Shade Your Outdoor Oasis: 4 Ideal Patio Shade Options
Did you know that the highest-ever recorded temperature in the USA was a blistering 134° in California? Summer is the season of fun for a lot of people, and with the long vacations, many families enjoy reclining at the sides of their pools in the sun.
When it’s time to cool off, going inside or finding a big tree are great options, but installing shades for an outdoor patio offers a far more versatile solution. Discover different patio shade ideas to see how you can make your time in the sun safer, longer, and more comfortable.
1. A Pergola
A pergola is a permanent structure that attaches to the side of the house. You can build one on any wall outdoors, but putting it over a doorway is the most common and practical design choice.
The most common pergolas are made from strong wooden beams and normally feature vines and other plants growing around and through them to provide the shade effect. They give mostly a Tuscan feel to the house, but you can tweak the design to look more modern or in line with a different architectural style.
You can also upgrade your pergola with a sheet of transparent or solid plastic to make it fully waterproof or shadier.
2. Awnings
Awnings also attach to the side of the house and hang over the area you wish to shade. These can’t extend as far as a pergola but are only semi-permanent as you simply bolt them to your wall (they don’t need pillars like pergolas do).
These are wonderful for providing patio shade for smaller patios. They’re quite a lot cheaper than most constructs, and they can also give your house a unique and customized look. You can even buy awnings that extend outward to give more backyard shade on days when you want to spend hours outdoors.
3. Gazebos and Pavilions
Gazebos and pavilions are constructs that people build over patios that aren’t attached to the main house. These provide sunshade for patios as well as 360° views of the garden, which makes them ideal for hosting outdoor parties or enjoying quiet summer afternoons away from the business of the main house.
4. Umbrellas
If you’re looking for an outdoor canopy without the construction project, then you should get some umbrellas. Umbrellas are fantastic for people who don’t spend more than a few hours at a time on their patios or who want to be able to move their patio shade around.
Classic-design umbrellas also give your time outdoors a holiday-like feeling. If you don’t want the base to get between you and your sunbathing baddy, you can choose Jardinico Cantilever umbrellas which shade the area next to the base rather than having the base beneath the canopy itself.
Get the Best Shades for an Outdoor Patio
There are so many options available to people looking for shades for an outdoor patio. If you want a permanent structure you can install a pergola, gazebo, or pavilion depending on whether the patio is next to or away from the house. For people looking for less permanent and more versatile options, there are also umbrellas and awnings.
Relaxing and hosting parties on your patio is a great use of your time. If you want to learn how to make the most out of more of your relaxing and working time, be sure to check out more of my travel, business, and lifestyle blog posts.
