When can we see you?

We attend half a dozen trade shows a year – and not just for awnings and textiles. Our calendar is full with conventions for the American Society of Landscape Architects, the National Restaurant Association, Hospitality Design Boutique, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Interior Designers, and the largest sun protection show in the world, R&T Stuttgart.

Our new survey asks a simple question ... when can we get together?

We attend lots of trade shows every year – but we want to break out of our rut! Instead of passively attending and observing and taking notes, we want to get out and meet you. This is a shout out to clients, interior designers, homeowners, hoteliers, restaurant managers, landscape architects, and architects. If we rent the space and send the invitations, will you come meet us?

Which of these cities or events are you likely to attend?

• National Restaurant Association, international show, May 2012, Chicago
• American Institute of Architects, national convention, May 2012, Washington, DC
• American Society of Interior Designers, June 2012, Chicago
• Hospitality Design Boutique, trade event, September 2012, Miami
• American Society of Landscape Architects, annual meeting, September 2012, Phoenix
• American Hotel and Lodging Association, fall conference, November 2012, New York   

Take our short, confidential three question survey at the link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HFGFFQX

Retractable "Butterfly" Shades  – Light as Air, Brilliantly Colored, Completely Unique

There really aren't enough adjectives to describe them. Retractable butterfly shades are a totally different breed of sun protection systems. (They're one of our discoveries from the T&T show.

Most sun protection systems fall into one of two traditional types. They're either an awning – with interior frame giving it a rigid shape and affixed to a building in some way. Or they're a pergola-type, with guide beams and a top frame for structure. These can be beautiful and they're certainly useful, but they are conventional.

"Conventional" is not the word for butterfly shades.

Retractable butterfly shades have the clean look of nothing but fabric and space. We call them "butterfly" because they're like butterfly's wings – light, colorful, and all diagonal lines. They use a crossed set of guide wires to stretch the fabric out in a giant diamond or square. The fabric rolls up and out from one diagonal wire. The other wire stretches the fabric (manually or motorized) and makes it taut. Think of it like a Christmas cracker; the fabric is pulled out from the center.

It sounds simple, but the effect is amazing. There are no ribs, guides, beams or frames to the retractable butterfly shades itself, so the fabric is smooth and taut and crisp – and that's all you see. (There are posts used to attach the guide wires, of course.)  The retractable butterfly shade can be installed straight over a space, nearly flat, or it can be installed at an angle anywhere from a mild slope to near vertical. They can use poles or be anchored to a building or even the ground.

There is so much flexibility in how you design them – they can be put in a row or spiraled like flower petals or strung almost like ship's sails. And when they fold up, they nearly disappear.

It's a shade system that could have been designed by "environmental artist" Christo. It's all about fabric and color and they can work in spaces where a conventional retractable awning or pergola simply won't work:

• Playgrounds
• Terraces
• Open space in parks and gardens
• Basic patios, pools, and other awning-friendly spaces

We don't have the information on our website yet (we just returned from Italy!), We will by spring 2012.

Comparison Matrix's added
We added the following matrix's to our website. These are excellent comparisons tools:

Click here!   and   here!

Prior Newsletters
All  prior newsletters are accessible at the link below:

http://www.retractableawnings.com/university/21-newsletters.html 

Company Bio
RetractableAwnings.com an A+ Better Business Bureau member for 19 years has been assembling and distributing the highest-quality, best-designed European sun, wind, rain, bug and snow protection systems for 25 years. This is our passion – finding unique and lovely solutions to make the outdoors more comfortable and more useful. From private homes to major architectural and landscape design projects, we have the expertise to help. Just ask: 1-866-438-2964 or 305-628-2424.

Retractableawnings.com
Corporate offices and fabrication
5160 NW 165 Street
Miami Gardens, Florida, 33014-6303
United States of America

Tel (305) 628-2424 or toll free (866) 438-2964
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