7 unique ways to use and accessorise your caravan awning
Awnings come in all shapes and sizes and are a great way to accommodate your individual interests and needs when you’re away.
Here are a features to look out for if you’re thinking of buying your first awning or replacing your existing model, along with a guide to a few of the many products we’ve recently added to our store to help you make your awning your own.
What's the right awning for you?
Awnings come in all shapes and sizes, from small porch-like set ups to luxurious extensions that could more than double your caravan space, compared with what’s available in your van on its own.
There are options to meet most pockets and many variables, such as: overall footprint; width, height and depth (from the van to the outer door); wind and water resistance; stability; quality of fabric and seams; weight; available accessories; how easy it is to pitch.
Putting an awning is often seen as a difficult and painful experience, but inflatable awnings have revolutionised the market with super-speedy pitching. The best now rival the more traditional pole equivalents in terms of stability, durability and weather-protection. Plus, the best examples are an absolute breeze to pitch.
On which note, please forgive us! Here’s a shameless plug for our new PRIMA range of inflatable awnings.
How do you want to use your awning? Here are 7 unique ideas…
1. Awnings as porches
Connecting a small, porch style awning to your caravan or awning gives you extra insulation from the weather and a useful place to store muddy boots or towel down the dog. These models are generally lightweight, as well as quick and easy to pitch, so they’re useful even for a short trip away.
Top product pick: 20L waterproof bag
Available in various colours, this waterproof bag is ideal for storing muddy clothes, wet towels and other rain casualties until you have time to deal with them. It even doubles as a stylish beach bag when the weather smiles.
2. The Kitchen Awning
Even if you have a great galley on-board, it’s nice to spread out when you’re preparing food and especially on a longer trip away. There are plenty of awnings that will accommodate you, but go for something that has decent ventilation and never, ever forget fire and Carbon Monoxide safety.
Top product: Outwell Padres XL Kitchen Table & Bamboo Table Top
This practical, foldable kitchen unit has a solid bamboo table top for food preparation, along with handy drawers and hooks, and a pull-out holder for a washing up bowl or waste bin. The aluminium frame is solid and light enough to move the unit around easily and there’s even a windshield for outdoor use.
We have a vastly expanded cooking and dining range everything you need for the kitchen and dining areas - inside the caravan and outside too!
3. The Kids' Clubhouse
However much you love them, there’s nothing like having your own space and the chances are your kids will feel the same! A decent-sized awning provides children with their own space to lounge around in. Imagine, you’ll have the whole van to yourself!
Top product pick: Inflatable Lazy Lounger
We love these innovative, air sofa beds. No pump’s required to inflate them. Just raise your arms and whoosh the air into the open end, close it off by rolling the top and clipping it shut. Your kids will be the coolest banana on the campsite or the beach (adults fit too!).
The bed folds up small, weighs under 2KG and comes with its own funky carrying case. Available in a choice of colours online and in store.
4. The awning guest bedroom
Even in a larger 4 or 6 berth van, privacy can be a bit lacking, so an awning can provide a useful extra bedroom and separate sleeping space. With the best, such as our new PRIMA Deluxe Inflatable Air Awning, you have the option of adding an annex bedroom to create a ‘guest wing’.
Top product pick #1: Outwell Cardinal Double Sleeping Bag
Outwell are well known for their innovative family camping ethic, and for good reason. The Cardinal range is 'a sleeping bag for people who don't like sleeping bags' - a sort of duvet hybrid with the warmth and compact-ability of a sleeping bag. There are even an integrated pillows!
It's the perfect way for you and your guests (did we mention it's machine washable?) to stay cosy and comfortable when snoozing in the awning.
Top product #2: Outwell Dreamcatcher Self-inflating Mat
Traditional air beds can be a real nightmare. After spending ages pumping them up, they slowly deflate, are uneven and cold to sleep on, and seem to be beloved of the puncture fairy.
Cue self-inflating mats! Just unroll and unscrew the valve and the mat gently inflates itself to the full 7.5cm depth. This might not seem like much, but the mats are constructed of supportive and insulating foam that will keep you warmer than air bed, and just as comfortable.
5. The entertainment awning
If you like to entertain on tour, then an awning is a great way to accommodate your dinner guests without opening up the personal pace of your van. Choose a model with plenty of space for a table and chairs, decent headroom and good ventilation. Some models have barn-door style fold down windows and you’ll find door sizes vary from awning to awning.
We’ve plenty of furniture and accessories in the store to make a fantastic space for entertaining. Here are a couple of our favourites:-
Top product pick #1: PRIMA 6ft Portable Folding Camping Table
Solid, yet lightweight, this 6ft table is perfect for hosting those memorable al fresco dinners, card nights and family gettogethers. The bi-fold design and 7.4KG weight make it ideal for touring too and it assembles in a minute. We’ve a great range of chairs and stools to go with it too.
Top product pick #2: Outwell ECOlux 24L 12V/230V
A cold beer or warm treat will always be to hand with this stylish cool / hot box. In either mode, it will work off 12v or 230v and is energy efficient, meeting the latest European ECO regulations.
Available in various models, including 24L and 35L capacities, the units have some neat touches, including the LED light in the lid and the USB socket for charging your phone.
6. Awning pet palaces
Taking the dog away with you is one of the real perks of caravan or motorhome life, but an awning can give you, and them, some valuable space. Whether you want an out-of-the-way place for the food and water bowls, somewhere to towel down a soggy dog or somewhere peaceful to house a pet bed, an awning is your best bet.
Top product: PRIMA Waterproof Resting Mat
After a day out exploring, your dog can dry off and relax in their own corner of your awning with this completely waterproof mat to keep your awning carpet a bit cleaner. It rolls away with velcro straps for handy storage and transport.
We have a huge range of PRIMA dog accessories in stock, including dog beds, toys and walking accessories.
7. Awnings as your ideal home from home
A high quality awning can provide a warm, dry, spacious sanctuary that will transform your living space away from home. Being on a campsite doesn't mean you need to sacrifice the comfort of home, especially when you have a large covered space to kit out! You don't have to make do with grey metal camping tables either, with Outwell's beautiful collection of bamboo table-top camping furniture that keeps all the function and weight saving of traditional tables whilst adding some pleasing aesthetics.
There's nothing wrong with taking a house-proud mentality into your caravan or motorhome. Keeping everything tidy and organised will help you you enjoy your holiday stress-free and definitely saves time packing up when it's time to leave.
Top product 1: Outwell Calgary Bamboo Large Camping Table
With its aluminium frame and bamboo top, this high quality table is both stylish and solid. The legs are collapsible and the table folds in half for portability, weighing in at just 8.4KG. The table top is 120 x 90cm, making it ideal for dining or as a room feature.
Top product 2: THULE Go Box
This super-useful handy portable storage box from resources Swedes at THULE is a robust yet practical addition to any awning. It's ready for outdoor living with its water resistant fabric construction and fold-over cover. It's perfect for just about anything.
Top product 3: Outwell Aruba Folding Camping Cupboard
Keep everything in reach with this fully collapsible cupboard! Outwell have designed a quality piece of 'furniture' that packs away in seconds but comfortably holds all your home comforts away from the awning floor, freeing up space in your caravan shelves and drawers.
Top product 4: Auriga Deluxe LED Touch Lamp
Add some mood lighting to your awning with these high performance LED lamps. A light touch will toggle them through low, medium, bright and off – and you’ll get up to 25 hours’ use (depending on conditions) from one set of AA batteries.
The clever design means you can hang them or stand them - and at £11.99 a piece you can scatter a few around without breaking the bank.
Your caravan layout will always stay the same, but we've just outlined 7 different functions you can adapt your awning to. Whoever said the caravanning life wasn't versatile?