While it's relaxing and restorative to spend time outdoors, not everyone wants to or should be exposing themselves to the sun's harmful rays. Sometimes, it's just too hot. So, when planning an outdoor room or environment, include at least one source of shade in your designs—ideally in areas of activity where you can benefit from the fresh air without being in direct sunlight.
01 Dining Courtyard
Joel Dessaules Design
Palm Springs, California, gets at least 269 sunny days per year, so designer Joel Dessaules came up with clever ways to create shade for this beautiful one-story mid-century modern Alexander home in the desirable Racquet Club neighborhood.
To cool things down, lava veneer from Hawaii was applied to the home's front elevation to help absorb and radiate heat, while block walls were built to block sun and provide shade. A cantilevered steel butterfly-shaped shade structure was installed on the flat roof, which also absorbs and redirects the sun's intensity.
Toward the back of the house, another butterfly-shaped structure echoes the front one, creating a covered courtyard dining room. Soft lighting, fans, and misters help cool off diners on hot nights. A weather-tight closet was converted into an indoor/outdoor kitchenette that is accessible to the courtyard dining room—a convenient alternative to the larger indoor kitchen.
02 Shade and Shelter
Anthony Crisafulli
A busy Brooklyn family had lots on their wish list for this narrow yard in the Clinton Hill neighborhood. The designers at NewEco Landscapes followed through with beautiful results, managing to incorporate a mural wall, fireplace/pizza oven, custom cabinetry, a vegetable garden, lawn, and a modern pergola with a slanted roof. Major workarounds included an existing concrete slab and an AC unit, which got relocated behind the outdoor kitchen so it did not become the yard's focal point.
In addition to being a great-looking outdoor structure, the pergola provides shade for dining or outdoor activities during the day. Heat lamps and lighting were installed on the pergola ceiling and fence for chilly evenings.
03 Shade Sail Pergola
South Cambs Landscape Ltd.
The homeowners of this modern, formal English garden requested a space that was low maintenance with an outdoor entertaining area. Father-and-son design and construction company Geoff and Ben Kirbyshire of South Cambs Landscape, Ltd., in Steeple Morden, near Royston, Herts, headed a team that completed the job in two weeks. Pressure-treated softwood was used for the horizontal-slat screening and raised beds, while two shades of Indian sandstone laid in a random pattern were used for the patio, along with tumbled sandstone edging sets. Low-voltage garden lighting is accessible with a remote switch.
There is a need for shade even in overcast Great Britain. The shade sail, from Shaded Nation, covers a raised deck that can be used for dining or other activities. Plants were supplied by Euro Plants.
04 Tree for Shade
J. Michael Tucker/Okashi Design
The original and oldest source of shade is a tree, especially a nice big one with twisting, sculptural limbs. Redesigned by ODS Architecture, this home near San Francisco went from overly shady to just-enough when its backyard tree was artfully pruned to allow dappled light to shine through. A tree can lower a home's temperature by as much as 20 degrees or more during the hot months. Think seriously before chopping one down and replacing it with a patio cover.
General Contractor on the project was On The Beam.
05 Retractable Canopies
Shade FX
This freestanding pergola in Ontario, Canada, uses a system by Shade FX in which one drive beam located in the middle of the canopy operates the mechanism. Because there is only one track, you don't have to align tracks when operating. This type of system mounts to most types of frames, including wood, without worrying about any jamming or binding. Shades are available in a variety of fabrics, colors, and patterns to coordinate with your outdoor furnishings and decor.
06 Pull-Down Shades
Hively Landscapes
Sometimes that glare hits you from every angle, and you can't seem to escape it. While most shade structures like this attached pergola designed by Hively Landscapes in Dover, Pennsylvania, provide overhead protection, they don't do much to stop intense rays from a setting sun. That's when these roll-up shades comes in handy—simply pull them down when needed, and retract when there's no glare.
07 Shade in the City
Lynn Gaffney
Located on a rooftop above a loft in New York's Chelsea district, this swooping structure designed by Brooklyn-based architect Lynn Gaffney provides shade, privacy, and safety—the slats were spaced precisely to prevent the owners' cats from squeezing through and escaping.
The slats also allow dappled sun to filter in, along with breezes—which help on hot summer evenings. Potted trees add more shade to the environment, especially the taller and wider they grow.
08 The Reliable Patio Umbrella
Spiderplay / Getty Images
Sometimes your budget or space do not permit building a shade structure. Umbrellas have been around for a long time and aren't going away anytime soon. Find a sturdy one from a reliable source, measure your space to ensure it will fit, and know what to look for when shopping for a good outdoor umbrella.