Awnings feature a range of parts and accessories that facilitate the installation, operation and even maintenance of the shade structure. The main parts of an awning are two: frame and cover.

Awning covers create the shade, and come in many different shapes, sizes and materials.

The frame can consist of a simple structure made up of posts supports or supporting arms held together through welding, screws and other materials; or it can come in the form of a functionally complex structure made of multiple components, such as wall brackets, roller bar, front bar, folding arms, springs, and more.

Whatever the case, almost all modern awnings provide a number of accessories that tend to vary by type of shade structure. These include:

Awning Accessories

Motor

The addition of a motor to operate the awning (motorization) allows you to enjoy your shade structure at the touch of a button. Motorization also helps prolong the life of the awning whilst also preserving the quality and integrity of the fabric material or cover.

Motors for awnings come in a wide range of designs and varying controls. This gives homeowners the choice to select the one that perfectly suits their lifestyle. These awning motors usually feature a plug-in power cable and, therefore, require a 120v power outlet to operate. The body of the motor is conveniently placed inside the protective roller tube, which means there’s no additional space that is required to accommodate the motor – translating to easy installation.

Manual Override

A manual override is one of the accessories for motorized awnings. It facilitates operation of these types of awnings during power outages. With a manual override, you can effortlessly extend and retract your motorized awning through the use of a regular crank. This eliminates the potential inconvenience of being unable to enjoy your awning because there’s no power to operate it.

Remote Control

Remote controls for awnings typically feature radio technology, which provides push button control of the shade covering. They work by sending a radio signal from a transmitter to a receiver, which activates the motor inside the awning. Remote controls for awnings can be single channel or multi-channel (with group control capabilities to operate several awnings).

Wall Switches

Wall switches provide a great way to operate motorized awnings when exiting or entering a room. Available in single or multi-channel versions, they offer the same capabilities as hand-held remote controls, but they are installed to be stationary at a convenient location on the wall. Wireless wall switches are powered by battery, making it very easy and cheap to install.

Wind Sensor

The wind sensor monitors the effect of the wind on the awning and closes it automatically when it gets too windy. The wind sensor can be wired or wireless and will typically allow you to set your desired sensitivity.

Sun Sensor

The sun sensor detects when the sun is shining onto an outdoor area and automatically extends the awning to provide protection based on the sun’s intensity.

Combined Sun and Wind Sensor

Most modern awnings come with a combined sun and wind sensor, rather than only one of these. Many can also be operated automatically via a typical home automation system. When the sun comes out, the sensor will make trigger the awning to extend and automatically retract when wind speeds reach dangerous levels.

Spring Assist

A spring assist mechanism makes it easier to retract manually operated awnings. Retractable awnings usually feature heavy-duty springs in their folding arms designed to ensure that the cover remains taut at all times. Because of this, it can take a lot of effort to retract a fully extended awning, particularly during the first turn or two. A spring assist is a spring-loaded device that assists you in compressing the powerful springs in the arms of a manually operated retractable awning, thus allowing for effortless retraction. It’s a recommended accessory for large manually operated retractable awnings.

Protective Hood

A protective hood, which is typically made from extruded aluminum, protects the awning fabric and frame mechanism from weather conditions as well as dirt, dust and other contaminants when the awning is retracted.

Awning Cover

Awning cover consists of a sturdy material that attaches over your awning when it’s not in use. By so doing, it keeps your awning clean and neat and protects it from dirt, dust and other foreign materials. The cover typically attaches to the wall behind the awning with the use of grommets and stretchable cords.

Side and Front Valances, Curtains or Solar Shades

Side curtains, side and front valances and solar shades are often added onto the awnings to provide extra sun and wind protection and/or privacy. But these additional shade covers don’t block light and ventilation and you’ll still be able to enjoy that outdoorsy feel when utilizing them. You can use one panel at a time or front and side panels together.

Awning Lights

A variety of patio lights exist for awnings and other types of shade covers. These lights are not just beautiful, but they are designed to be tough, unbreakable and weatherproof. They provide plenty of illumination for evening activities while enhancing curb appeal and outdoor ambience in the evening.

De-Flappers

If you live in a windy area, de-flappers can come in handy in trying to eliminate noisy wind flapping and protect your awning from costly rips and tears. These accessories help maintain tautness, minimizing flapping easily and economically.

Cleaning Kit

The other accessory that you’ll find extremely useful as an awning owner is cleaning and maintenance kit. The kit will typically include: cleaning concentrate, long-handled brush, touch-up paint and repair materials. These will help you maintain the fabric and frame mechanism of your awning, which is key to sustaining a long life for your shade covering.

During winter, leaks in windows, doors and other openings let cold air in while letting warm air from your heater out of the house. This causes temperatures inside of your house to drop fast.

Your home’s air conditioning may help you keep warm, but running it nonstop could see you cursing when your utility bill comes in at the end of the month. But don’t worry…there’s a solution.

Awnings and Blinds Can Help Keep Your Home Warm during Winter 

Installing awnings and/or blinds can help keep your house cool during winter. It’ll also assist in keeping your bills in check. They work by trapping expensive heat in and keeping the cold air out. This, in turn, makes the insides of your home more comfortable and cozy while helping lower your bills and save on your monthly expenses.

The best thing about installing awnings, blinds or shutters is that these window treatments are much cheaper compared to replacing your windows. With awnings or blinds, you don’t have to hire an expensive home improvement professional to install some insulation. Here’s more on how awnings and blinds help insulate your home during winter.

Awnings And Blinds Both Insulate Your Home In Winter

Studies have shown that awnings, including retractable awnings, conservatory awnings, and folding arm awnings, as well as blinds do a great job of insulating buildings in winter. They have proven to be useful for cutting heat loss in the wintertime.

But it’s worth noting that you still need to draught-proof (put weather sealing) your home to keep them air-tight and reduce any escape of warm air if you want your awnings or blinds to help you realize any significant savings in heating bills. Nonetheless, there’s no denying the benefits of awnings for

winter home insulation.

If you have ever stood by a window with no covering whatsoever on a cold day, then you know that cold air tends to seep in through little cracks. Well-installed awnings and blinds can prevent that from happening.

When properly installed, awnings, blinds and shutters will give you one of the simplest and most effective ways to insulate your home this winter. Their only disadvantage is that they may need to stay closed all day in order to work. Make sure they are mounted as close to the glass as possible within the frames of your windows to create a sealed space. This will create a real barrier between you and the frosty outdoor air.

Currently, technology has meant that there are now new, exciting and innovative awnings as well as blinds that are specifically geared toward helping with insulation. These awnings, blinds or screens typically come in a single piece of material that cannot tilt open and close.

The material used in their construction is also designed to trap heat while providing UV protection. A good example is the cellular shades that come with little pockets or cells’ of air that trap hot air, improving energy efficiency in a home during winter.

Some shades and awnings feature a dark color on one side (the inside), and this helps absorb heat in the winter. There are also shades with several layers of fiber batting or other fabric material, which creates an air barrier and also acts as insulation.

Many of these awnings and blinds come in many styles including those that can be installed internally (internal awnings), something that makes them extremely effective at providing insulation. To make things even better, they are available in just about every color and many patterns and designs making them extremely versatile.

Arguably, every year comes with new clothing trends, food trends, color trends, and so is the awnings industry with its new and exciting awning materials, colors and styles. In this time and age, spending time outdoors with nature is inevitable, but without an ideal outdoor space, the experience will be nowhere close to entertaining.

Whether your outdoor space is small or large, you want it to spice the character and beauty of your home. Remember, the appearance of your outdoor environment reflects your lifestyle. So, what is trending for 2017 in both commercial and residential awnings?

1. Decked-out kitchens

Needless to say, creating an outdoor kitchen will definitely limit your trips between your poolside BBQ and indoor kitchen. An outdoor kitchen will not only enable your friends and guests interact with the chef but can actively participate in preparing dinner while still enjoying that outdoor Aussie evening breeze.

In a nutshell, an outdoor kitchen takes things to a whole new level, bringing the entire cooking process outside. Talk of creating cooktops, sinks, cabinets, barbeques and installing fridges as well as proper lighting outdoors. You can also spice up your outdoor kitchen with such items as fire pits and pizza ovens. Besides, if you want to get a little bit fancy, it makes sense to add another layer of luxury with drink stations and ice-makers. However, weather resistant materials should be used to install all functional units if you want your investment to last longer.

2. Retractable Awnings

Retractable awnings have been garnering the favor of many homeowners, gaining popularity steadily, and the trendis likely to continue this year. Their ease to operate is perhaps the main reason why these systems are becoming a consumer’s favorite every day – they can be lowered or raised manually, or they can be fully motorized.

Moreover, their base bar and stainless-steel side guide that can complement all modern buildings makes them a ‘must-try’ design trend. Whether it is shading your balcony, veranda or pergola areas, straight drop awnings won’t disappoint you.

3. Motorised controls 

You would agree with me that the invention of high-tech sensors and controls have drastically cut down the modern awnings costs, thanks to the advances in technology that we have experienced over the past few years. Awnings with modern motion sensors, remote controls, anemometers, timers and other state-of-the-art motorised controls have become easier and economical to install. So, why not take the advantage of this automated technology to make your outdoor space brighter?

 4. Show-stopping lights 

Clearly, the value of landscape lighting cannot be underestimated. In today’s homes, outdoor lighting is not only a way of prolonging outdoor activities after sunset but creating ambience and drawing attention to some landscape features as well. For instance, proper lighting comes in handy to light pathways and highlight colorful plants along them.

Path lights also ensure safe navigation to prevent any injuries and add some sense of elegance. However, there are various landscape techniques that can be used to highlight different landscape features, and you should go for one that matches your lifestyle and preference. For instance, if you are conscious about the environment, LED lights should be your number one priority.

5. Folding Arm Awnings

The ease of operation and price are arguably the leading factors that influence design trends for both commercial and residential applications. Folding arm awnings has been gaining prominence over the past few years because of these two factors. It features an open style, fully closed or half-closed cassette, which houses both the awning and its fittings.

Whether you want to be fancy or you want to be economical but still get value for your money, then this design trend is a must try.

Final verdict 

At the end of the day, renovating your outdoor living area comes with a host of challenges, but I you are determined, it may not seem as hard as it looks at first. Clearly, if you are informed about the latest outdoor and awning design trends that embrace bringing the functionality of your home to that outdoor space, you will find it easier than you thought.

We did a roundup of the best design trends in 2017, and came up with the aforementioned five tips. Try them and see how incredible the results will be. Good luck!

When it comes to installing awnings, one question that is most likely to come up is: should you buy them off-the-shelf or have them custom made to fit your space by the supplier?

Buying awnings and other shade covers off-the-shelf certainly has its advantages – they are typically less expensive and you can install them immediately without having to wait for them to be designed. But custom awnings, shade covers, canopies, sun shades, shutters and screens crafted to fit your home and specific needs offer so many benefits that off-the-shelf awnings simply cannot match.

So which is right for you – custom awnings or off-the-shelf awnings? Here is a comparison of custom-made and off the shelf awnings in terms of benefits offered.

Perfect Design

Often, you have to settle for less-than-perfect when you’re buying off the shelf awnings and shade coverings. After all, suppliers are only going to provide so many different designs to customers in their area. But with custom-made awnings, you never have to settle for less when it comes to awning design. These awnings are crafted just for you, following your specifications and based on your requirements, whether as an individual homeowner or as a business. Off the shelf awnings can be good, but custom-made awnings can be absolutely stunning.

Variety

While most off-the-shelf awnings suppliers provide a wide variety of products, they don’t compare to providers of custom awnings who can manufacture shade covers to suit any style, design or color pattern. Providers of custom awnings usually have extensive awning fabric libraries featuring different patterns, trims, and accessories. Because of this, you’ll have more options in terms of awning design and styling when you work with a manufacturer to create custom awnings for your home or business premises. On the other hand, if you decide to buy off the shelf shade covers, you are limited to the options being offered by the specific supplier in their store.

Fit And Function

With off the shelf or pre-made awnings, it can be very difficult to find awnings that perfectly complement or accentuate your home’s architectural style. This is because manufacturers of these awnings never designed them with your home in mind. What’s more, these mass-produced, inexpensive and generic shades may not fit your windows or exterior space in terms of size and fit.

Custom awnings provide the ideal solution to all of the downsides of off-the-shelf shades. Customisation of awnings helps achieve the perfect marriage of form and function, allowing you to add a layer of insulation, privacy, sun protection and light control to your space via a stylish and beautiful shade cover that matches your interior and exterior design.

Custom awnings are actually designed as an element of your home’s overall architectural design, and part of its function is to bring the architectural theme of your home together beautifully. Using custom awning fabric, color pattern and styling in your space helps bring the design elements together throughout your property.

The bespoke awnings will be perfectly suited to your tastes and will match all aspects of your home – your siding colors, front entryway, patio furniture, interior and exterior color scheme, furnishings, etc. These awnings are also constructed to fit your space perfectly. When buying them, you’ll provide dimensions and specifications with regards to material, style and design and the supplier will design the awnings to fit your existing structure exactly. You’ll also have an opportunity mix and match features, including: fabric material, finish, color pattern, designs, and accessories – so you can have your new awning being unique to you, with style and functionality that fits perfectly in your home or business premises.

These types of awnings are the best option if you are the type of person who likes choice and individuality when it comes to beautifying your home. They’ll allow you to have shades that fit your space just right (instead of looking disproportional and out of place), and that blend with the colors and décor of your home to your exact specifications.

Quality and Durability

Majority of pre-made, off-the-shelf awnings are not designed to be durable. They also don’t utilize the best fabrics, materials and accessories. Most are usually poorly constructed and suppliers don’t even offer a guarantee. Custom awnings, on the other hand, are made using the highest quality materials and professional craftsmanship. This gives them a superior look and durability compared to off the rack awnings. In fact, these shades can last up to twice as long as off-the-rack awnings as they are made-as-you-order using top notch awning fabrics and materials while paying attention to detail.

Energy Efficiency

A supplier of custom awnings can work with you to design and install shade covers that can contribute to energy savings in your home. These awnings can be installed to provide shade over your windows and entry ways that open directly to the sun. And because these awnings utilise high-quality fabrics that are designed to be the most energy efficient, you’ll be able to realize reduced heating and cooling costs while creating an inviting and more comfortable living area. This can be very difficult to achieve when using low quality awnings of which you may not be able to install properly to cover your windows and entryways.

Personalised Service

If you choose off-the-rack awnings from an online store or a local home improvement store, you’ll probably not receive personalized service. Many suppliers of these ready-made awnings usually don’t provide installation, and they are only interested in selling as many units as possible. They don’t have time for you or your queries.

On the other hand, when you order custom awnings you’ll work with a designer and an installer who will help you choose the best awning material and take you through the process of design and installation so you can have a bespoke awning that meets all your requirements. They can help you find the best awnings to make your room look larger, limit or maximise natural light, or reduce your energy bills. Whether need awnings to cover your patio or shades for your windows, these professionals can ensure that you get exactly what you need. What else could you ask for?