4 Cooling Balcony Shade Ideas

There’s nothing like relaxing on the balcony with a book or entertaining friends. But without adequate shade in summer, you’ll soon find yourself retreating inside to seek shelter from the uncomfortable heat, glare or UV rays.  

From retractable awnings to outdoor blinds, there’s plenty of ways to protect your balcony from the elements. Here’s 4 of our favourite balcony shade ideas that’ll have you back enjoying the outdoors in no time.

Keep Cool With These 4 Balcony Shade Ideas

1. Retractable Awnings

A retractable awning is one of the most practical and versatile shade solutions you can add to your balcony. They give you the flexibility to control light and protect yourself from the weather while adding style and value to your space. 

Retractable awnings repel up to 90% of the sun’s heat while reflecting harmful UV radiation, so they’ll keep your balcony cool and comfortable even on the hottest summer days. Even better, by blocking the overhead sun, your awning also helps significantly lower the temperature in any adjoining rooms. 

With a range of fabric colours and patterns to choose from, retractable awnings are highly customisable to suit any balcony aesthetic. There’s also the option for motorisation, timers and sun and wind sensors that make operating your awning truly effortless.  

2. Retractable Roofs 

Retractable roofs are a great dynamic sun protection system you can install to your balcony area so you can enjoy the outdoors, no matter the season. That’s right, adding a retractable roof to your balcony is like adding an extra room to your home, taking your space from completely open to being able to withstand all weather conditions in seconds.  

Retractable roofs are made with 100% waterproof fabrics, integrated water seals and a high wind resistance, so you can enjoy your balcony rain, hail or shine. When fitted with optional sun and rain sensors, your roof will automatically extend or retract to suit the weather without you lifting a finger. 

For the lovers of outdoor drinks or dinner parties, there’s also the option to add dimmable LED downlighting to your retractable roof for some extra wow factor.  

For balconies with existing support beams, Helioscreen’s All Seasons retractable roof and Varioscreen retractable sunroof are a practical and stylish shading solution. Alternatively, the retractable Vario-pergola supports itself on 60x60mm front posts, so it’s ideal for balconies that don’t have an existing pergola substructure.  

3. Outdoor Blinds

If your balcony has a roof or support beams, outdoor blinds are a stylish and highly effective shade option. They block the up to 90% of the sun’s heat, glare and UV rays from entering your space while creating valuable privacy from the neighbours.  

Outdoor blinds are also excellent because they reduce the heat inside your home. They stop the sun from hitting the windows, taking the strain off your cooling systems and saving you significantly on your electricity bills.  

Outdoor blinds operate either manually via a crank handle or automatically using a remote control or smartphone app. For extra convenience, you can also set timers for your blinds to open and close at certain times of day, so they’ll close as the sun sets, and open again once it’s dark.  

4. Plants

If you’re after a natural, budget friendly way to shade your balcony, hanging and potted plants are a great idea. They’re a particularly great shade solution for renters after something non-permanent and easy to move.  

You can easily train climbing plants like vines or ivy to grow up posts, trellises or railings to naturally shade your space. Even better, outdoor plants not only offer protection from the sun, but they also add some colour, privacy and visual interest to your balcony.  

When choosing outdoor plants, be sure to choose a species that will thrive in the particular climate and aspect of your balcony. Bamboo and gardena, for example, thrive in full sun, whereas rhapis palms and devils ivy happily grow in filtered light or full shade.  

Choose Australia’s Leading Outdoor Shade Provider

With a quality source of shade, you’ll no longer need to retreat indoors when the summer sun enters your balcony. Just be sure to prioritise a durable and functional system that will provide a long-lasting solution for your home. 

Helioscreen is Australia’s leading supplier of outdoor blinds, awnings and roofs for a variety of residential and commercial applications. Contact us today for more information.