Outdoor Patio Umbrellas, Market Umbrellas, Canopies, whatever term you use for your shade source outdoors, no patio is complete without one. Garden Umbrellas can tie together a design scheme, solve a space problem, and create inviting vignettes that define your space while adding shade from the elements.
If you plan your design scheme colors and fabrics around your umbrellas, it is important to choose fabric that will last as long as your other cushions, and pillows. Sunbrella is the gold standard by which all other canopy fabrics are compared. It will stand up to the harsh elements and provide you with many years of service. I purchase a very good quality black umbrella with Sunbrella fabric about 8 years ago and have seen several lesser quality umbrellas come and go from my outdoor patio while the black umbrella has yet to show any signs of fading. So you do usually get what you pay for!
In recent years, creative new styles have emerged in Umbrella design. Cantilever and offset Umbrellas are perfect where placement of the umbrella will not be through the center of a table but shade is directed over furniture while the base is “offset” from the center of the arrangement.
For spaces that require special care, either because the space is limited or obstructed in some way (such as a fence), uniquely designed umbrellas are available from some manufacturers with a flat side where a traditional umbrella would not work.Tuuci makes some of the best in this category.
For one of a kind umbrellas, and designs with exceptional detail and flair, there a many small artisan shops specializing in everything from layered petal designs, silkscreened patterns, and just about anything you can imagine to create personalized umbrellas.