Outdoor Living & Your Home

Nick Hatcher | 02/16/17

Here in the northwest we tend to love the outdoors.

Experiencing the outdoors does not always have to entail ascending to the top of a mountain. Whether you are adventurous or not, being able to enjoy the fresh air from a great deck or patio is a must. Outdoor living space has become a growing trend in the building industry. We are seeing more and more custom homes with beautiful covered patios, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, cool lighting, you name it. But not everyday is sunny and 75 with a light breeze.

We live in a beautiful area with plenty of comfortable sunny days but there are 4 seasons and with those come extreme weather. Being able to control the elements and extend your outdoor living season is essential in truly creating a wonderful outdoor living space for your home. More builders, designers and homeowners are finding the importance of being able to control the sun, wind, rain, and even insects without taking away from your view or the design element of your outdoor space.

Large opening retractable screens are often being used to resolve some or all of these factors that mother nature can throw at us. Exterior roll down screen products have come a long way in recent years. We are now producing motorized units up to 28 ft. wide with no fabric seems or center obstructions to take away from your view. Automated wireless controls. Quality hardware, powder coated to match the homes exterior. Zipper tracks that have been tested to withstand 60 mph winds. Solar screen fabrics that can reduce the solar heat gain by 90% while still maintaining a view to the outside.

Most of us that have seen an outdoor sunscreen over a window, or to enclose a patio, have thought that it is used only for shade and heat from the sun. However, many of our clients are also using these retractable screens during the evenings. In some cases you may need a little privacy from the neighbor, or maybe the evening breeze is a little chilly. Being able to enclose your patio with a sunscreen fabric will actually create a wind break making the colder days and nights much more enjoyable. Drop down screens paired with an outdoor heater can make for a great outdoor evening experience where as otherwise may be unusable because of the cold. In some cases there is no need for sun control. Our clients simply want to keep the bugs out. In this case there is insect specific fabric which is more breathable and offers better visibility.

Regardless of your needs, we love enhancing and extending our clients outdoor living. We have an extensive selection of outdoor awning and screen products. The northwest is a beautiful area. Enjoying it from our own home is important to most of us. Controlling the elements is essential in creating a comfortable and extended outdoor living

experience. Whether it be inside or out, we can help you control the elements and better enjoy the beautiful northwest.