5 Awning Styles at Dorchester Awning You should Know About

January 1, 2019

When you hear the word awning, you might picture the aluminum-slat window coverings that became popular with homeowners in the 1950s. Awnings have come a long way since then, and today custom awnings are available in a wide variety of styles, materials, and designs to suit many different purposes.

Awning Shape and Material Choices

At Dorchester Awning, we’ve been designing and manufacturing high-quality custom awnings in New England since 1901. Two of the most popular types of awnings we create are:

• Stationary awnings: These fixed awnings have an immovable frame made from wood or metal. The frame is covered with a fitted canopy that’s available in an array of solid colors and patterns to match your aesthetic and a choice of sturdy outdoor canvas, acrylic-coated polyester/cotton fabric, or metal for greater durability. Stationary awnings come in various shapes such as concave, convex, dome, open wing, shed, and quarter round, and the design possibilities are extensive because these custom awnings are fabricated to your specified dimensions.
• Retractable awnings: These awnings extend outward to provide protection from the sun and rain and roll up into a wall-mounted housing when they’re not needed. This type of awning is ideal for extending your summer living space or for covering an outdoor seating area at your cafe or restaurant. They’re available in durable solid-color, striped, and patterned fabrics and a range of lengths and widths, and they feature either motorized or manual operation.

Awnings Meld Superb Style with Functionality

Awnings not only add elegance and flair to your home or business, but also serve useful purposes such as reducing heat gain on the interior and providing shade and rain cover for adjacent outdoor spaces. To give you an idea of some of the ways awnings can be used, here’s a look at five distinctive styles we offer:

• Retractable all-weather structures: Also called retractable pergola awnings, these freestanding structures consist of a post and rail framework equipped with a retractable fabric roof. An all-weather structure can create an attractive outdoor dining or seating area in your backyard or at your place of business, and it’s built durably to withstand the elements.
• Stand-alone stationary awnings: These versatile awnings can be fabricated in almost any size and shape to suit your home or business needs. They consist of a metal frame with a custom-fitted fabric canopy. Because they don’t need to be attached to a building for stability, they can be installed wherever shade or protection from the elements is needed.
• Indoor awnings: Commercial awnings installed indoors can add panache to your mall storefront or highlight an area within your business location, like a coat check, dressing room, or specialty food counter. An indoor awning can also add old-world ambiance to your cafe or accentuate a bar area inside your restaurant.
• Enclosed awning structures: A custom enclosed awning can enhance your business premises and give customers some extra protection from the elements. You can use one as a weatherproof vestibule, as a shelter for customers who smoke, or to enclose a patio area so you can extend your outdoor seating season.
• Architectural awnings: Architectural awnings are incorporated into the design of a building to provide shade, a shield against the elements, and greater energy efficiency. One example is a suspended canopy that covers a business entryway without the need to add columns or foundations. This type of custom-made awning is installed using overhead supports that are engineered to handle the load and meet local building codes.

For more information or to request a free quote, contact us today at Dorchester Awning.