Is your patio too hot? Retractable patio awnings and canopies can be a solution for your patio needs. You may choose from inexpensive partial sun blockers, DIY shading solutions, awnings, and large canopies.

Retractable canopies and awnings are your best bet for your patio, because of the following reasons:

Retractable Awnings

The best thing about retractable patio awnings is that you have a choice of either shade or sunshine.

Retractable awnings usually come with a metal frame mounted on the side of the house covered with shade fabric. Some larger models have diagonal arm supports, while smaller ones eliminate the obstruction with hidden lateral supports. You can conveniently retract and open the patio awning with either a motorised system or a hand crank.

Advantages

1. They are easy to roll up when not in use and provide instant shade when needed
2. No storage hassles – you do not have to take them down
3. No need for building a permanent structure on your patio
4. Easy to attach vertical screens to block a late afternoon low sky sun

(more…)

Established trees can be a really nice addition to a garden so you should feel lucky if you have mature shrubs and trees in your garden. Okay, so they may not be much to look at right now and they do take up some space, but you can decorate them in style. If you have trees towering over your garden, you may want to consider adding fairy lights to the branches. They’ll then be sparking well into the evenings and it means you always have a beautiful feature outside of your window. You can also decorate a tree with Christmas decorations during the winter months; making it a place Santa and his Reindeers would love. It’s a nice option if you have children in the family and many people do this to conifers and other similar shrubs. Having swinging chairs or tyres fitted to a chunky tree is a great option for kids too and though this isn’t necessarily a decoration, it will give the tree a fun personality.

Okay so you have a house with a fancy living room, a TV and a terrific view over the garden. Why on earth would you want a summerhouse? What’s so great about sitting in a wooden hut with rain tapping loudly on the roof?

Peace and Quiet

In the summerhouse there are no distractions. You can unwind from a stressful day with a drink and a book. Get back to nature and enjoy fewer distractions.

Style

Summerhouses can add value to your garden. They can be just as comfy and cosy as a living room, whilst they look great too.

Entertaining

Spending an evening under the stars with family and a few bottles of wine is much more enjoyable in a summerhouse. Nobody wants to be trapped inside the house when the weather’s nice and warm.

If you are looking to enhance the exterior of your outdoor living space such as the patio or deck, you might want to consider installing a glass veranda. Glass verandas are one of the smartest designs that will add a stylish and elegant space to the exterior of your home, blend the house with the garden, and create a unique outdoor living area. The veranda allows you to enjoy your garden and the outdoors all year round while protecting you from the weather elements.

A glass veranda forms a great permanent structure over your patio area and awning and can either be extended or retracted over your patio area depending on the weather.

Let’s have a look at the major benefits of installing a glass veranda on your outdoor space: (more…)

When you’re out and about the best way to protect your skin is of course by covering up with clothes or sun cream, but when you’re relaxing in the garden, it can be a bit of a nuisance to cream up or wear more layers. There is, however, another solution and that’s to get a sun awning fitted above your outdoor seating area. With the wind blowing from all directions and the sun shining brightly and almost angrily high above the skies, we most definitely need something to protect us from burning our smooth and delicate skin, and an awning will do just that. Sun awnings will completely block out any sunlight providing exceptionally cool shade when you need it most, whilst they’ll also protect you from wind and rain on those more unpredictable days.