Our backyard. I love it in the mornings when the sun is kissing the front of the house and the back is left alone to feel cool and shady. But by 2:30 the sun has moved. It's now slapping the back of the house and we're feeling incredibly hot.
This particular garden spot between the house and carport had potential. At 4pm the carport blocked the sun and it was heaven. It's been one of my favorite late afternoon reading areas. However, earlier in the day it was wasted space because it was too hot. After reading The Brick House's post on shade sails I got inspired to do the same thing here. Not only would it extend our shady reading time but it could also cool the house down. The shade could help keep the bedrooms cooler!
I read The Brick House post years ago and finally in May I decided I would call the resource she listed for the sails. I wanted to get a custom made sail. However, that same week I went into Costco and they had these triangular sails for $22 each. I couldn't resist. I bought 6!
Before the sails were fully installed you can see how sunny it was. We didn't enjoy the space until late in the day. Now, we use it all day long. With three butterfly chairs and the kids water and art tables it is the ideal place to play and relax all in one.
The Costco sails claim not to need any hardware. However, I suggest buying shade sail hardware which you can buy online. I bought one of these packs that's meant to work for one sail. I was able to use it for two sails and then decided to buy similar hardware at Home Depot. The items from Meijer were better and had a more polished look but by the time I got my 4 sails up with hardware I had at home I only needed very specific pieces.
So, now we have magical play space. Next, is painting the house. It looks awful right now with the patch work from the insulation. But baby steps. We're getting some big things off our list!
Labels: outdoor living
