Pre-Summer Backyard Blitz: Week 6 – The Perfect Shade
Provide shade for your backyard this summer with these 10 great ideas, including sails, huts, awnings – even good ol’ trees
Kerryn Ramsey
23 October 2015
Houzz Australia Contributor. Freelance lifestyle journalist and serial renovator, reporting for print and digital articles on architecture, design, travel and business.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Freelance lifestyle journalist and serial renovator,... More
Dining and entertaining al fresco are some of the greatest joys allowed by the Australian summer. But it’s important to keep yourself, your family and your guests cool and safe from overexposure to the sun while you’re enjoying the iconic backyard barbecue. Here are 10 great shade options that take the sting out of the sun with UV protection, and provide a cool, shady spot to enjoy the great outdoor lifestyle.
1. Outdoor room
For the ultimate comfort on a steamy summer’s day, the right shading is essential. This poolside cabana, with its sharply angled roof and timber-clad ceiling, makes lounging by the pool a real pleasure. It offers comfort and privacy with brilliant sun protection – perfect in any season! A breezy fan and built-in downlights provide extra ventilation and illumination to complete the look.
Inspiring outdoor entertaining zones
For the ultimate comfort on a steamy summer’s day, the right shading is essential. This poolside cabana, with its sharply angled roof and timber-clad ceiling, makes lounging by the pool a real pleasure. It offers comfort and privacy with brilliant sun protection – perfect in any season! A breezy fan and built-in downlights provide extra ventilation and illumination to complete the look.
Inspiring outdoor entertaining zones
2. Opening roof system
This outdoor zone has an opening roof system that allows natural light in, offers full shade (a must during summer) and provides gentle, diffused light as required. Most systems can be installed with push-button control or wall-mounted switches. For hi-tech lovers, automatic rain sensors can close the louvres when summer thunderstorms threaten.
This outdoor zone has an opening roof system that allows natural light in, offers full shade (a must during summer) and provides gentle, diffused light as required. Most systems can be installed with push-button control or wall-mounted switches. For hi-tech lovers, automatic rain sensors can close the louvres when summer thunderstorms threaten.
3. Retractable awning
At first sight, this vibrant striped awning evokes the beach-shack look of the ’60s and ’70s, but with very modern technology. The awning with a retractable folding arm adds real impact to the rooftop deck. While this fabric looks light and breezy, the awning is extremely robust, even when high wind-resistance is required. It also provides quality sun protection.
At first sight, this vibrant striped awning evokes the beach-shack look of the ’60s and ’70s, but with very modern technology. The awning with a retractable folding arm adds real impact to the rooftop deck. While this fabric looks light and breezy, the awning is extremely robust, even when high wind-resistance is required. It also provides quality sun protection.
4. Batten sail awning
There’s nothing more blissful than chilling out on your deck at sunset, and to create shade a batten sail is an effective solution. While it offers sun and rain protection, it also keeps the house cool in summer. Most importantly, aluminium battens stiffen the lightweight fabric – this prevents flapping and stops the awning from holding water.
How to keep shaded in summer
There’s nothing more blissful than chilling out on your deck at sunset, and to create shade a batten sail is an effective solution. While it offers sun and rain protection, it also keeps the house cool in summer. Most importantly, aluminium battens stiffen the lightweight fabric – this prevents flapping and stops the awning from holding water.
How to keep shaded in summer
5. Dual sail awning
To make a pool more inviting on a steaming hot day, a dual sail awning is a perfect solution. It’s all too easy to get sunburnt while swimming because you don’t feel the sun through the water, and it’s only later you see the damage. With this shaded pool, the kids can swim all day long without needing to reapply copious amounts of sunscreen.
To make a pool more inviting on a steaming hot day, a dual sail awning is a perfect solution. It’s all too easy to get sunburnt while swimming because you don’t feel the sun through the water, and it’s only later you see the damage. With this shaded pool, the kids can swim all day long without needing to reapply copious amounts of sunscreen.
6. Cantilever umbrella
Rather than a traditional patio umbrella, the cantilever unit provides more effective shade as it can be easily tilted. In fact, many ranges can rotate 360 degrees – ideal when the low afternoon sun hits. When selecting, make sure the umbrella has an acrylic canvas that’s UV resistant and water repellent. Also, see how well it folds – to make it long lasting, it should be easily packed away in the garage during winter.
Rather than a traditional patio umbrella, the cantilever unit provides more effective shade as it can be easily tilted. In fact, many ranges can rotate 360 degrees – ideal when the low afternoon sun hits. When selecting, make sure the umbrella has an acrylic canvas that’s UV resistant and water repellent. Also, see how well it folds – to make it long lasting, it should be easily packed away in the garage during winter.
7. Cane reed shading
A well-priced canopy can be produced in various ways, such as with these natural cane reeds that are gently looped over the beams – all held in position with stainless-steel wire. The tactile effect adds interest to the space, making the deck a great place to dine and relax at any time of the day.
A well-priced canopy can be produced in various ways, such as with these natural cane reeds that are gently looped over the beams – all held in position with stainless-steel wire. The tactile effect adds interest to the space, making the deck a great place to dine and relax at any time of the day.
8. Bali hut
A perfectly shaded Bali hut can convert your Aussie backyard into a tropical sanctuary. Various companies offer packages that let you choose the right size, the type of roof (Bali or African styles) and a one-day installation. Then the fun starts as you introduce your own furniture, ornaments and planting. Finally, all those knick-knacks you bought in Indonesia can be displayed!
Bringing Balinese style home
A perfectly shaded Bali hut can convert your Aussie backyard into a tropical sanctuary. Various companies offer packages that let you choose the right size, the type of roof (Bali or African styles) and a one-day installation. Then the fun starts as you introduce your own furniture, ornaments and planting. Finally, all those knick-knacks you bought in Indonesia can be displayed!
Bringing Balinese style home
9. Covered lounge
With sinuous curves, an outdoor ‘cocoon’ lounge provides reasonable shade as well as extra seating for the pool area. A woven rattan-style material is long lasting and easy to clean, but make sure the outdoor fabric can be thrown in the washing machine. If the fabric has some serious stains, check the label to see how best to get it clean again. However, one excellent method is to add one cup of bleach to a cleaning solution, them soak the fabric for about 15 minutes, before machine washing in cold water.
With sinuous curves, an outdoor ‘cocoon’ lounge provides reasonable shade as well as extra seating for the pool area. A woven rattan-style material is long lasting and easy to clean, but make sure the outdoor fabric can be thrown in the washing machine. If the fabric has some serious stains, check the label to see how best to get it clean again. However, one excellent method is to add one cup of bleach to a cleaning solution, them soak the fabric for about 15 minutes, before machine washing in cold water.
10. Shady tree
A lacy canopy sets the scene in this outdoor dining zone in a Sydney property. Dean Herald of Rolling Stone Landscapes treated the mature frangipani as a focal point when designing the area – a trick that works well for many backyards. While the tree is visually stunning, it also cools the garden by 10 degrees during summer. And unlike an outdoor umbrella or awning, it never needs to be cleaned!
TELL US
What are your top tips for creating shade in your garden and outdoor areas for summer? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Week 1 – The Big Clean-Up
Week 2 – Outdoor Furniture Update
Week 3 – Preparing the Pool
Week 4 – Keeping Your Garden Green
Week 5 – Update Your Outdoor Lighting
A lacy canopy sets the scene in this outdoor dining zone in a Sydney property. Dean Herald of Rolling Stone Landscapes treated the mature frangipani as a focal point when designing the area – a trick that works well for many backyards. While the tree is visually stunning, it also cools the garden by 10 degrees during summer. And unlike an outdoor umbrella or awning, it never needs to be cleaned!
TELL US
What are your top tips for creating shade in your garden and outdoor areas for summer? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Week 1 – The Big Clean-Up
Week 2 – Outdoor Furniture Update
Week 3 – Preparing the Pool
Week 4 – Keeping Your Garden Green
Week 5 – Update Your Outdoor Lighting
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You can't beat a living canopy for looking and feeling cool.
What a useful article - thank you.
Some stunning options there, especially ones that overlook the concrete pools