If you’re enthralled by the idea of taking your workplace outdoors, you’re far from alone. In fact, some experts believe that outdoor offices may be the future of corporate America!

An outdoor office is amazing for a huge number of reasons, including more fresh air for workers, freedom to move around, and higher engagement with their surroundings. However, in order to make all of the awesome things about outdoor offices a reality, you’ll need to have some shade to protect you (and your computer screens) from the sun.

Here, we’re going to talk about some shading options for outdoor offices so that you can make the most of your corporate space!

AWESOME AWNING OPTIONS

An awning is the single best way to protect your outdoor office from the sun. They give you full control of your space, look amazing, and shield every bit of your office from the sun. Here, we’re going to talk about some of the best awning options that you can choose from, so read on for more information!

1. PREMIUM RETRACTABLE AWNINGS

The most popular retractable awning system that we offer is called The Elite and with good reason. This awning is made from the best fabrics and materials to keep your skin and belongings shielded from the sun. You’ll never need to worry about wear and tear, and you can customize The Elite to fit into any outdoor office space between 6 and 80 feet.

There also is a variation of this style called the Elite Cassette, which has a protective enclosure. Its fabric is enclosed in protruding aluminium to give off additional protection for their awnings when they’re not constantly extended.

2. CUSTOMIZABLE ALTERNATIVES

The Uni-Lux is yet another retractable awning system that we have to offer. It’s custom-made to order, which means that you can choose acrylic fabric in any number of stock colors. You can therefore select your company colors and get those who work with you in the right mindset to complete their daily workplace tasks.

However, if you want to customize your awning in other ways, you may be interested in our custom canopy options. Here, you can choose basically every aspect of the awning that you’re creating, including the size, drop shade options, the fabric used, and the type of metal (stainless steel or aluminum) used for the frame.

This ensures that your awning will be made to perfectly suit your needs and shade every inch of your outdoor office.

3. GRAPHICS AND SYMBOLS

There’s one more thing that you can choose to incorporate on your custom canopy: custom graphics.

Let’s say that you want to include your brand name and logo on the awning that you’re using to shield your outdoor office. We can’t blame you! As we said earlier, an awning in company colors can get employees in the mindset to work more productively. It stands to reason that a logo or similar graphic would be even more effective at this!

This is especially important because, unlike a traditional office, an outdoor workplace may be difficult for many employees to mentally adapt to. This customization will remind them that they’re at work and that it’s time to be productive!

You can talk to our experts about custom vinyl lettering and logos for your retractable awning. We’re happy to help you figure out the perfect way to customize your canopy to make it perfect.

4. COMMERCIAL AWNING OPTIONS

If your outdoor office is the kind of place that you want clients to be able to read into, a commercial awning might be the right choice for your needs. These accent awnings are made with the intention of showing off your brand name, logo, and other information to passersby.

There are a few reasons that you should look into accent awnings.

First, these awnings will draw attention to your business by making the appearance of your building better. Commercial canopies are not only eye-catching but also make your business appear more trendy. People are more likely to head over to your outdoor office to consult with the professionals that work there.

Additionally, commercial awnings help to protect your outdoor office from bad weather conditions. They’re really sturdy with their stainless steel frames and thick textiles. As a result, they keep the rain out and stay strong in harsh winds.

5. CHOOSE YOUR SUNBRELLA FABRICS

Speaking of high-quality fabrics, you have many textile options no matter what awning type you choose. This doesn’t only apply to the type of fabric that you pick but to the style that you can select.

You can get any number of solid color awnings and use color psychology to choose the perfect one. If you want workers at your office to feel relaxed and comfortable, a blue awning will be awesome. Yellow and orange are good colors to enhance their productivity, which is never a bad thing in the workplace.

There are also many different stripe and pattern options that you can choose. If you want your awning to really stand out, you can invest in a unique pattern or material to ensure that it catches the attention of onlookers. 

OTHER AMAZING ALTERNATIVES

Don’t think that an awning will be enough to shade you? Want to get some additional materials to supplement your new favorite awning?

That’s a-ok! There are other ways that you can provide some extra shade for your outdoor office, so read on to learn what these options are.

6. UPPITY UMBRELLAS

You know how people at outdoor cafes are always sitting under huge beach umbrellas?

Well, these are awesome ideas for your outdoor office! You can go to your local pool store and get some giant umbrellas and stands. Put them up at the centers of the tables that your employees will be sitting and working at. This is a great way to get some shade closer to workers and ensure that they can see their computer screens even on sunny days.

However, it’s important to note that umbrellas alone won’t be enough to shade your entire outdoor office. They’re just for close-range shade to stop glare on electronic devices and prevent sunburn and heat sickness.

You’ll definitely want to supplement these fixtures with cloth awnings. This will make sure that all employees stay safe from the sun no matter where their desks are placed. Even if you give everyone an umbrella, the sun will still be likely to hit some employees when it’s at certain angles!

7. DIGNIFIED DROP SHADES

If you want to forgo an awning altogether, then there’s no better alternative than drop shades. Assuming that your outdoor office has some kind of frame around the top of it, you can install Sun-Pro drop shades to keep the sun from beating down on employees. If there isn’t a frame around your outdoor office, don’t fret- you can make one pretty cheaply out of metal or wood.

Drop shades block the sun from coming in through the sides of your space. You won’t just be protected from the sun from above but from the openings that would let the sun hit people, tables, and devices from all angles. The best part of drop shades is that they’re super affordable, which means that you can get as many as you want and block the sun from coming in anywhere.

8. PREFAB SHEDS FOR PORTABLE OFFICES

If you don’t want to sit outside and work 100% of the time, that’s totally understandable. Prefab buildings are pretty cheap to install, and they can be taken down at any time. You can get one of these shed-like spaces, spruce it up with a bit of interior decorating, and put it by your outdoor office as an oasis for those who want to avoid the heat.

Get some AC in there and take turns rotating inside with the cold air and outside with the rustling of trees and flowers! The best of all worlds!

However, just like every other building, keep in mind that you’ll need to shade the windows of your prefab office. This means that retractable window awnings might benefit you. You can try getting some that have your brand name and logo on them to denote that your portable office is still the workspace that your employees love!

GET OUTDOOR OFFICE SHADE TODAY!

Now that you know some of the best ways to provide shade for your outdoor office, it’s time to get started!

Get a quote for how much it will cost to provide shading for your outdoor space. All you need to do is fill out the form on our website and include the dimensions and specifications of your outdoor office. Our experts will work with you to create an amazing awning or some awesome drop shades to make your area more comfortable.

We hope to hear from you soon!