Shedding some light on shade
04 October 2019
This month we welcome landscaping expert Tim Goom to give us some tips on how to create outdoor spaces for all seasons.
We’ve just spent the glum colder months longing for the scorching heat of summer. Now that the sun has made an appearance we realise protection from our searing sun is a summer essential.
So how do we do it?
The options are endless - from a simple umbrella, to an awning, a solid timber or steel structure, cleverly trained plants draped over manmade structures or sleek louvres. Usually we consider overhead structures will provide the best shade, but with the amount of low-lying sun we experience in New Zealand, vertical shade casters can be a very functional solution. They also have the added advantage of providing shelter from prevailing winds.
Louvres are a fantastic solution for providing shelter from sun, wind and rain, especially as they can be vertical or overhead. What we love about louvres, and what sets them apart from other forms of shade, is that they are movable and can be adapted to specific conditions.
You want full protection? Have them completely closed.
It’s mid-afternoon and you want some sun but not its full brunt? Have them tilted slightly!
You want to enjoy the stunning stars at night with your red wine in hand? Open those louvres right up for an unimpeded view.
Whether it’s free-standing or attached to the home, it’s important your shade structure works in with your property’s existing features and proportions, creating a sense of ‘connectedness’. Over recent years the idea of having an ‘outdoor room’ has surged in popularity. Lighting, heating and entertainment options can be included in such spaces, meaning that they can truly extend your living year-round. Outdoor rooms are a specialty of Goom Landscapes, which designs bespoke spaces specific to a client’s landscape, lifestyle and budget.
Whatever shade option you choose, it will definitely extend the usable space of your property – both inside and out.
Tim Goom
Goom Landscapes