Nowadays, customers are looking for ways to expand their living areas in the most affordable way possible, and an awning (retractable or otherwise) offers the perfect solution. Retractable awnings are by no means a new or modern idea and, at least in concept, have been around for many years. In fact, early forms of awnings have been utilised by some of the oldest civilisations including Egypt, Rome, and even Syria. But it wasn’t until the second half of the 19th century – when storefronts in America began to adopt awnings – that the retractable awning as we understand it today was born.
Watson Blinds understands the needs of our customers, especially when it comes to extending outdoor areas in inexpensive ways. It’s why we’re committed to producing some industry leading awning designs and other window furnishing options that provide our customers with stylish, sleek, and modern shading options at the fraction of the price of some of our competitors. Furthermore, with our wide range of designs, experience in the marketplace and ability to create truly unique furnishings to match our customers wants and needs, we’re sure to be able to help you find an awning that works for you.
In this article, we’re going to focus our attention on the retracting awning. We’ll begin by examining what exactly a retractable awning is and how it differs from the standard awning. We’ll also spend some time in this section looking at the range of awning solutions we offer at Watson Blinds, after which we’ll turn our attention to three different recreational scenarios in which retractable awnings are both useful and beneficial. In this way, we hope to not only convince you to consider retracting awnings for your next outdoor expansion, but also to prove just how versatile these structures can be.
Awning: Retractable Outdoor Furnishings
Before we can picture the retracting awning, it’s best to first understand the standard model; the basic awning. Simply put, an awning is any structure (usually used outdoors) composed of some sort of material stretched over a frame, made generally from either aluminium, iron, or steel. The primary purpose of any awning is to provide protection against weather elements like rain or sunshine.
Awnings are versatile in many regards, from their shape and size to the material used and what the frame is made of. Because of their effectiveness outdoors and their relatively cheaper price for permanent shading solutions, awnings have seen many different designs – one of the most versatile being the retractable awning. This category of awning provides all the shade and protection from the weather when needed, but can also be neatly folded away through the means of a retracting frame, usually attached to a wall or other permanent structure. These types of awnings provide you with extended control over sun exposure compared to the standard awning.
At Watson Blinds, we appreciate retractable awnings for their versatility and the level of control they give our customers. We’re passionate about providing our Australian consumers with retracting awnings that fit their aesthetic style, and we do this by providing multiple material choices in a variety of colours and designs along with the reassurance of durability and colour fastness.
We also offer our customers a wide range of awning retractable designs. A few of our favourites include (but aren’t limited to):
The Plaza Viva Awning: Retractable
Made in Germany with a ten-year warranty, the Plaza Viva by Weinor is one of our most popular designs. Not only does it adapt to any house setup, but it’s also extremely durable. Furthermore, it comes as a self-mounted system, meaning that it does not need an existing structure to function – making it perfect for first time awning (retractable ones, specifically) purchases.
- The Sintesi Retractable Roof
This design is Italian and provides extra utility as it has a gutter system integrated into the awning. After thorough testing, it has valiantly proven its durability by withstanding wind speeds of up to 102 Km per hour. The Sintesi also boasts complete waterproofing, making it perfect to handle any wet weather conditions.
The Sundream Awning: Retractable
This retractable awning is truly unique. Although it was originally designed to sit above window lights, glass roofs, or conservatory skylights to provide these structures with extra shade, they’ve also been made to stand alone if needed. The Sundream runs on an aluminium guide track, which also eliminates the need for constant maintenance
The Folding Arm Awning: Retractable
A design that harkens back to the storefronts of the 19th century, the Folding Arm design is a classic for a reason. Not only do they offer a great amount of shade, but like all the other designs mentioned, they also don’t require an existing or permanent structure for installation. This design offers an easy-to-use manual or motorised system for extending or retracting the awning. This design is also offered in conjunction with our Sirocco, Viento and Carera awning designs, so that you can get the aesthetic look you want.
Patio And Verandah Awning: Retractable
If we’re to discuss retracting awnings in any space, then the patio and outdoor verandahs are the logical place to begin. There are many reasons why a retractable awning works so well in these areas – verandahs and patios are outdoor extensions of your property and form an area where family and friends usually congregate to either enjoy sundowner drinks, lunch, or barbeques.
Whatever you may be using your patio space for, it’s generally nice to have some cover. Whether it’s to protect the food you’ve prepared from the rain and wind or to enjoy the outdoor weather while still being shaded, retracting awnings work for so many reasons. But let’s review some of the significant benefits you can enjoy if you decide to bolster your patio or verandah with a Watson awning:
Encourage Use:
Many times, when patios or verandahs are constructed without some sort of cover, they can only be used when the weather is just right. But with retracting awnings installed, it’ll encourage you and your guests to use the space more as you don’t have to worry about the weather as much.
Protect Outdoor Furniture:
Many people enjoy styling their patio and verandah with outdoor furniture. This furniture, although usually having some sort of weather protection, will not long last if continually exposed to the elements. Furthermore, outdoor furniture can be relatively expensive due to the material they’re made of (wicker or wood as examples). With awnings installed, you’re also protecting your furniture in the long run.
Property Value:
Simply having an outdoor area will already increase your property value, but by going further and having awnings installed, you’ll not only improve the aesthetic appeal of your patio, but you can also drive up the price of your stylish property.
Pool Awning: Retractable
Although it may not be your first thought when considering a retracting awning, aquatic centres or your home pool can also benefit greatly from this fantastic outdoor furnishing. There are several reasons for this fact; firstly, unlike other sports or outdoor activities, when it comes to swimming, a lot more skin is exposed and because of this, participants in water sport activities are more exposed to harmful UV rays.
According to an article published by the Australian publication Sunsmart, it was estimated that swimmers are subject to UV rays from not only the sun, but also those reflected off the water’s surface. Furthermore, UV light can penetrate about 50cms under the water’s surface too. With this in mind, retractable awnings can provide vital shaded protection that can easily be removed on cooler days, meaning that swimmers can enjoy their favourite water activities in a safer way, and in different weather conditions.
Here are a few more notable benefits:
Temperature Regulation:
Water tends to absorb heat quickly, meaning that when pools are exposed to the sun, it can directly affect the water temperature. Therefore, by installing a retracting awning to provide your pool with protection from the sun, you’re also gifted the benefit of actually being able to broadly control the temperature of your pool.
Keeping Pools Clean:
This benefit may sound confusing, but many times whether the pool is being treated or not, exposure to the sun can actually promote the growth of algae and bacteria in your pool as the water temperature becomes suitable for their growth. Awnings that shade the pool can partially prevent this and therefore indirectly help keep your pool cleaner.
Hotel And Restaurant Outdoor Area Awning: Retractable
When people visit a restaurant or hotel, they often prefer to be seated outside for several reasons. Either they want to enjoy the pleasant weather, would prefer an area that’s not very packed, or would enjoy the outdoor facilities many of these places may offer. In other scenarios, what should hotel and restaurant management do if the weather is poor and the indoor space is already at capacity?
Whatever the reason, a retracting awning can be the perfect solution for any of the situations listed above. Here are some significant benefits for hotels or restaurants to consider:
Curb Appeal:
Certain awnings can also function as signposting and advertising for restaurants, especially when installed on a busy street. With your restaurant’s logo plastered on the awning itself, anyone passing by will be able to see it. Retractable ones will work even better as they can be safely collapsed when staff is not around.
Extended Facility Space:
As we mentioned above, many popular restaurants or hotels could be in urgent need of more space to fit a lunch or dinner time rush. Having access to a shaded outdoor area with a retracting awning can be the perfect cost-effective solution to this issue. Furthermore, with awnings from Watson Blinds, you can be sure to have an aesthetic look as well, keeping customers coming back.
Watson Blinds And Awnings
With our extensive and stylish collection of Watson Blinds awnings as well as the variety of possible awning spaces we have covered in this article, we hope we’ve convinced you of the overall utility a retracting awning can provide.
We’re proud to have been operating in this industry for over fifty years already and have learned how to satisfy our customers’ needs for cheaper, durable, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor shading options. So, if you’re interested in taking advantage of the many awning benefits listed in this article, look no further than Watson Blinds and view our full collection today!
