Next gen: controllable living spaces

Whether it’s wind, drizzle or simply keeping the cold at bay, outdoor living spaces no longer have to be a climate-dependent and only used on those temperate summer evenings or when the sun is shining. There’s nothing stopping us from continuing the party during cooler evenings with the added additions of lighting and heating options. 

The most obvious solution to ensure you are protecting your outdoor space for year-round living is an operable roof, closed in sides when necessary with glass sliders, or PVC outdoor blinds. Alternatively you could add adjustable sun shelter louvres to your outdoor area, which offer pleasing aesthetics and privacy protection.

Combining any of these elements allows homeowners to significantly extend the living areas available in the home, and ensure outdoor spaces are useable throughout all seasons. But it is only through the specification of bespoke solutions that the ultimate outcome can be achieved; a design that blends seamlessly into that of the house, creating a beautiful yet functional addition to the home.

Louvretec specialises in automated bespoke shading and protection solutions for outdoor living areas, offering a completely customisable range able to be designed to suit any requirement.

“Opening roofs are very popular because of their versatility,” Louvretec’s Rebecca King says. “They allow for the creation of a functional outdoor room that is an extension of the home. Our Opening Roof louvre blades open and close up to 180 degrees, allowing for extensive customisation of protection from the elements or enjoyment of the sun.”

Louvretec has a range of eight different styles of opening roof, but of late one of the most coveted styles is the recent addition to the collection, the Retractable Opening Roof. This system sees the louvre blades able to retract away, creating 75 per cent open space overhead when desired.

When views are important, sliding glass doors designed for outdoor use work in conjunction with operable roofs to create versatile outdoor living areas. “Our Sunflex glass doors are frameless and are designed to protect and enhance outdoor areas without compromising views,” Rebecca says.

“These doors allow for the creation of an outdoor haven in which to enjoy the outdoors, even in winter. With daylight savings coming to an end, we are finding people are looking for ways to continue the outdoor living they enjoyed in summer. Because they are glass, these doors provide significant protection and heat retention when the temperatures start to drop, and they also reduce surrounding noise.”

When wind is a factor on a site, a number of factors need to be considered, including what the wind zoning is. “Wind zones start at low and go through to extra high,” Rebecca says. “This is something our design team will check, and base the options available around. Depending on what wind zone a home is in, the level will affect what louvre spans can be installed.”

Whatever option is chosen, each element can be automated to incorporate rain sensors, or to follow the sun throughout the day, a process which can be altered at any point to enhance the enjoyment of the area.

Make sure you visit Louvretec on ArchiPro here to see what you could achieve with your outdoor spaces this winter.