Patio Awning

Our back porch with this great patio awning has always been a bit of a design stumbling block for me. We love sitting outside, but for some reason I have never been able to figure out how I want to style the space. As you can see, the space has great bones and actually features most of the super popular patio cover ideas that you see in magazines today. We have beautiful white bead board panelling on the ceiling, a large brick fireplace, classic column supports, and the roof is wired for a fan or light fixture.  Unlike most deck awnings that are more temporary, this one is obviously permanently attached to our home and is actually a great architectural feature.

I had heard a lot of great things from our neighbors about awnings for home backyard oasis' but had not really considered adding on a similar feature to our property until I saw this design.  They had always sounded like a good idea before, but I questioned if we would actually utilize an outdoor living area. When I saw this cozy nook that a simple roofed fireplace patio created, I knew that this was something that our family would actually use. As opposed to cloth or even metal patio covers that are somewhat flimsy, do not completely protect you from the elements, and do require maintenance, a permeant roofline solution like this one creates a more substantial structure that will withstand the test of time.

I think that a patio awning is a great way to make your outdoor living spaces more functional as well as beautiful. I love the look of crisp white wood trim against siding and concrete patios, it is much more attractive than your typical fabric retractable awning, not to mention far more durable. Believe it or not, these projects also aren't that costly.  We added this covered porch area onto the back of our home last spring because we wanted a covered area to protect us from summer storms.  I didn't really like any of the freestanding outdoor patio covers that we saw at the stores, so my husband and I decided to add something more permanent that would enhance the value of our home. 

A patio awning is a fantastic addition to any outdoor entertaining space because it provides shelter in case of inclement weather or an overly sunny day. I love decor elements that are as functional as they are beautiful, and a patio canopy like this one definitely fits the pill.  The thick beams supported by natural stone columns with sleek metal accents is the perfect pair with their rustic mountainside architecture.  The roof overhangs the entertaining area just enough to provide shade but not enough to make you feel overly closed in. Of course you could achieve a similar look with semi-permanent pergola covers made of fabric or slatted wood.

I have always thought that a bright patio awning is a fantastic way to enhance the exterior of your home because it brings fun colors and designs to usually fairly drab areas.  We installing the gorgeous classic green striped outdoor canopy to our main patio area last spring because we always get so hot from the bright Southern sunshine.  My husband and I found ourselves using the space less and less because of the heat even though we absolutely love spending time in the garden.  We looked into a ton of different patio sun shades, but the size and shape of this one was by far our favorite because it doesn't look like an afterthought.  The color and pattern blends well with the traditional architectural style of our home and really enhances the backyard.

Despite how complicated it may look, building a patio cover is actually a fairly easy and inexpensive project that can really amplify both the design and functionality of your outdoor living spaces. Whether you choose to hire a landscaping company like ours or tackle the job as a DIY project of your home, I would definitely encourage anybody who loves spending time outdoors to check out these structures and consider installing one over your existing (or new) entertaining areas. A patio shade can take on many forms, from a solid roof line like this, to a versatile cloth option that can be rolled back and forth as needed, or even a semi-shaded pergola design.