When a customer asks for an awning, they think about shade first. As a trade partner, you know the story can be bigger than that.
Every awning you sell is a chance to create a complete outdoor area. With the right heating, lighting and control, that space works for more of the year. It also becomes a higher value project for you.
This blog investigates how heating and lighting can be integrated into Base awnings. It also covers a simple way to build them into every quote, so you can increase project value without a hard sell.
Why “awning only” leaves value on the table
An awning on its own solves a clear problem. It gives shade and helps control heat and glare. For many homeowners and commercial clients, that is the starting point.
But think about how your clients actually want to use the space:
- Evening meals on the patio
- Autumn drinks under cover
- Sheltered smoking or break areas for staff
- Covered seating for bar or café customers
In each of these cases, shade is only part of the need. Light and warmth are just as important.
If you don’t raise heating and lighting in the sales process, one of two things happen:
- The client adds cheap plug-in heaters and random lights later, which do not match the awning.
- They decide the space is only useful on bright summer days, then stop using it as soon as evenings get cooler or darker.
In both cases, you miss out on extra revenue. Your client also misses out on a more refined solution that you could have supplied from day one.
The business case for integrated heating and lighting
For retailers and installers
Adding heating and lighting is one of the easiest ways to increase the value of each awning job. You gain:
- Higher average order value
- A more memorable project that can lead to referrals
You don’t necessarily have to find more customers, you can simply offer more to the ones you already have.
For specifiers and designers
If you work with architects, garden room firms or outdoor designers, integrated heating and lighting gives them a clear story to tell. Instead of a basic shade product over doors, they can offer:
- A fully cassetted awning
- With LED lighting
- And discreet infrared heating
- All controlled from a single system
This feels more like a planned outdoor room than an add-on accessory.
For dealerships
Your customers want outdoor areas that feel comfortable and easy to use. Heating and lighting provide:
- More hours of use, including evenings
- A longer season in spring and autumn
- A nicer atmosphere for dining and relaxing
- A more polished look without loose fittings and cables
If you frame heating and lighting as part of a complete solution, most clients see the value at once.
Motorisation as the starting point
Base awnings work with tried and tested Somfy motor systems, which are a familiar name in the trade and give your customers:
- Smooth, reliable operation with just a press of a button or a few taps on a smartphone
- Multiple options for use: handsets, wall switches or apps
- The potential to add weather sensors to detect wind or sun
For you and your fitters, a standard motor platform means clear wiring plans and fewer callbacks. Once motorisation is in place, it’s easier to present lighting and heating as natural upgrades.
Lighting: extending use of the awning into the evening
Base awnings can be supplied with integrated lighting options, such as:
- LED arm lights on models like Base Plus and Armony Plus
- Lightbars or lightboxes mounted under or near the awning
These lighting options are designed to work with the awning structure and control system. That means:
- Clean cable routes
- Neat appearance
- Dimmable lights (where supported)
- Control of the lights from the same remote that operates the awning
LED lighting can be positioned as both a practical and a decorative choice. Customers gain safe, usable light over doors, tables and seating. The warm LED light makes the area feel more inviting.
Heating: making the space work in cooler weather
For many projects, lighting alone is not enough. Heat is the next step if the client wants to sit outside in spring, autumn or on cooler evenings.
Infrared heaters are a natural partner to awnings. These compact heaters are designed for outdoor use and can be mounted in line with the awning. Benefits include:
- Fast warm up time
- Focused heat in the seating area
- Weather resistant design
- Slim, discreet appearance
- Colour options to match hardware on the awning
When you tie the heater choice to the awning layout from the start, the final result is neat and well balanced. You avoid the clutter that comes with free standing heaters and trailing cables.
A simple good/better/best structure for every quote
The goal is to present all options without confusing the client. This three-tier structure can help.
Good: Shade essentials
- A fully cassetted Base awning
- Manual operation or basic motorisation
- Wide choice of fabrics and hardware colours
This suits price driven jobs or simple shade requirements.
Better: Evening ready
- Fully cassetted Base awning
- Motorised operation
- Integrated LED arm lights or a lightbar
Here, you highlight evening use. Clients can sit out for longer without needing separate lights.
Best: Year-round outdoor room
- Fully cassetted Base awning
- Motorised operation
- Integrated LED lighting
- Infrared heaters, matched to the awning width and layout
- Optional wind and sun sensors for extra protection and comfort
This tier is for customers who talk about long evenings outside, frequent entertaining or commercial seating areas.
Example questions that help you sell heating and lighting
- What time of day do you expect to use this area the most?
- Would you like to sit out here comfortably in spring and autumn?
- Do you already have plans for lighting on this terrace or patio?
- Is this space for quiet family time, or for regular entertaining?
If a customer mentions evening use, family gatherings or regular guests, heating and lighting become a natural part of the solution.
Keeping control simple for the user
People are more likely to use a system if it feels simple. That is another reason to plan motorisation, lighting and heating together. With a common control platform, the client can do all of the following:
- Open and close the awning from one handset or app
- Switch lights on and off, and dim them if supported
- Turn heaters on for set periods
- Add sensors that react to wind and sun
This keeps the user experience neat. There are fewer remotes on the table and fewer switches on the wall. The customer doesn’t need to think about separate items, they simply press one button and relax. For clients with full smart home setups, control of their awning can be linked into their wider system for even more convenience.
Want to add more value to every awning install?
If you would like to build heating and lighting into your awning range, we can help.
Our team can:
- Recommend suitable awning and heater combinations
- Advise on lighting options for different models
- Support you with product training
Contact our team to discuss your next project or to talk about stocking Base awnings, heating and lighting as a complete solution.