I don’t know how anyone lived here without them,” says Gregg Williamson, owner of a 1902 Georgian Revival in the Central West End. “The late-day summer sun is really strong.”
Last spring, Williamson and his partner, Steve Richardson, installed a black-and-white awning, the first of three, to cover southwest-facing windows off their hearth room. The shade, they say, provides a welcome relief from the rays. “We don’t have window treatments inside the room, and don’t really want them, so the awning was a perfect solution,” Williamson says. The striped Sunbrella fabric adds a splash of fun and informality to the backyard, where the couple spends time entertaining and swimming in the pool.
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Holly Blumeyer can’t remember a time when she didn’t use an awning above a door or a window. For her ranch-style residence in Warson Woods, she selected a black-and-white–striped fabric with scalloped edges and tassel trim. The traditional Palm Beach look has always appealed to her, she says, and it complements the black aluminum frames and yellow cushions of her outdoor furniture. And because the awning covers a 216-square-foot south-facing patio, it creates “a whole new living room,” she says. “We spend a lot of time outside with our grandchildren. We set up a Slip ’N Slide and a mini roller coaster for them, we add a few fans, and it’s absolutely delightful.”
Awnings deliver energy savings and cool interiors, add visual interest, and bring shade to outdoor living spaces, particularly to southern and western exposures where sun control is most needed. According to a 2012 study by the Professional Awnings Manufacturers Association, during a hot year, St. Louis homeowners could reduce cooling energy by 34 percent compared with that in homes with completely unshaded windows, amounting to savings of as much as $82.
Andy Bender has been with Jefferson Tent & Awning Co. since 1979. He says awnings should reflect the architecture of the house—adding depth to a flat façade and complementing a home’s unique details, such as a clay tile roof. Bender says he often works with interior designers to select the right colors and design elements: “If you’re trying to match a brick red and you don’t get the same color, it just won’t work. It’ll look like you’ve tried and missed.” A better option, he says, is to create contrast. A scallop-edged awning with black trim would enhance black shutters, for instance, or wrought-iron elements on a house.
Both function and aesthetics help determine awning style, but in St. Louis the look varies with the area and type of home, says Dan Miller of Specialty Awning.
“In South City, where arched doorways are common, we find that a domed style works well to provide shelter at the entry,” he says. “People with wood-frame homes from the early 1900s, as in Webster Groves, often want pipe-frame awnings that open and close, which add a look of authenticity.” Unlike their stationary counterparts, pipe-frame awnings can be taken down at the end of the summer for cleaning and then stored until spring. In West County, where new home construction is prevalent, patio covers and deck canopies are more the norm.
Last fall, Debra Robson of Town & Country installed light-gray awnings to cover 11 windows across the outside of her kitchen. She chose the gray to match the home’s shutters and a new exterior color that’ll be painted later this summer. In addition to its finished aesthetic, she says, the awnings are ideal for her home: “We lost one large pine oak last year, so there’s very little backyard shade.”
Williamson and Richardson, the Central West End couple, say they couldn’t be happier with their $4,800 investment. After the first awning was installed, they chose a domed style in black for above the side door. “Here we wanted a more formal look, like the awning had always been there, because it’s visible from the street,” says Williamson, a real estate agent. The decision to add a third awning, above the back door leading to the garage, was made mostly out of necessity: It covers the entry that’s used the most throughout the day.
“When we walk out of the house, we’re immediately hit by the elements—both rain and shine. It’s the spot where we’re searching for our keys or carrying in the groceries. The awning there really serves a purpose,” says Williamson.
This article is part of “The Fresh Outdoors” feature in Design STL‘s May/June 2018 issue.
