The vergola option with louvres is very expensive but also very effective as it provides so much flexibility in all types of weather. If you are outdoor people then this may be worth the cost. Coming down in cost, a climber over a pergola is also a good option depending on where you live. In a cool climate make sure the climber drops its leaves early enough so the late autumn and early winter sun comes through. Conversely, if you're in a warm/hot climate then the longer the leaves stay on the better. Some deciduous climber and trees lose their leaves quite late. Awnings are also very flexible but may not allow wet weather usage. Of course this depends on the type and size of awning. Oops, I just noticed this was originally posted in 2014. I hope you've sorted it out by now.

We have a really unique wood look product which is non porous and has the highest anti-slip rating of any decking on the market (that includes hardwoods and WPC), so it's ideal for wet areas, such as swimming pools; https://www.forteflooring.co.nz/product/catalogue/millboard-decking https://www.millboard.co.uk/ It's more stable than plastic composites, doesn't fade as much as them, is more realistic, last longer, more stable against the UV, the lighter colours don't heat up as hot as WPC decking. Send email if you would like some samples, and to discuss further: carlo@forteflooring.co.nz 0212284018 Cheers Carlo

our composite decking was light coloured and did get hot under bare feet but i think dark wood will do the same and you have all that maintenance....best way to test the difference would be to obtain a few samples of the different products and lay them out in the same position as they'll be installed ( suspended the correct distance above the ground etc on suitable support to include the expected air spaces all around)

Composite decking is starting to get a bad wrap for the big reason it gets really hot under foot in the warmer states during the summer to the point it’s hard to stand on bare footed. I first noticed the trend against it while living in the US (California) where there was for a while a big push to composite products but even in states that get snowed in during the winter are now opting for timber as once the snow melts and the sun comes out it gets really hot in the summer. My worst experience was at a resort in Palm Springs, CA where they used composite decking for low maintenance reasons to only have guests burning themselves in the extreme desert heat. Now back in Sydney, I am hearing that builders/contractors advising against using it for the same reasons as above