How can you get more from your outdoor living space? With awnings! Awnings serve both a decorative and functional purpose. They can add style and color to your deck and patio while also providing shade to make entertaining outside more comfortable and enjoyable. Here are some things to consider when choosing an awning:

• Location
• Function and operation
• Fabric and colors
• Style
• Awning Locations

While decks and patios may be the first place you think of for awnings, they also work well over doors and windows. Providing protection from the elements, door and window awnings can safeguard your interior from the sun’s damaging rays. On the deck or patio, awnings not only provide shade and cooler temperatures, they also protect your outdoor furniture from weather damage. Awnings over windows can dramatically decrease your cooling costs in the summer, an added benefit. Some sources say that your overall heat reduction during the summer months can be as much as 65% for south-facing windows and 77% for eastern and western-facing windows. [Read more…]