7 Ways to Add Shade to Your Outdoor Space

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Adding shade to your outdoor space provides comfort and protection to your family and guests. It keeps everybody cool, prevents dehydration, sunburns, and other safety issues. Shade protects you from harmful UV exposure, a leading cause of skin cancer. Customized shade structures enhance your home’s visual appeal. It may also create a dramatic architecture piece while serving as a functional part of your home’s design. Shade structures block your doorways and windows from direct sunlight, reducing the energy required to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Adding shade to your outdoor space is a cost-effective way to boost curb appeal when you don’t have the budget for a full-scale outdoor remodel. It also boosts your home value and increases your return on investment. Considering that harmful UV sun rays and extreme weather conditions can fade equipment and other outdoor furnishings and equipment colors, shades can protect them and boost their lifespan. Below are ways to add shade to your outdoor space.

1. Install patio and deck covers

Installing patio and deck covers allows you to use your outdoor space all year-round while protecting your furniture from extreme weather conditions. They also keep sun rays away, keeping your whole home cool and making your AC work less. This ensures cheaper electricity bills. Patio and deck cover also keep you and your furniture safe from sun damage and make your patio easily accessible. The shade created by these covers prevents weather exposure and increases your home’s value. Partner with patio and deck covers experts such as Royal Decks and Landscapes for covered deck design plans and patio deck coverings.

2. Plant trees

Trees are an excellent eco-friendly choice for a shade to add to your outdoor living space. Pick varieties that grow in a manner that provides shade. You can collaborate with a local landscape designer or find tree options from a local nursery. The only concern is that trees take years to grow to a level significant enough to provide shade. Nevertheless, the final result is worth waiting for. Planting your shade trees in strategic positions lowers the cost and energy usage for heating and cooling your home.

3. Add patio umbrellas

Patio umbrellas are the quickest way to add shade to your outdoor living space, making them an ideal option for social gatherings happening on short notice. Umbrellas provide shade to limited areas at a time, making them a good choice when you have specific spots that require sun protection, including a patio dining table. You can order the perfect umbrella for your outdoor space online or have it custom-made. You may also find basic umbrellas in home improvement stores and patio furniture stores.

4. Install patio curtains

Patio curtains are a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to increase weather protection and patio shade in your outdoor spaces that already have a solid roof, pavilion, pergola, and any other type of cover. You can open and close curtains as the sun shifts to maintain air circulation and shady areas. While the patio covers block the sun from above, patio curtains block it from the side. If you don’t have patio curtains, you can use tapestries, fabric, or shower curtains.

5. Construct a permanent roof shade

If you have a patio or deck that doesn’t have a cover, you can construct a permanent, robust roof that transforms it into a covered patio. While this shade option may be expensive, it’s a permanent solution that enhances the function and looks of your deck. A permanent roof shade is a home remodeling project that increases its value, boosts your return on investment and curb appeal.

6. Install a second-story deck or balcony

This project allows you to add shade to your outdoor living area and increases your living space. Having an outdoor living space on top of another also provides good entertainment areas, increasing your home’s value and access to functional outdoor areas. Installing a second-story deck or balcony takes time, requires building permits, and may involve hiring a contractor.

7. Add a pergola

Pergolas are permanent structures with open roofing systems. They are versatile and can complement various architectural designs, and can greatly enhance your outdoor living area’s visual appeal, making it a popular choice. Pergolas offer different options for any budget, making them an affordable shade option for most homeowners. Since pergolas alone provide a broken shade, you can supplement them by adding fabric coverings.