How to Choose the Right Blinds, Shutters and Awnings for Your Home or Business

Deciding on which window treatments are right for your home can be a surprisingly difficult choice, mainly because of the diversity of options that are now available. Do you want shutters or awnings, or both? You could get one or the other or choose to have decorative shutters and an awning for functional shade.

Even if you choose to go with awnings, you then have literally hundreds of potential styles to choose from. Do you want an awning with fabric stretched over spears? What style spears would you like? Would you rather just have a rounded or rectangular awning with no visible posts?

What type of valance style do you want? What color fabric?

Choosing an awning isn’t always easy. Homeowners generally go one of two ways – they choose a color that blends seamlessly with their existing exterior house paint or color scheme, or they choose a complimentary color.

There are a ton of options and no right or wrong way to do it. Awning styles and colors are a very personal choice, and you should put some thought into your options before making a decision.

Shade and Awning Functionality

Whether you’re talking about interior blinds or exterior shade solutions, functionality is one of the most important factors you should consider. Many people use their interior blinds daily, so the ease with which they can be opened and closed, and their strength and durability, is a significant concern.

Exterior shade solutions are a little different. Static awnings are a set-it-and-forget-it solution. They will always provide shade for your home’s exterior and window without you ever needing to lift a finger. Other solutions, like retractable SunSetter shade screens that can be rolled up or down depending on the time of day, do require a bit more effort. However, if you have a big south-facing window in Phoenix, that little bit of effort can have a dramatic impact on indoor comfort and energy use.

Some people in Phoenix choose to invest in thicker, darker sun screens that they install on windows during the summer months. The upside is you get better shade and less UV light damage and heat during those months, but the downside is your view out that window is always a bit darker and obstructed. Retractable screen options allow you to have UV and sun protection during the day but a clear, unobstructed view once the sun is no longer hitting that part of your home.

There’s always going to be a trade off between ease of use, view, energy efficiency and comfort. Retractable sun screens or awnings, especially those that can be programmed or operated at the click of a button, are a bit more expensive but are easy to use. They may also require more repairs and maintenance than a non-motorized, analog or static shade or awning solution.

Strategically placed awnings over windows and parts of your home that are exposed to a lot of sunlight during the summer can have a dramatic effect on your home’s energy consumption, and they generally don’t negatively impact your view outside.

In fact, studies have shown that strategically placed awnings can reduce internal home temperature by between 8 and 15-degrees Fahrenheit. They can also reduce heat gain by between 55 and 65 percent for the hottest parts of the day for southern-facing windows and 72 to 77 percent for western-exposure windows.

What Type of Shade Solution Is Best for Your Phoenix Home or Business?

Whether you decide to get awnings, screens or some combination of the two, Arizona Awnings can help. There are literally hundreds of options when you combine all of our awning and valance styles plus our dozens of fabrics. While the number of options may make your choice a little more difficult, it also allows you to get exactly the type of awning or shade solution you want.

Our team of awning experts and sales associates have consulted on thousands of commercial and residential awning installation jobs across the Valley. We would be happy to provide our advice and an honest assessment to help you narrow down your options.

Give us a call at 602-252-3430 to schedule your free estimate.