Retractable Awnings in Seattle, Bellevue, and Beyond

Are you blinded by the light of the afternoon sun? Are you being chased inside by the beautiful hot days of Puget Sound summers, when you could be enjoying fantastic scenic views? It’s a problem in the Seattle area.

Friends of our’s have a very nice home that faces the water, the Olympics, and sometimes the sweltering temperatures of direct sunlight. Sun glare is responsible for many accidents on our roads and freeways, but in homes it can just drive you crazy.

A few years ago my wife and I stayed at a friend’s beach cabin in West Seattle. I called it the most romantic cottage in the world. A small stereo played Andrea Bocelli all night as the waves gently washed against the stones. And in the morning, ah . . . in the morning. As the sun rose, it lit up the peaks of the Olympic Mountains. I don’t know how my friends did it, I’ll never know, but the highest peak in the range was dead center in the picture window. As the sun rose higher it lit up the water view. From bed all you can see is Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. We stayed in bed wrapped in each other’s arms listening to the music, the waves, and drinking in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. We didn’t want to leave . . . but in the late afternoon the sun, even on a cool day, was a major problem.

Our own home faces east, so our deck is perfect for afternoons and evenings. My wife and I can unwind with a glass of wine or iced tea or we can invite friends over for a relaxing evening. Many other people are not so fortunate.

A retractable awning and patio shades was the solution for our friends. The same solution works from Seattle to Bellevue and down the eastside all the way to Tacoma and Olympia. Awnings and shades allow visitors to sit inside enjoying the view out the picture windows or delighting in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Puget Sound, and the mountains outside on their deck.

Eclipse Shading Systems are providers of both awnings and sun and privacy shades. Their awnings are an industry standard. “Our European designed retractable lateral arm awnings are custom crafted and uniquely designed to blend with the look of your individual home or business. They provide up to 98% UV protection and carry a 10 year warranty on fading. Eclipse Awnings are typically ordered motorized which allows for easy touch of a button operation.” – eclipseawning.com/dealers/tacoma-tent-awning-co-inc/

Olympic Tent/Tacoma Tent & Awning has nearly seventy years experience with tents and awnings. They produce awnings and much more: tarps, tents, boat covers, and special projects for the Boeing Company. When I was president of the Tacoma Jaycees in the 1970s, I think we bought American flags from them. We displayed them on holidays in downtown Tacoma. Scott Sutherland has a great team of people who can create almost any tent or awning. Their expert crews install Eclipse awnings and more. Tacoma Tent is their local name, but world wide they are known as Olympic Tent. – tacomatent.com/

Awnings in the Seattle area provide more time for outdoor entertainment. They add beauty, add real estate value. Retractable awnings give you control of your outdoor entertainment and patio space. They also reduce energy costs by reducing the need for air conditioning. Awnings protect us not only from sun’s UV rays, but they also let us sit on the deck in the winter, sipping your latte and enjoying the Northwest drizzle.

I think awnings are the best friends of our Pacific Northwest life style.