyment.

Shade on a patio or deck not only creates a soothing, comfortable environment, it also makes sense. Blocking out the sun during the hottest part of the day can extend the usable hours of your outdoor space, reduce household cooling bills, protect your family’s health, and improve your home’s overall value.

“Decks and patios continue to be among the top home improvements to add value and enhance enjoyment of your home,” says Dwayne Williams, executive vice president of Columbus, Ohio-based ShadeTree Systems. “But having a beautiful deck or patio that you can’t use because it receives too much direct sunlight can be extremely frustrating. More homeowners are turning to retractable awnings and canopies to solve their shade challenges.”

Retractable awnings allow you to enjoy the sun during the hours when it is most mild, and block it out during the hottest part of the day. Available in a variety of designs and colors, canopies and awnings can easily be installed over existing decks or patios. ShadeTree shade systems can be customized to fit any area, no matter the size or location. Have a sun-drenched courtyard or a grassy, sunny spot between two buildings? Create a shade-filled oasis with a canopy. A retractable canopy is also a great way to turn an unused landscape feature, like an arbor or pergola, into a useful space.

“Many people build a pergola only to find it offers minimal – if any – shade protection,” Williams says. “Growing vines or flowers over it may be visually appealing, but they are not very good at blocking out the sun. By adding a retractable canopy, the pergola becomes a usable shaded seating area.”

Canopies are available in more than 30 fabrics to fit virtually every design theme. ShadeTree systems come pre-cut and pre-drilled for easy installation by do-it-yourselfers. The company also offers a database of qualified installers on its Web site, www.ShadeTreeCanopies.com. Canopy tracks are made of reinforced vinyl or powder-coated aluminum and can be left in place all year, even when the canopy has been rolled up and stored for the winter. Taking down the canopies requires only minutes.

To learn more about how an awning or canopy can enhance your outdoor living space, visit the Web site at www.ShadeTreeCanopies.com, or call (800) 894-3801.

Courtesy of ARA Content