The 21 Prettiest Sunrooms We’ve Ever Seen
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An afternoon spent on the porch is always a pleasure, but you know what might just be better? Time spent in a sunroom. Why, you might ask? For starters, sunrooms can be used year-round. Sure, we usually think of them as more spring/summer spaces, but with the right furnishings and connected heat or air conditioning, a sunroom can become a year-round retreat. We also love the protection for the elements sunrooms provide. Biting bugs getting the best of you in the summer? Head to the sunroom. Is rain pouring all the time in the spring? Storms become soothing background noise in the sunroom. Finally, you have more freedom with your furnishings in the sunroom. Since it's protected from rain and snow, nicer furniture and upholstery can be used as well as decorations that would be disturbed by wind on the porch.
Needless to say, we're big fans of sunrooms. So why not have a little bit of fun in this oft-used space? Sunrooms are the perfect space to let your design imagination run wild. Go more traditional and keep a bright and airy color palette, or take advantage of the ample sunlight and bring in moodier hues. You truly can't go wrong here. So grab your coziest throw and some comfy chairs and get ready to create the sunroom of your dreams with inspiration from the beauties below.
P.S.—looking for more outdoor fun content? Check out Our Favorite Rocking Chairs, The Best Outdoor Bar Carts, and Tailgate Games for the Whole Family!
Paint the Floor
In this waterside home, designer Sarah Richardson painted the sunroom floor in a glossy green reflective of the numerous trees outside the windows. To hold up to wet feet and indoor/outdoor traffic, choose durable marine paint, which is designed for boats, or an oil-based porch or deck paint.
Get the Look:
Floor Paint Color: For similar, Green Bank by Behr
RELATED: Check out these brilliant ideas for painted floors!
Treat it Like a Living Room
Homeowner Jeanette Fristoe left the windows bare in her eclectic sunroom.
RELATED: See more of this serene bungalow that is filled with soulful antiques.
Build a Backyard Retreat
Garden designer Susanne Hudson created her glass-encased potting shed using 139 salvaged windows. The result is a top-to-bottom light-filled sunroom she uses for planning, potting, pruning, and anything else related to gardening.
Get the Look:
Paint Color: Tarrytown Green by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: See more of Susanne’s dreamy garden house, plus two other creative backyard retreats.
Give it a Beach-y Vibe
Playing off the bright turquoise floor, author Mary Kay Andrews filled her enclosed porch with a mishmash of furniture found at a variety of estate sales. It’s also home to a vintage Coca-Cola sign that she brought via Craigslist.
RELATED: See more of Mary Kay Andrew’s happy and colorful beach cottage.
Make it the Dining Room
Mix and Match Wicker
Create a Sleeping Porch
This 1920s sunroom at Camp Wandawega takes on new life as a sleeping porch, complete with nostalgia-rich accessories.
Get the Look:
Striped Blanket: Hudson’s Bay Throw by Woolrich
Get the Look: Find Out More About Collecting Vintage Tennis Racquets
Repurpose Vintage Finds
In the sunroom of this Wisconsin farmhouse, pretty hand-sewn pillows, including one crafted from a Wisconsin souvenir handkerchief, dress up all the chairs—including the mini rocker. Also handcrafted: the light fixture made from a wicker basket.
RELATED: Take a Tour of This Renovated Farmhouse That Is Packed With Smile Inducing—and Budget-Friendly!—Decorating Ideas
Create a Conservatory
French doors, a combination of hand-crank and clerestory-style windows, and brick flooring give the enclosed patio in Deborah Herbertson’s Connecticut cottage a conservatory feel. The antique settee—which (per the dealer!) once sat in Abraham Lincoln's doctor's waiting room—was recovered in turquoise toile. White slipcovered wingback chairs offset the dramatic array of dried branches and ferns nestled in two Mexican wrought iron urns, while underneath the iron coffee table, a collection of vintage books is loosely corralled in a woven tray.
RELATED: See more of this quaint Connecticut cottage.
Look to the Mountains
This long and skinny sunny space is an ode to the homeowner’s love of the Adirondacks. The woven rockers are made of woven ash and yellow birch and the Old Hickory settee is handmade of hickory. Tramp art boxes lining the mantel bring additional folk art feel.
Give a Collected Over Time Look
We believe that a sunroom with warmth and personal touches can be completed with items you may very well already have on hand: a gorgeous vintage table, a piece of charming wicker furniture, and a lovely rug underfoot.
See more at The Grit and Polish.
Line It With a Sectional
To get the most seating for family game night or plenty of stretch out room for an all-afternoon reading session, choose a sectional for your sunroom. Here, the room has a tone-on-tone look with the never-goes-out-of-style white wicker furniture against the white painted brick wall. The white-on-white palette also helps the small space from feeling cramped with the larger furniture.
See more at Pencil & Paper Co.
Get the Look:
Wicker Sectional: “Pacifica” by Serena & Lily
Pack in Pattern
Play with patterns such as plaids and botanicals, that show off your one-of-a-kind tastes. Bonus points if you include a midcentury fireplace as cool as this one.
See more at The Rath Project.
Hang Breezy Curtains
For a sunroom that feels fresh and airy, look to shades of blue and white. To give the room a finished look, hang simple paneled curtains. Tip: When dealing with full walls of windows, hang curtains from the ceiling in front of the windows
See more at Lanvin Label.
Use Natural Materials
As a nod to the outdoors that lie right outside your windows, incorporate lots of natural materials into your sunroom. These can include reclaimed wood tables, plants (real or faux!), and rattan furniture.
See more at Scout & Nimble.
Reflect Your Home’s Architectural Style
Look to your home’s architecture and history for inspiration when decorating your sunroom. Here, furniture in linear shapes, an geometric area rug, and a vintage streamlined coffee give the sunroom a mid-century feel.
See more at Dream Green DIY.
Add Skylights
When it comes to a sunroom, the more natural you can let in, the better! Maximize the sunlight with a glass ceiling or skylight panel. Frosted glass helps filter harsh light and glares.
See more at Farmer’s Daughter Interiors & Design.
Tile the Floor
A sunroom should always make you smile, even on a gloomy day. To bring the sunshine inside no matter what, create a joyful atmosphere with playfully patterned floor tile. They’ll also hold up to all that indoor/outdoor traffic.
See more at Lauren Koster Creative.
Get the Look:
Floor Tile: Merola Tile “Twenty Vertex” Ceramic Tile from Home Depot
Hang a Swing
A sweet, just-returned-from-the-flea-market aesthetic can be achieved in your sunroom with a few key pieces: a hanging swing, layered pillows, and vintage art.
See more at Holland Avenue.
RELATED: Our Favorite DIY Porch Swings to Add Suspended Style to Your Home
Layer in Personality
Sure, minimalism is having a major moment, but we are so here for maximalism too. This sunroom was not designed for the faint of heart, with its pops of bold color, antique portrait hanging in front of the windows, and a striking area rug. We also love the hanging bed swing!
See more at Jeweled Interiors.
Get the Look:
White Garden Stools: For similar, Circle Lattice Ceramic Decorative Garden Stool
Create a Kid’s Play Room
If your sunroom resides right alongside your living room, consider it an extra space where your little ones can play. Set up a tiny table and art supplies and watch your little ones bask in the sun.
See more at Alice in Scandiland.
Take a Scandinavian Approach
For a modern, Scandinavian take on a sunroom, consider placing a contemporary chair, modern lighting, and lots of potted plants in the space. We can definitely imagine ourselves sitting and reading all afternoon here.
See more at Curate and Display.
RELATED: The Best Indoor Plants to Add Color and Beauty to Your Home
Make it Entertaining-Friendly
To transform your sunroom into entertaining central, you’ll need a well-stocked bar and a chairs and sofa seating set up for conversation. And speaking of conversation—you’ll want lots of conversation starting pieces, too. Here, we think the rattan side table and futuristic light fixture will get guests talking.
See more at Style by Emily Henderson.
Keep it Light & Airy
Even when it turns cold outside, your sunroom can always remind you of spring and summer with light and buoyant colors like cream, white, pink, and sky blue.
See more at Styled with Lace.
Get the Look:
Wall Medallion: For similar, MH London Wood Medallion
Make it Your Home Office
Why didn’t we think of this before? As it turns out, a sunroom is an idyllic spot for a home office, where you can do your work and look out at your natural surroundings. A wall mural, houseplant, and personal touches will complete the space.
See more at The Wicker House.
Add a Fireplace
To create a hygge feel in your sunroom, don’t forget to include cozy touches you and your family will enjoy year-round, such as a fireplace, piles of blankets and pillows, and a basket full of books to pass the time.
See more at Nesting with Grace.
Get the Look:
Electric Fireplace: For similar, Country Living Jackson Smart Electric Fireplace Mantel Package
Wrap it in Shiplap
For a farmhouse sunroom, we advise wrapping in shiplap (and lots of it), sumptuous throw pillows, and transparent white curtains.
See more at Liz Marie Blog.
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