Menu
Investing in a retractable shade or screen for your patio can do much more than just block out the glare of the sunlight. Whatever the season, there are creative ways you can get value out of your screen. Many are simple and easy, and they can give you new ways to enjoy the cool of winter and the warmth of summer. Sometimes, all you have to do is drop the shade and screen and enjoy the unexpected benefits.
Whether it’s altering the temperature or adding a whole new customizable space to your home, the retractable screen presents as many possibilities as you can conjure.
While the changing seasons might seem like they impose limitations, they create opportunities. Let’s take a look at a few of those year-round patio screen ideas now.
Spring and Summer Ideas
From buzzing mosquitoes to blistering heat, spring and summer can bring many discomforts that can make the outdoors less friendly. That said, they also have a tremendous capacity for beauty. Blooming flowers and cool breezes thrive in these seasons, so the rewards for spending time outside are tremendous. Your retractable shade or screen can help you enjoy the best of both worlds. Here are a few creative ways to use patio shades to enjoy the warmer months.
Cool Things Down
One of the biggest obstacles presented by the warmer seasons is just that — the heat. With the average temperature in the U.S. increasing, this problem has only become more challenging. Your patio screen can cut down on that sun exposure, reducing not just the light but also the temperature. This way, you can enjoy the outdoors without bearing the intense heat and sweat.
Some screens are specifically designed to help with this issue. For instance, solar shades are made of a specific fabric that can protect you from the sun’s UV rays, which can harm humans under certain conditions. The screen can also protect you from rainfall, allowing you to enjoy the cool air and the sound of the storm without getting wet. When combined with fans, you’ll be impressed by how cool you can keep your patio.
Set the Mood
Use your patio screen to create a unique atmosphere for events. Whether it’s weekend parties or matinees at home, a screen can alter the lighting of your patio and give you new opportunities to tailor the experience for yourself and those around you. For example, suppose you’re hosting something like a murder mystery party. The screen can provide a darkened atmosphere to accentuate feelings of intrigue and mystery while keeping guests away from those setting things up inside.
Or consider a romantic outdoor dinner. Your patio screen can alter the lighting to create a uniquely intimate atmosphere that enhances the meal. Scented candles and flowers could take that aesthetic even further. You could even create special fixtures with the screen as a base, attaching memorable polaroids to the interior or using a small disco ball to recreate the feel of decades past on the canvas of the screen.
Deter Unwanted Pests
Bugs are one of the biggest frustrations that come with the warmer seasons. Whether it’s bites or buzzing, they can turn a fun day in the sun into a day of applying bug spray and scratching at itches. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Your patio screen can fend off these outdoor pests without harming them. Some are even designed to do just that. You might even spend a lot more time outside when you don’t have to fight with gnats and mosquitoes.
Fall and Winter Ideas
Fall and winter are very different beasts than spring and summer, with unique challenges — and opportunities to expand your creativity. The cold and the falling of the leaves bring about a special beauty, but they can also drive us indoors to a warm cocoa and a seat by the fire. Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.
Patio screens create a unique space to experience these seasons on your terms. Here are a few ways to maximize patio screens in winter and fall.
Heat Things Up
When temperatures drop, staying inside and missing out on fresh air and the beauty of the leaves on the ground or the snow in the air can be easy. Your experience of the temperature can be worsened by wind chills, which can carve through clothing and make you feel too cold.
Your patio screen can minimize that very wind chill, allowing you to get some fresh air without freezing your socks off. You can even invest in a patio screen built to combat intense winds. This thermal protection also makes having meals outdoors under windy conditions easier. You might even enjoy your cocoa on the patio instead of by the fire. A patio heater can take that warmth even further.
Protect Your Patio from the Elements
You’re not alone if you get sick of sweeping leaves or shoveling snow from your patio. These tasks can be especially frustrating if your patio is a part of your daily life. A retractable screen or shade can go a long way in keeping your space clean and clear.
Oftentimes, these screens are created out of fiberglass and vinyl screen mesh, which are built to deal with common weather conditions. This composition gives them enormous durability and a long life span. From sun and rain to snow and leaves, your patio can withstand it all when it’s covered by a screen.
Create an Outdoor Living Space
Of the many uses for outdoor screens and shades, perhaps the most intriguing is using them to create an outdoor living space. The screen can create a unique room outside of your home, combining the benefits of both the indoors and the outdoors.
Privacy needn’t be a concern either, as many retractable patio screens are easy to see out of but not easy to see into. The difference has to do with how light interacts with the fabric. The most important thing, however, is that you and those around you can enjoy the outdoors without worrying about who’s watching.
Install a Screen on Your Texas Patio
If you’re in search of seasonal patio shade solutions, Shading Texas is here for you. Our wide variety of patio screens and shades can be customized to suit your home’s needs, and our team of shading experts works closely with you to make that happen.
Whether you’re looking to fight off bugs, glare or wind, we’ve got the retractable patio screen for you. We even offer a 10-year warranty on our fabrics and a lifetime warranty on our frames to make sure your screen lasts.
To learn more, call us at 737-232-3686 or get a free on-site estimate today.
Matt Pierce has been working in the solar shade industry for over 15 years, providing sun protection in the extremes of Alaska and Texas. His dedicated team at Shading Texas will get your the sun solutions you need to enjoy your patios and homes for years to come by blocking out bugs, sun, wind, and rain!