A popular photo of The Red Inn, available as a print from the Provincetown Fine Art Prints Gallery.
The Red Inn, in Provincetown, MA was built in 1805 and has been welcoming guests since 1915. The Inn is located directly on the shore of the Provincetown Harbor – so close that the beach out front is only available at mid to low tides. At high tide, stairs from the porch provide instant access to the ocean.
In preparation for the coming season, the staff of the Red Inn commissioned an awning to cover the long narrow stretch of porch that faces the ocean. This will protect guests from the potentially-harmful rays of the sun, while also providing shelter on rainy days.
The awning is built from our elegant and practical tent cloth, with reinforcing patches in each corner. Don shaped the supporting posts in our wood shop downstairs using Douglas Fir, a wood that is very strong and has excellent elasticity, making it ideal for an oceanfront structure that will experience summer storms and the strong afternoon breezes common to this area.
Don finished the posts with Linseed oil, which penetrates the layers of wood and then hardens, providing internal protection from the elements. This subtle finish was selected to provide good water-resistance, and because it is lower maintenance than a fully varnished surface. The bottom edges of the posts clear the surface of the water by a small margin at high tide, but they will certainly come in contact with sea spray and exuberant waves. Side walls similar to the ones used with Sperry Tents will protect against wayward breezes, while still allowing a clear view of the harbor.
The awning will serve its purpose well this summer, contributing to a calm outdoor space at The Red Inn. To commission your own outdoor structure, please give us a call at 774.849.3505 or e-mail us at SperryFabricArchitecture@gmail.com.
