Fabric awnings attach to the home and extend shade outdoors.

Exterior solar shades can be customized to provide shade to outdoor spaces.

Fabric awnings attach to the home and extend shade outdoors.

Outdoor living is synonymous with the East Bay lifestyle. But as average temperatures increase, adding a shady retreat to your yard can save the party. Happily, there are plenty of ways to throw some shade—the good kind.

A patio roof or pergola—comprising rafters, beams, and supporting posts—lets you enjoy the fresh air while being sheltered from the sun’s blaze. Options range from modern steel pergolas to those made of wood, stone, or brick. It’s no surprise that slatted designs, which allow breezes to waft through, are especially popular. Craving a romantic look? Drape your pergola in climbing vines such as black-eyed Susans, morning glories, or sweet peas. Or hang string lights to turn up the magic at night.

To start hatching your plan, contact an expert like StruXure Bay Area in Concord or Swanson’s Landscaping in Livermore.

Exterior solar shades can be customized to provide shade to outdoor spaces.

Give your pergola—or pavilion or gazebo—extra sun protection by adding fabric shades. Graber’s weather-resistant Exterior Solar Shades, for example, can be customized for any outdoor dining space.

“We have a variety of fabrics for people to choose from that can really elevate their space,” says Ali Witmer, senior product manager at Springs Window Fashions, a company that owns Graber. They come in dozens of colors and a range of opacities—from UV-blocking superstars to those that block glare but provide better outside views. Beyond shielding people from sun exposure, the shades also protect furniture, rugs, and finishes that might otherwise fade.

“One nice thing is that, instead of having something that’s always got to be up or down, these are retractable,” Witmer says. “If there are outdoor spaces that are susceptible to wind or any element that would make the shade move when in use, we have ways to secure those down.”

Another shading option is a fabric awning that attaches to your home and extends over a patio or deck. Awnings are clad in weather- resistant fabric such as acrylic canvas, like Sunbrella or Tempotest, or mesh.

The awning frame can be retractable or fixed. A retractable awning can be closed—either via a hand crank or motorized control—when you want to open your patio to the sun. (And they should be retracted when it’s windy or rainy; some models now have sensors that make this automatic.)

Fixed awnings can’t be closed but offer other benefits. “You can make fixed awnings come out almost as far as you want, if you have extra vertical support in the front and maybe on the sides,” says Amy Di Costanzo, co-owner of Artisan Awning Company in El Cerrito, whose team makes custom welded-steel frames. “[A fixed awning] can be out when it’s windy and rainy, because it’s engineered to be out all the time.”

Some homeowners are letting their creativity fly with shade sails, which can be hung over a favorite outdoor space. To install these fabric sails, you simply need a few distanced attachment points, such as your home’s exterior and perhaps a couple of trees or poles. Shade sails are available in a variety of colors and can be installed in creative configurations, adding flare to your backyard. Purveyors include Acme Sunshades in Hayward and Love Story online.