Do you love relaxing or entertaining outdoors, but hate dealing with the weather, insects, dirt and other nuisances that can accompany alfresco living? You will want to look into suitable outdoor blinds that can help protect your patio, verandah or pergola from these issues.
In your search for the right outdoor blinds, you’ll probably come across two types–pergola blinds and window awnings. These can both protect your outdoor spaces but have different looks, degrees of effectiveness and functions that you will need to be aware of before you make a purchase. At Alfresco Blinds, we are delighted to offer our customers both of these types of window treatments, and we are here to explain the important differences to you so you can choose the best one for your property.
Let’s begin with what exactly these two types of outdoor blinds are!
Don’t let the name fool you–pergola blinds can be used for more than just this type of structure. Also called patio blinds, pergola blinds look much like the modern roller blinds you’ll often see used indoors.
When not in use, pergola blinds will be ‘rolled up’ inside a cassette that keeps all the unsightly mechanisms and controls hidden. When engaged, these blinds lower straight down to the ground, creating a semi-transparent screen between you and the outside world. This screen will protect you from UV rays and also offers protection against wind, rain, and any prying eyes peeking over your property boundaries.
At Alfresco Blinds, our pergola and patio blinds are made to order using materials from trusted brands such as Zepel, Warwick and Hoad Fabrics. You can choose the colour, strength, and even if you want your pergola blinds to be hand-operated or motorised.
If you want full protection from outside influences when enjoying your outdoor areas and don’t mind sacrificing a little bit of your view, then pergola blinds are perfect for your needs. Because they go straight up and down, you can expect a neat and compact look when they are engaged if they have been fitted to the dimensions of your outdoor structure.
Pergola blinds are highly customisable, making them easy to match to the current aesthetics of your home or business. Whether you want them to stand out or blend in, it’s easy to achieve thanks to the range at Alfresco Blinds!
If you want to be able to see your backyard garden and any further landscape, then pergola or patio blinds may not be the best choice, as their weave, which helps them block out sunlight, muffle noise and resist weather damage, also partially obscures your views.
However, with Alfresco Blinds, you have transparency options that can help alleviate this issue. Make sure to enquire with our team about what our most transparent pergola blinds look like–you'd be surprised at how well they can protect you while still affording you views of your property and its surroundings.
Are you interested in looking into pergola blinds for your property? You can browse our full range online now!
Often seen above cafés and outdoor dining areas, awnings are extendable pieces of material that offer protection from weather coming down straight from above or at a slight angle. Awnings come in many different types and can be attached effectively to walls, ceilings or even rafters.
You can also choose to motorise your wall or window awnings, which gives you the ability to extend and retract them without lifting a finger (or maybe just one, to push the button!). This can be very handy if you live in areas with high winds, which can make manually retracting your awning difficult. Find out more about this function in our blog on ‘Motorised vs Manual Retractable Awnings’.
Awnings are very charming and good for adding some style and colour to your home or business. They come in a fantastic range of colours, patterns and styles, so you can easily find the perfect ones to achieve the look you’re after. Awnings are very unobtrusive when retracted, so you don’t need to worry about them becoming an eyesore when not in use.
Awnings can prevent sun, rain and hail from beating down on you while still allowing you to fully enjoy the views of your property and the area beyond it. If you want to enjoy an outdoor area without being hemmed in by walls, then quality wall or window awnings from Alfresco Blinds are the way to do it!
While they can protect you from weather conditions coming down from above, wall and window awnings cannot protect you from wind, insects and debris that make their way in from the sides. This means you may not be as comfortable underneath one if the weather is bad, and they won’t provide protection from UV rays or water most of the time.
They also do not offer any privacy for those underneath them, so be aware that if someone should look over your fence, they’ll be able to see you underneath your pergola.
If you want to learn more about the types of awnings in Melbourne we can supply for our clients, please read our article ‘Types of Outdoor Awnings: A Guide to Different Styles’.
Melbourne’s choice for quality blinds and expert installs.
Now that you know about these two types of outdoor blinds, which one will you choose? Let’s quickly go through where each is best used.
| Pergola Blinds | Awnings | |
| Weather Protection | ☆☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆ |
| Privacy Benefits | ☆☆☆ | ☆ |
| Customisation Options | ☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Minimal presence when retracted | ☆☆☆☆ | ☆☆☆ |
If you are still unsure what is the best type of blinds for your needs, feel free to reach out to our team and we can provide you with some recommendations.
At Alfresco Blinds, we have a great range of awnings in Melbourne for you to choose from, including:
Discover more about our types of awnings in our blogs on ‘8 Reasons Why Café Blinds Allow You to Entertain All Year Round!’ and ‘How to Get the Most Effective Commercial Awnings Installation’.
We can also provide you with many types of outdoor blinds, which include:
Need some help choosing your outdoor blinds? Our article on ‘What are the Best Outdoor Blinds?’ can help!
No matter the type of window furnishings you need, Alfresco Blinds can provide them at a fantastic price. Our locally-made curtains and blinds all come in a fantastic variety of colours, patterns and materials, so you can be confident you’re getting window treatments that can seamlessly match your property.
For more information on our pergola blinds and retractable and fixed awnings in Melbourne, you can contact us at 1300 735 077 or send us a message online with your concerns. You can also visit us in person in Epping to view our range of pergola blinds and chat with any of our staff.
