Get The Look - Layers of Shade

Single pole market umbrellas are effective in only one place and one time per day - 12 noon.  If you want to shade your outdoor spaces all day long, you need to layer shade across your outdoor space or move your shade with the sun and needs.  Designers who create commercial shade solutions understand the need to shade large areas all day long. We've found some wildly creative commercial shade solutions that illustrate this concept well and sourced products to help you Get The Look.

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Design 101 - Creating Shade in Your Outdoor Space

Steve Martino Landscape Architect - Las Palmas

With the many creative and decorative shapes and sizes of umbrellas, pavilions and shade sails now available we have been surprised that most residential outdoor spaces still feature only a table umbrella.

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Design 101 - Kate Smith on Color Overhead

Janet Rosenberg + Associates

Spring is here, and it's time to consider what colors to use in your outdoor space. Are you made in the shade? If not, there are plenty of colorful products -from awnings to umbrellas to sails - to choose from.

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Inspiration Board - Dreaming in Shade

Imagination and Innovation in Fabric by FabriTec Structures

In our research for this week's posts we discovered very quickly that shade design in residential settings is almost non-existent.  The single pole market umbrella reigns supreme in the backyard yet there are so many more compelling and effective shade options on the market.  We relied heavily on commercial shade applications for inspiration this week to illustrate the shade possibilities.  In the case of commercial applications you will notice the use of significant structure for the sails and umbrellas but don't fret, there are many residential options on the market that will help you get this commercial look without the beefy engineering and we will introduce you to some of those fabulous options this week.

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Discover - Parasoleil’s Art of Shade and Privacy

As an artist first and a manufacturer second, Uriah Bueller the founder of Parasoleil has created a distinctive style of shade and privacy through design and casting shadows.   

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