With everyone downsizing homes these days to save money, it is a good idea to look for options that improve your quality of life. If you do not have a lot of space in your home, you want to feel as though you that make you feel as though you have more space.

With a bit of thought, you can make small modifications to the indoor and outdoors of your home. These add-ons can really make a big difference. One great addition that you can make to your home, for a very reasonable price, is a patio canopy or deck awning.

If you follow my lead and hang in there for just a second, I will give you some great suggestions how to make your home space feel more expansive with the right deck awning for your home. Just keep reading, as I have given this quite a bit of thought and have some great tips.

I have seen firsthand the impressive impact an awning can make. My brother recently lost his job, and really had to downsize. He had a 4-bedroom house, and now had to move into a much smaller living space with just 2 bedrooms.

I know this kind of situation is pretty common due to the economy. Of course, my brother was pretty bummed out. He and his wife have two kids, and now the children have to share a bedroom. The family is trying to settle in and work out their new living arrangements.

However, the good news is that they live in Southern California, and it is pretty nice weather year-round. My brother had a great idea to add a deck awning to the house and looked at a number of different models, including some from Sun Setter Awnings. He got a great deal on one; actually, I had a coupon code that allowed him to save a large amount of money. The awning was surprisingly inexpensive, and he bought it directly from the manufacturer.

Once he put up the awning, it looked fantastic and provided a lot of extra space. The family felt as though they had a separate dining area. And his idea did just the trick. If you follow my link in just a moment, you will get some idea of what his new living space looks like now.

My brother and his wife and kids now eat many meals outside, and get to enjoy the nice Southern California climate. Of course, they get lots of sun in that part of the country, but the awning really does a good job protecting them. The children love playing outside under it, and my sister-in-law put a little toy chest out there for them.

Really, deck awnings and canopies provide the look and feeling that they have a lot more space than they do. Their new house is probably about 1200 square feet, but with the added area under the awning, they probably have more like 1500 square feet (when you add in the outdoor living space.)

Another benefit is that using the awning encourages the kids to get out and play, as opposed to always sitting in front of the TV all the time.