Clear Vinyl Retractable Shades Bring Year-Round Comfort to Creek Side Station
Tucked into the hills of upstate New York, Creek Side Station in Hartwick is the kind of place couples and families picture when they imagine a celebration in the country. Owners Michael and Sharon Chase bought the property in 2002 and have spent the years since restoring the land and building a welcoming place for weddings and gatherings. The venue takes its name from the early-1900s trolley line that once ran through the grounds and the Otego Creek that winds alongside it.
At the heart of the property sits a timber-frame pavilion: heavy cedar posts and curved braces, a tongue-and-groove ceiling with lantern chandeliers, stone-faced bars, and wide views of the lawn and tree line. This past season, the Craft-Bilt team added one more feature to that space: clear vinyl retractable shades on every open side.
Why Creek Side Station Chose Clear Vinyl Retractable Shades For a Pavilion Enclosure
An open-air pavilion is a big part of what makes a country venue feel special. Guests can feel the breeze, see the trees, and move easily between the dance floor and the lawn. But upstate New York weather has its own plans, and an event calendar is booked months in advance, long before anyone knows what the forecast will bring.
The Chases wanted a way to keep the pavilion’s open, airy character while giving themselves more control over the space. Their goals were straightforward:
- Keep the view. Any enclosure had to preserve the sightlines to the lawn, trees, and creek-side setting that guests come for.
- Extend the event season. Spring and fall are prime months for weddings, and cool evenings in the region can arrive early. The venue wanted the pavilion to stay comfortable well past sunset and deeper into the shoulder seasons.
- Make the most of their climate control. With rooftop heat pump units already serving the pavilion, the space needed a way to hold that heated or cooled air in.
- Keep it simple for staff. The system had to open and close quickly, so the team could adjust the space between a sunny ceremony and a chilly reception.
- Protect the investment. Shades that retract fully out of sight would let the pavilion’s craftsmanship stay on display when the weather is nice.
The Installation: Built Around the Pavilion’s Design
The Craft-Bilt team installed the clear shades directly onto the pavilion’s existing timber frame. Slim housings mount under the eave between each post, so when the shades are rolled up they tuck neatly out of the way. Black side tracks run down each post to guide the vinyl and hold it in place, giving every bay a clean, framed look that complements the dark roofline.
Each opening was sized to fit its bay, including the sections around the pavilion’s double-door entries. The result is a run of tall, clear panels that wrap the building and turn it into a fully enclosed room when lowered, without hiding the structure that gives the space its character.
What the Owners Are Saying
After a full season of events with the new retractable shades, the Creek Side Station owners shared this with our team:
“Thank God for those sides this year. It’s been a crazy year. We are very happy with them. It’s hard to believe we did not have them before. It’s so easy to close them down when it gets cool at night.”
That last point is exactly what the venue was hoping for. When the temperature drops after the sun goes down, staff can lower the shades and keep the celebration going in comfort, with guests still enjoying the view of the grounds through the clear vinyl.
Benefits of Craft-Bilt Clear Vinyl Retractable Shades
Whether it’s a commercial event pavilion or a backyard porch, clear vinyl retractable shades give you more control over how and when you use your outdoor space.
- Unobstructed views. Clear vinyl keeps the scenery in sight, so an enclosed space still feels connected to the outdoors.
- Protection from wind, rain, and cold. Lowered shades block wind and blowing rain, keeping guests and furnishings comfortable and dry.
- A longer outdoor season. Close the shades on cool spring and fall evenings to keep using your space when you’d normally pack it in.
- Works with heating and cooling. An enclosed space holds conditioned air better, helping heaters, fans, or heat pumps do their job.
- Disappears when not needed. Shades roll up into compact housings, leaving the opening clear on beautiful days.
- Quick to operate. Raising or lowering the shades takes moments, so you can adjust as conditions change throughout the day.
- Custom-fit to your structure. Each shade is sized to the opening, for a clean, built-in look on pavilions, porches, patio covers, and pergolas.
- Built for business. For venues, restaurants, and wineries, a covered space you can enclose means fewer weather cancellations and more bookable days.
Bring Year-Round Comfort to Your Outdoor Space
Creek Side Station shows how the right enclosure can make a beautiful outdoor space work harder, without changing what makes it special. If you own a venue, restaurant, or home with a covered patio, porch, or pavilion, clear vinyl retractable shades can help you get more use out of it in every season.
Ready to see what clear vinyl shades can do for your space? Contact our team to start planning your project.
