Why We Added Retractable Awnings (And What That Has to Do With Movie Night)

When Rob and I started The Modern Hearth, we had a pretty clear lane: fire tables, fire pits, the things that turn a patio into a place you actually want to spend time. That was the whole idea.

Then we added projector screens, which maybe seemed like a left turn. It wasn't. Outdoor screens are the other half of the evening — fire for the cooler months, movies when it's warm. They're the same customer. Same backyard. Same impulse to make the outside feel like somewhere.

Adding retractable awnings was the same logic.

Here's the problem we kept running into

You buy a projector screen. You mount it on the back wall of your covered patio. You're excited.

Then you try to watch something at 7pm on a Saturday in May and the sun is low in the sky, hitting your patio at exactly the wrong angle, washing out your image completely. You wait until 9. By then it's dark enough, but it's also cooler than you'd like and you've already had two glasses of wine and some of the momentum is gone.

The fix is shade. Specifically, the ability to extend shade on demand when you want it and retract it when you don't.

Why the Prestige Pro specifically

We spent a while looking at awning options before landing on Advaning. The Prestige Pro is a full-cassette design, which means when it's retracted, the fabric and the mechanism both disappear inside the aluminum housing. Nothing hanging out, nothing collecting leaves, nothing that looks unfinished on your house exterior.

When it's extended, you have up to 10 feet of projection depth and, on the Prestige Pro specifically, LED lights built into the retractable arms. Not clipped on as an afterthought. Built in, dimmable, part of the design.

That last part matters more than it sounds. Outdoor movie night works because of atmosphere, not just image quality. The LEDs let you dial in the light level, keep some warmth in the space after dark, and make the whole setup feel intentional rather than improvised.

The practical case

Beyond movie night, a retractable awning with LED arms is probably the fastest way to upgrade an outdoor space that's just okay. It extends coverage without a permanent structure. It creates shade when you want it. It disappears when you don't. It adds lighting without running new electrical.

The Prestige Pro comes in five fabric options (all ENDURACOLOR, solution-dyed acrylic with a 10-year color guarantee) and five widths, from 12 to 16 feet. It's motorized, connects to a smart hub if you want app control, and includes a remote.

Professional installation is recommended because you're bolting a 100+ lb unit to your exterior wall and you want it level. Most customers use a general contractor or a handyman with masonry or framing experience. Advaning includes the hardware for both wood-framed and masonry surfaces.

What we're building toward

The real vision for this store has always been the same: everything you need to make your backyard a place you choose over going out. Fire, shade, light, sound, something to watch.

We're not a big box store. We don't carry 200 SKUs hoping something sticks. We carry things we'd actually put in our own yard, and mostly have.

The awning is part of that. So is the screen. They work better together than they do separately.

If you have questions about either one, or want to talk through how they'd work with your specific space, call us at 1-512-289-5700. Or email. We read everything.