Creating the Outdoor Room
When our client moved into their new home, they immediately recognised the potential of the large patio overlooking the surrounding countryside. The space offered uninterrupted views, generous proportions and everything needed to create an exceptional outdoor entertaining area.
The vision centred around creating a dedicated outdoor kitchen complete with a wood-fired pizza oven. The challenge, however, was that this part of the garden was particularly exposed to the elements, making it difficult to enjoy consistently throughout the year. Rather than simply adding shelter, the client wanted to create a true outdoor room that could become a natural extension of the home.
Following a site survey, we recommended designing the space around a bioclimatic pergola.
The pergola created a defined outdoor living zone while maintaining the property’s open
views across the surrounding landscape. Its motorised louvred roof allows sunlight, shade
and ventilation to be adjusted throughout the day, creating a comfortable environment for
cooking, dining and entertaining across a much wider range of weather conditions.
More importantly, the pergola provided the foundation for a truly adaptable outdoor living
space. It was further enhanced with complementary solutions, including retractable zip
screens, adjustable louvre shutters and integrated LED lighting, with the flexibility to add
infrared heaters and outdoor fans in the future as the family’s needs evolve.
By combining these systems, the space can be easily adapted to changing weather
conditions, allowing the family to enjoy it comfortably throughout the seasons while ensuring
it continues to evolve alongside their lifestyle.
Completing the Outdoor Living Experience
While the pergola became the centrepiece of the project, another part of the patio presented
a completely different challenge.
Like many contemporary homes, the property featured large glazed doors and windows
overlooking the patio. Although these provided excellent natural light throughout the year,
they also allowed significant solar heat gain during the warmer months. The result was an
increasingly warm living space that became difficult to keep comfortable, while prolonged UV
exposure also posed a risk to interior furnishings and finishes.
Although internal blinds helped reduce glare and protect against UV rays, they did little to
prevent the space from overheating. Once solar heat has passed through the glazing, it has
already entered the home. The most effective solution is to stop the sun before it reaches
the glass.
To achieve this, we recommended the Mayfair Full Cassette Awning.
Installed at the optimum pitch, the awning blocks direct sunlight from reaching the glazing for
most of the day, significantly reducing solar heat gain while allowing the family to maintain
their views of the garden.
The Mayfair awning is equipped with a range of premium features, including integrated
dimmable LED lighting within the arms, a wind sensor that automatically retracts the awning
during adverse weather, and smart control via the P-Box controller. Together, these features
provide effortless operation, enhanced safety and reliable year-round performance.
By shading the glazing externally, the awning significantly reduced solar heat gain before it
entered the property, helping to create a noticeably cooler and more comfortable indoor
environment during summer. At the same time, it transformed the adjoining patio into a
shaded seating area, providing the perfect setting for morning coffee, relaxed lunches or
alfresco dining.
Choosing the right setup for your home
Every outdoor living project is unique, which is why choosing the right solution starts with
understanding how you want to use your space.
We completely understand that creating a hybrid outdoor room system is another investment
in your home, and the last thing you want is to spend money on a setup that looks great but
doesn’t actually improve how you use the space long term.
Every home is different. Some homeowners want shelter for outdoor dining and entertaining,
others struggle with indoor overheating through large glass windows, and others simply want
to have a basic garden shade.
That’s why at Awning Depot all of our product offerings are fully customisable to suit your
specific space, lifestyle, and requirements. Whether it’s a retractable awning for solar
protection, a bioclimatic pergola for year-round outdoor hosting, zip screens for added
privacy and wind control, or a complete layered outdoor room setup, the goal is always the
same: creating a space you’ll genuinely use and enjoy throughout the year.
Explore our outdoor living solutions.
Contact our team to discuss your project.
