Outdoor Living
Need Shade? Here are New Options By Peggy Werner
I
f you want to spend more time outside but need protection from the elements, there are a variety of new options to make your outdoor spaces more usable and enjoyable. A custom-made awning, pergola or patio cover is often the key to improving peoples’ everyday lives, says Samantha Hall, marketing manager of W.A. Zimmer in Huntington, Ind. “This past year has given people an even greater appreciation for what they can do with their homes,” says Hall. “They’re finding out they can have beautiful experiences in their own backyards by using areas that were not always available to them because of the harsh rays of the summer sun and other weather conditions.” All shade or all sun are no longer the only options. A standard pergola is an outdoor structure consisting of columns that support an open roof with beams and rafters. Freestanding or attached to your house, a pergola offers partial shade as climbing vines fill in open spaces overhead. But it also allows natural light to filter through, giving you the best of both worlds. It’s also a perfect structure for stringing outdoor lights. An operable pergola has remote-controlled motorized louvres to give partial or complete shade with the push of a button. A dry cool pergola is the newest way to cover an outdoor area. The unique structure combines the functionality of a patio cover with the look of a pergola. Insulated center panels protect a space from rain, snow and sun but offer the open beam look of a traditional pergola. A patio cover has a solid-panel thermal roof for total protection from sun, rain and snow for all outdoor areas. It can also be used to provide overhead protection to vehicles. All structures from W.A. Zimmer are custom built and made from durable extruded aluminum, requiring no maintenance.
The Operable Pergola allows for full sun or shade at the touch of a button. Motorized louvres open, close, and can be stopped anywhere along the way to give you full control over your shade.
The material doesn’t fade, rust, warp, mold, or need painting or staining, says Hall. Available colors include white, sandstone (light beige) and bronze, a rich, dark brown. If an outdoor space needs only occasional protection from the sun, homeowners may choose a manual or motorized retractable awning. Available in a variety of styles, sizes and 150 fabrics that include both solids and patterns, the awnings are easy to clean, won’t fade from sun exposure and are mold- and mildew-resistant, Hall explains. “I just love to see people’s faces light up when they look at displays in our showroom,” says Hall. “Some people have been thinking about a pergola, awning or patio cover for a long time and when they finally decide to do something, they love it.”
The Dry Cool Pergola offers the look of a classic pergola but has solid, insulated center panels that offer full protection from the sun and rain.
Learn more by stopping in at W.A. Zimmer, 1700 N. Broadway, Huntington, Ind., or by calling (260) 356-1621. ❚
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Smart Living Fort Wayne
June 2021 • II
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