Shades can boost backyard color and block summer sun.Place your photo caption here

Keep your cool this summer with well-placed awnings, trellises and trees.

It’s that time of year when we wear crazy big hats and cower under outdoor umbrellas. We park 25 spots away from the store entrance just to get under the speckled shadow of a palo verde tree. Whoever coined the phrase “made in the shade” might never have sweated through a Phoenix summer, but there is truth there – especially at home. The creative use of awnings, plants and other shading strategies can make our homes more inviting and reduce the high demand on air-conditioning systems.

Screens and Awnings
Leaving windows unshaded on sunny, summer days isn’t such a bright idea. Heat gain through windows on a typical Valley home accounts for nearly half of the workload on air-conditioning units, according to utility provider Arizona Public Service Co. The good news is, whether budget, convenience or aesthetics drive your decision, Valley experts say there are plenty of window dressings to choose from. Here are a few popular options:

• Interior retractable screens. On the inside, retractable screens can stop reflective heat gain and reduce fading and glare.

“You can see through them. It’s just like looking through a pair of sunglasses,” says Ken Pesho, lead designer for Scottsdale-based Awnings By Design. Interior retractable screens are mainly placed in high-end homes, Pesho says, noting that a manually operated screen for one 5-by-5-foot window will set you back nearly $200. Add a motorized screen with a wall switch and you’re pushing $700.

Stopping the sun’s rays before they reach your windows is a better way to cut solar heat gain. “Anything you do outside the glass is seven times more effective for heat gain than on the inside,” Pesho says.

Photo by Nicole Roegner Window awnings give your home shade, water protection and added character.

• Exterior retractable screens. These techno-smart screens operate with sun and wind sensors. “Brightness tells them when to go down,” Pesho says, adding that wind sensors tell them when to retract. “A screen on the exterior of the house will literally make it eight to 10 degrees cooler on the inside of the glass,” Pesho says. Fixed screens offer a lower-cost alternative.

• Window awnings. In addition to offering shade, window awnings add water protection and a distinct look to the exterior. Simon Miller, sales manager for Phoenix Tent and Awning Company, says the color palette, custom options (rounded styles, striped patterns and unique valance cuts) and fabric durability are better now than ever before.

Awnings range from lower-cost, traditional awnings to Old World-style, spear-point awnings to retractable awnings that open up your view when not in use.

Traditional awnings are a simple way to dress up your home and cool the interior. While Miller says cost will vary based on window size and style selection, the price tag averages about $400 per awning.

Spear-point awnings add an extra notch of cost and aesthetics, but they are a good choice for windows with shutters because they are open on the sides. “Spear points are used a lot in the Encanto area. They are the most decorative of all the awnings,” Miller says.

Retractable awnings (available for windows and patios) operate on the same principle as retractable screens, utilizing sun and wind sensors for extension and retraction. Depending on size and features, these can cost thousands of dollars per awning. “On the retractable awnings, there is a new sun sensor that has come out that is completely wireless and charged by solar energy. When the sun hits this sensor, it sends a message to the awning to extend out,” Miller says.

Gazebos create a shaded patio and make your backyard feel like a resort.

Patios and Gazebos
From fixed awnings to retractable versions, patio awnings come in many of the same styles as window awnings, only bigger. Pesho, however, highlights one new product that can really help during the dinner hour. “The sun usually starts dropping underneath your patio awning right when you’re sitting down to eat,” he says. “One of our newest features is a drop valance – a screen that drops from the front bar of your awning. It’s a phenomenal feature and very few people are aware of it.”

For an elegant look, Miller recommends patio draperies. “Draperies bring your living area outward, provide good shade and dress up your patio,” he says, noting that high-quality, heavyweight fabrics in a variety of colors can complement your patio furniture and home interior.

Miller also puts in a plug for backyard gazebos. “Gazebos and cabanas are used a lot in resorts such as The Phoenician and Fairmont. You can use them to create a shaded patio and make your own backyard feel like a resort,” he says, recommending ceiling fans and lights for the complete package.

Trees and vines block late-afternoon rays.

Trees and Vines
Don’t forget to invite Mother Nature to be a part of your shady backyard plans. A well-conceived landscape will do double duty by adding beauty and blocking the hot summer sun. Here’s how:

• Plant trees. Steve Hoover, business development manager for ValleyCrest Landscape Companies in Phoenix, recommends planting large shade trees to block afternoon sun. “Typically, you’re looking to shade any south- and southwest-facing walls and windows,” he says. A nice seasonal touch is to plant deciduous or semi-deciduous trees, such as the Chinese Pistache or hybrid (thornless) mesquite tree. “Trees that drop their leaves in the winter open up your view and allow winter sun warmth to get through,” Hoover says.

• Plant vines. “Living walls” made with vine-lush trellises or moveable sunscreens can also be a great way to block low-level rays in the late afternoon. “Vines are a fantastic alternative for shade in the summer, and they either go dormant or can be trimmed back in the winter to maximize winter heat gain,” Hoover says. Snail vines, potato vines, bougainvillea and Lady Banks roses are his top picks.

• Use ground cover. Finally, don’t forget that creating shade isn’t just about blocking the sun from windows and walls. “Rock ground cover reflects the sun off the ground and creates a heat effect right next to the home,” Hoover says. Lantana, myoporum or any desert-hearty ground cover can minimize this harsh reflective heat and create a cool zone – or at least cooler zone – around your home.

RESOURCES
Awnings by Design
15475 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop, Ste. 12, Scottsdale, 480-951-9771
awningsbydesign.com

Phoenix Tent and Awning Company
2829 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix
602-254-6061,
phoenixtent.com

ValleyCrest Landscape Companies
2902 E. Illini St., Phoenix
602-243-1700,
valleycrest.com