Awesome awnings, pretty pergolas and glam gazebos to make the most of the summer
Hisso parasol, hanging, anthracite, 300cm €150, ikea.
"Because I'm happy... like a room without a roof": Pharrell Williams was so so close to something here.
But what more and more people are opting for right now in these parts is a "roof without a room". More specifically, canopies or awnings to create an outdoor space that's useable for a lot longer throughout the year and later into summer evenings.
Those days when it’s so warm and dry the washing nearly dries itself as you hang it out, and you know it’s going to be sunny again tomorrow so you can leave the seating and rugs outside for the next day — they’re great aren’t they?
But more typically, it’s scrunch lines on your forehead from trying to read in the glare, sun-faded sections on curtains, and a dent on your shin from dragging a chair out to the sunshine and heaving it back in again 20 minutes later when it starts drizzling...
If the weather can't commit to being sunny or showery then maybe you don’t have to commit to being inside or outside either.
The sun — and rain — shelter options range from relatively low-effort and low-cost canopies or "sails" to somewhat more pricey but longer-lasting awnings or canopies. Cafes, restaurants and bars all upped their outdoor seating game in recent years and many of us got to like it a lot and wanted to bring the best bits of this home with us too.
One company that has seen an increase in residential awnings and canopies is Munster Awnings, based in East Village in Douglas, Cork. And many of those customers are thinking longer term and going for automated shades that use a motor to extend and retract the canopy.
Owner Gavan O’Sullivan sums it up: “It’s the ability to press a button and suddenly the outdoor space is created if it starts raining or if you need shade from the sun.” The options also include manual shades (operated by a crank) as well as automated shades that unfold and retract at the press of a button.
Gavan says that lockdown boosted sales as “people are far more used to being outside” and he also noted that some customers were grandparents installing covers so they can enjoy the outdoors themselves as well as having a place to meet grandchildren.
“Of course, the commercial side was very busy during lockdown as companies wanted to utilise outside space — and now so many people prefer sitting outside. Then people in these companies came back to their own house and said ‘wouldn’t it be lovely to use this area too’.” These awnings could measure up to 7 metres wide by about 3.6 metres projection from the house “so that could give up to 18/19 square metres of coverage” notes Gavan, adding that a big advantage is “you press a button at the end of the evening and it’s ‘gone’”.
While commercial outlets often want bright colours and logos, and there is a choice of around 200 fabrics, homeowners are mostly opting for plain or light greys, it seems.
And the bit that does the hard work is the motor which is hidden in a ‘cassette’ mounted on the wall. These come in a choice of five colours including light grey, white, cream, and anthracite grey to match popular window frame choices.
Prices range from €3-5k for an awning which can be decorated with bunting or lights to create an ambient space outside. Businesses are often more likely to opt for a retractable roof on ‘legs’ for around €15k-€20k. “We have had maybe two or three private customers going for these but 99% for residential is the awning,” says Gavan.
Hastily bought smaller parasols have been a sunshine quick fix for many of us but these often won’t work for breezy coastal areas or have to be taken down if there’s a chance of gusts or they could take flight.
Not so with the awnings, says Gavan: “We install them all around the west coast of Ireland even and if it’s in a very very windy spot it can be reinforced — we can put ‘legs’ on the front of them.”
While awnings and canopies from Munster Awnings are made to measure, there has also been an increase in people taking the Ikea DIY route.
The options here include the Dyning wedge-shaped sail or canopy (€40) and gazebos costing €150, €374 and €575.
The Dyning sail has a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating of 25+, which means it blocks 96% of the ultraviolet radiation and it's easy to keep clean as the fabric can be machine-washed. It is tied onto hooks or posts though so you have to dash out and untie it if it starts to lash.
The gazebos can withstand light showers as they are of water-repellent material. And some come with curtains for shade or privacy as well.
Martyn Allan, Ikea’s market and sustainability manager Ireland, says: “Our range of parasols and gazebos is bigger than ever this year with a wide spread of prices.” “From experience, outdoor furniture online searches begin to peak this month with Ikea customers using the Easter mid-term to begin purchasing these types of products. As we begin to approach the warmer season and the weather turns for the better, interest in canopies, parasols and gazebos naturally increases as people start looking to update their outdoor spaces.” And with communions and confirmations getting underway for many, families are weather-proofing outdoor celebrations with some cover also.
Martyn says: “Gazebos in particular are fantastic for zoning spaces and providing a lovely backdrop for memorable outdoor events.”
Meanwhile, Outdoorliving.ie, based in Wicklow and Meath, has been around since 2006 and has seen a big increase in demand for pergolas, gazebos and awnings as well.
Manager Alan Murphy says people are picking either sleek modern structures or they are opting for a rustic look: "Some are attached to the house and others are going at the back end of the garden — it's a massive trend."
These are quite heavy structures and typically need to sit on a solid base and the retractable ones are either manual or electric. Grey is also a very popular colour here — "I'd say about 70% of people go for the grey." Though the sage green is also a popular option Alan says.
Prices range from around €580 for a heavy-duty tent-like gazebo to pergolas from around €1,200 — right up to roofed gazebos for around €8,000.
There are patio covers which are essentially roofs on stilts — installed onto the side or back of a house, essentially extending a room outwards in warmer weather.
And some come with sliding panels which allow the sun in on a good day and which can be closed to give more dry outdoor space on a rainy day.
We might not know if we're going to have a rain-soaked summer or a scorcher this year but we'll definitely be getting weather so the smart option is to get ready for it all... and any accompanying music for your grandkids' visit, prosecco party or lazy sudoku session is up to you.
* Munster Awnings munsterawnings.ie East Village Cork T12 Cork; 021-485 7545
* Ikea Ireland https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/
* Outdoor Living outdoorliving.ie Glen of the Downs, County Wicklow and 6 Dunboyne Business Park, County Meath; 01-801 8000
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