Ah, summer. Long days, cool nights, barbecues, and family fun. Nothing could be better, right? That is, until the true realities of summer set in. Conversations turn from “Let’s go outside and enjoy the nice weather” to complaints of “It’s too hot!” and “There’s too many bugs outside” before you know it. Well never fear, there are ways to keep everyone happy and make sure that you’re ready to enjoy some summer fun outside. “How is this possible?” you may ask. It’s simple. When you’re updating your deck or patio, make sure to add a retractable awning to the mix. Choosing a retractable awning to update your space is just as important as buying new patio furniture because there are countless shade systems retractable covers that can spruce up the look of your outdoor space. Retractable awnings aren’t just your typical shades. You can use them to complement the look of your home, protect your guests from harsh weather while entertaining, or to create a comfortable environment for you to kick back and relax in. Anything is possible when you update your special outdoor space with one of the many retractable awnings that are available. One option is the cassette awning. You can view a variety of cassette awning pictures so you can see for yourself why they’re so great. They have extra-long arms that allow you to extend them to any desired length. Say that you’re outside enjoying the glorious weather on your patio, but someone else is grilling up a storm in the same space. Well, that’s no problem. You can extend the awning out enough to give you complete cover while keeping the grill on the outside of your space. That way the smoke rises up and you remain cool and covered. You can view a few cassette awning pictures to see what I mean. Another way to update your porch or deck is by using an exterior zipper shade. An exterior zipper shade allows you to enclose your space completely to keep out bugs and unwanted pests so you can relax in complete comfort. It also prevents heat gain in spaces, so you can enclose your porch or deck or simply use it on your sliding doors so the sunshine can come in but the excessive heat will stay out. These are just two examples of the types of shade systems retractable coverings that you can use to update your space, but there are definitely many more to choose from. Check them out!