This year has been one for the record books in so many ways. One business area that saw incredible growth was the home improvement and backyard furnishing industry. Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic that has plagued 2020, the majority of people spent more time at home this year than ever before. As a result, people found the time and excuse to upgrade their homes for maximum comfort. This was especially true for outdoor patio and backyard upgrades since that was the most outdoor space people had safe access to.

If you haven’t already hopped on the home improvement bandwagon, it is definitely not too late. While most people begin upgrading their outdoor space with new furniture or a fresh coat of paint, here at Accent Awnings, we think your first step should be to look upward. Planning for the covered space in your backyard or patio is incredibly important to the final layout. It’s no good to buy a comfortable outdoor sofa only to find that it doesn’t fit under your awning, leaving you and your family exposed to the elements.

While you can find some standard sized awnings, the final product will always look better if you have a custom awning built for your specific space and needs. Custom awnings provide shade and protection from inclement weather to all types of outdoor areas. You can customize awnings for all types of spaces, such as room enclosures, carports, poolside cabanas, extended balcony covers, decks, island barbeque covers, entrances, restaurants, and many more. Let’s take a look at all the things you need to consider while building custom awnings for your outdoor spaces.

THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING A CUSTOM AWNING

Awnings are great at protecting you from the elements. If you are a Southern California native like us, you know the summer months go on for about 80% of the year down here. That means sun all the time. Awnings supply ample protection for the sun’s harmful UV rays, making outdoor time safe and fun for families of all ages. Awnings are also a great investment during the non-sunny months, especially during the time of the coronavirus.

Instead of traveling to relatives this holiday season, people all over the country will be celebrating from the comfort of home. For those who do go see relatives, many are hosting family meals outdoors to help prevent the spread of the virus. Hosting an outdoor party is the perfect opportunity to install a custom awning to protect your guests.

What some people don’t know is that awnings are not just meant for use in the backyard, and they do more than just shade people from mother nature. When strategically placed around your home and property, awnings can have several beneficial effects. Awnings can actually lower the indoor temperature of your home by about 15 to 20 degrees! That is huge in terms of energy savings. In fact, if you do the math, the reduction in energy cost will pay for your custom awning in roughly three to five years. That is a solid short-term investment for long-term benefits.

TYPES OF CUSTOM AWNINGS

The world of custom awnings is quite larger than you’d initially think. While we can’t cover all of them, below we are going to break down the most popular options for your consideration. Each type of awning serves its own unique purpose and can be customized to match your wants and needs.

Entrance Awnings: Also known as “door awnings,” entrance awnings adorn a doorway. You might be familiar with the image of these from the olden days where awnings were colorful, striped, spotted, or decorated to draw attention to your home. Large versions of these are also seen outside of hotels in most major cities. As the name implies, these awnings serve to protect the entrances to your home. These are particularly handy in fighting against rain or snow, and can even help lower temperatures if your living room backs up to your front door.

These awnings can be anything you want, but modern design tends to stray toward the simple and the monotone. Stark black squares of fabric between a metal frame are all the rage these days.

*Pro Tip:* Some interior designers have the notion that installing awnings on the inside of your house is somehow a good idea. Take it from us, the experts, this is not a good idea. Not only does it look tacky, but it also has no real functional value. Avoid indoor entrance awnings, this is a fad that shall pass.

FREE STANDING AWNINGS:

If you don’t have a home or structure that would benefit from mounting on awnings, you are not out of luck. Freestanding awnings are structures that you can set up in your yard to provide shade and cover on a permanent or temporary basis. Not only will free standing awnings to protect from the elements, but they also increase the comfort and usefulness of your outdoor spaces. These can be stationary units or retractable, depending on much you want to spend. Freestanding awnings are the perfect choice for covering an outdoor kitchen or building a poolside canopy.

Here at Accent Awnings, we specialize in customized free-standing awnings. Our base designs come in 4 different functional shapes, but custom frames can be made to suit any need. Let’s take a look at some of the customization options you can get for any awning, including free-standing.

CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS

Each of our custom patio awnings and canopies is manufactured in our facility to the sizes, colors & designs that best fits your requirements, taste & budget. Here are the elements you can customize about your awning to truly make it your own.

Metal Frame Options: Frames are available in mild steel, aluminum or stainless steel, with or without a powder-coated finish

Valances: Rigid valances are built right into the metal frame or soft fabric decorative scallop

Drop Shade: Roll down fabric assembly that attaches to the inside of the fixed awning frame

Fabric Options: Commercial vinyl’s and fire retardant acrylics and Sunbrella®’s Shade Fabrics

Graphics: Custom vinyl lettering and custom logos

CUSTOM CANOPY OPTIONS

All this talk of awnings and we almost forgot to mention our canopies! First, it is probably helpful to understand the differences between an awning and a canopy. Although awnings and canopies have similar uses and definitions that have caused them to be confused with each other over the years, in truth they have important differences. Boys and girls, get out your number two pencil and college-ruled paper.

By definition, an awning is a covering that is attached to the exterior portion (wall) of a house or building. You normally see awnings placed above windows and doors or extended to cover larger areas with the use of columns. Canopies, however, make use of numerous posts to support its structure and can stand on its own, just like a standard tent. The differences affect the upfront investment cost and the longevity of your piece based on projected usage.

CUSTOM WARRANTIES

If you are one of those people who always turn down the extended warranty on inexpensive electronic gadgets, good for you. But if that is you, don’t apply that logic to protecting your investment in a custom awning. A proper warranty is well worth the extra investment, and here at Accent Awnings, we have great options for coverage.

Our awnings, canopies, and screens have been designed & manufactured to provide a high level of performance. We believe in the experienced craftsmanship that goes into each of our sun control products & are proud to offer this warranty. Our product warranty covers all defects in materials during the warranty period (specified above, except otherwise limited herein).

Factory workmanship is warranted during the warranty period if the product is returned to the factory. In the event, products must be repaired in the field, and the product is within our direct field service area, the field labor will be provided free of charge for a period of 5 years from the date of purchase. If the product is returned to the factory for repair within the warranty period it must be sent transportation prepaid. Accent will fix the equipment or parts, if we choose to replace the equipment or parts, we may replace it with reconditioned or equivalent items similar in type and quality. Sunbrella acrylic fabrics are warranted against excessive fading, mildew, or rot.

The warranty does not cover the following:

1. Damage caused by accident, negligence, filth, water pooling, misuse, abuse, alteration, failure to follow instructions, improper operation, civil disorder, windstorm, salt build-up, rainstorm, fire, flood, earthquakes, and other acts of God, or failure to provide a reasonable degree of maintenance, lack of regular cleaning or any other condition over which Accent has no control
2. Damage resulting from repair or attempted repair by someone other than an authorized service representative
3. Holes in the fabric caused by mildew (Mildew may form on the fabric if it is not maintained in a clean condition)
4. Minor color changes in the fabric due to ultraviolet rays
5. Installation damage caused by poor mounting surfaces, such as wood rot, stucco condition, uneven surfaces, unusual painting or surface coating
6. The cost of loss of time, loss of use, or any consequential or incidental damages, or outside labor
7. Damage/deterioration to any fabric or valance caused by its contact or rubbing against other materials or objects
8. Labor costs and or transportation costs outside of Accent’s direct service area, Dealer Orders, or for self-installed products within the warranty period

In the end, there is no substitute for proper planning and preparation when it comes to your custom awnings. Let our experts help you from start to finish this holiday season!

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