If you’re going to the trouble of incorporating an al fresco area into your home, then it makes sense to ensure you can use it for as much of the year as possible. Which means thinking about weather!
In particular, sun and rain. Work out the direction of the sun, and therefore where you might need to provide shade. On the flip side, do you need the area to be useable when it’s raining?
You also need to think about temperature. For those in warmer climates, providing adequate breezes or a ceiling fan should be high on the list.
In the colder, rainier areas, then you might need some form of shutters or awnings that can be rolled out when it rains. And if you plan to use the space in colder months, potentially a fireplace or some other form of heating.
Once you have a good idea of what time of year you want to use your al fresco area, and what the weather’s likely to be at those times, then you can start to consider the elements you need to incorporate in terms of shade, shelter, cooling and heating.
Remember, too, that the solution you choose for shelter will potentially be quite different if you need to protect from sun, rather than rain, so you may require two different solutions. For this reason, you may need to make a choice between permanent and temporary solutions.
For example, you might have wide eaves to protect from both sun and rain, but also have some shutters or clear blinds you can deploy when it’s raining for extra shelter.
Other features such as pergolas can provide shade in the warmer months from a vine or creeper, while allowing the sun through in colder months when the vines lose their leaves.
By thinking through the purpose of your al fresco area and considering your local weather, you can put together the elements for a space that’s enjoyable all year round.