Creating a more comfortable, functional, and beautiful outdoor space starts with
the right ideas... and the right solutions.
Whether you’re planning your first backyard upgrade or looking to enhance an
existing patio, the insights and inspiration here are designed to help you make
smart, lasting choices. From design tips to maintenance advice and before-and-
after transformations, you’ll find expert guidance rooted in decades of shade and
structure experience.
Helpful in-house guidance from the Goodwin-Cole team, built for homeowners comparing
shade solutions, planning outdoor upgrades, and looking for expert
answers before they invest.
Featured Article
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"The right shade solution isn’t just about covering a patio — it’s about understanding the sun, the space, and how the homeowner wants to live outside."
Learn how installing roller shades can make patios, pergolas, and outdoor dining spaces more comfortable.
Read the Full Article Visit our Roller Shades Page
See how motorized louvers, integrated accessories, durable frames, and customizable wall options create a true outdoor room.
Read the Full Article Visit our Pergolas Page
Explore how retractable awnings and automated shade systems give homeowners more flexibility through changing sun, heat, and seasons.
Read the Full Article Visit our Retractable Awnings Page
See how thoughtfully planned shade can make pool areas, patios, and outdoor rooms feel cooler, more polished, and easier to use.
Read the Full Article Visit our Project GalleryShort, helpful videos from the Goodwin-Cole team covering outdoor shade
options, product education, project ideas, and comfort-focused design.
Shade is more than a design feature. The right outdoor solution can support
comfort, UV protection, energy efficiency, and better use of your home’s exterior
spaces.
Approximately 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime, and unprotected UV exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, according to the U.S. EPA.
Exterior shading can reduce cooling costs by 25-40% (Source: Shade Sail & Awnings – Energy Savings & Outdoor Shade Guide)
Quality shade structures can reduce temperatures outside by 20-45 degrees Fahrenheit (Sources: Science Insights – How much does shade reduce temperature?)
Up to 90% of visible skin changes commonly associated with aging are linked to sun exposure and UV radiation, according to the U.S. EPA
Quality shade fabrics can block up to 95% of UV rays (Source: Shade Sails & Awnings – HDPE Shade Fabric Guide).
Well-designed shade solutions are attractive to potential buyers and can increase your home’s market value significantly. They also enable owners to make better use of their outdoor space, making the home feel larger and more inviting.
With shade and optimized outdoor spaces, you can enjoy your yard year-round. Regions with marked temperature variation like Northern California benefit substantially from optimized outdoor living spaces.
We regularly feature helpful industry resources, outdoor-living trends, and expert
perspectives that help homeowners create more comfortable, functional, and
beautiful outdoor spaces.
Pergola Trends
A look at how homeowners are thinking about pergolas as flexible, design-forward outdoor living structures.
Read External ArticleIn Progress
Industry perspective on how residential style and outdoor living priorities are shaping awning design.
Read External ArticleAwnique
A homeowner-friendly overview of retractable awning benefits, considerations, and common decision factors.
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We regularly feature helpful industry resources, outdoor-dining trends, and expert perspectives that help restaurant owners create more functional, optimized and beautiful outdoor spaces.
Patio Designers highlights how thoughtful restaurant patio layouts can add seating, improve ambiance, and use shade, lighting, heaters, planting, and weather protection to keep outdoor dining comfortable.
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Sip The Style compares stylish ways to shade restaurant patios, including umbrellas, awnings, pergolas, shade sails, and natural greenery that help guests dine comfortably in sunny conditions.
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ShadePro breaks down shade options by patio layout, wind exposure, budget, lifespan, and maintenance so restaurants can keep more outdoor seats usable during peak sun.
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Walpole Outdoors shows how pergolas can define dining zones, strengthen curb appeal, increase guest comfort, expand usable seating, and support more year-round patio revenue.
Read the Full ArticleIn a few quick steps, see exactly how much new revenue your restaurant could earn each year by adding covered outdoor seating — using a custom pergola, retractable awning, slide-wire canopy, or shade sail from Goodwin-Cole.
Try Our Opportunity CalculatorIn a few quick steps, see exactly how much outdoor dining revenue your restaurant misses each year — and how much you could recover with the right shade and weather protection from Goodwin-Cole.
Try Our ROI Calculator
