5 shade ideas for your patio

No patio would be complete without a roof-like structure like a pergola to protect it from the sun and create a microclimate within the backyard.

There are several ways to achieve this, from wooden structures adorned with climbers, to sleek metallic frames that are light in weight. Whichever option you decide on, it has to go well with your garden in particular. This means that the shape of the back wall of your house, its texture and its colour will play a deciding role in the type of shading you want to install. There are numerous roofing solutions but here are the top 5 that you could implement in your backyard and give the patio a completely new look.

DIY curtains

If your patio area already has some sort of rectangular support that you are unsure how to close, don’t worry, you won’t have to buy expensive designer curtains.

A curtain is basically a piece of cloth that you probably already have lying around the house somewhere in the form of clean sheets that you were gifted once but you never got a chance to use them until now.

All you have to do is make holes at regular intervals along one edge and place metal rings around them to prevent the fabric from tearing apart. Install them on the beam and reuse alligator clips to stop the curtains being blown away by the wind.

Oldie but goldie: the umbrella

The concept of the umbrella is over 4000 years old but they are still in use as they were in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China. This is because their design is so good that there was no need to change it, nor was anything better ever invented.

Your patio could benefit from an old-fashioned umbrella that can be large enough to cover the entire patio area. If you own a pool, then the umbrella is ideal for your backyard. The parasol is an ideal addition for the poolside as you can choose a nice colour like blue and a zig-zag motif for the edge of the umbrella. Just make sure that the base of the parasol is firmly attached to the ground.

Outdoor blinds

We move from a century-old concept of the umbrella to a novel solution. Outdoor blinds are the latest hit among homeowners, especially in Australia where it is the hardest to hide away from the scorching sun. They owe their popularity to the combination of advantages from several shading methods. Firstly, blinds can be lowered automatically and you can set how opaque you want them to be.

They have an auto lock, so you can set them to any height you want. Secondly, outdoor shades are ideal for privacy as well, as that noisy neighbor will not be able to peek into your patio anymore. Finally, they stop almost all light from getting through, so installing outdoor blinds ensures that the punishing Aussie sun will not ruin the pleasant time spent outside.

Plantation shutters

Aesthetically the most appealing shading solution, shutters are an iconic façade detail in many parts of the world. White and blue plantation shutters are a common sight at any seaside resort, so by installing them, you will bring the sea to the “shores” of your patio.

They don’t have to be four-squared, as triangle shutters are possible to order as well. When closed, they actually act as insulators and save energy, so you can sit outside even during chilly fall days. They are also durable, so on average, wooden shutters last a third of a century, if kept well.

Sail pergola

If you wish to be unique and modern, then a pergola in the shape of a sail is ideal for your patio. It is the easiest of shading solutions to install as it requires only three points to be attached to. These can be special pillars or you can use trees or your house’s walls to attach the pegs. Its simple design allows for the sail to be hung by the homeowner on their own.

If you believe that the sail is not practically shaped, this is simply not true. Depending on the size of your patio, you can custom cut the fabric to the size you need and the center of it will definitely be large enough to entirely cover the patio. Sail’s main purpose is protection against the sun, but if tilted, it can protect against rain as well.

Besides the look of your yard and the house, choose the roofing for your patio based on the type of the shade each of these 5 ideas provide. Perhaps you like the sexy sail pergola or you’ll opt for all-encompassing outdoors stutters.