What Exactly is a Sunroom?

As the name implies a sunroom attempts to bring in as much natural light into a space as possible. This type of room can serve various functions; it can be a space for your plants, an extension to your existing house, or a cozy spot to relish the sunrise and sunset regardless of the climate.

Adding a sunroom to your home not only enhances its value but also creates a distinctive and welcoming living area that everyone can enjoy.

Where to Add a Sunroom

Sunrooms can be added to any home, although they are typically created from decks, patios, or porches in the backyard. Factors like location, desired light, privacy concerns, and available space all influence where to place a sunroom as well.

Typical Locations

In our experience we have seen that most people tend to want to add their sunroom on one side of the house or in the back of the house. We typically build sunrooms on the east or south side of a house as we are in the northern hemisphere.

This is a common practice because of the positioning of the sun in this region. The orientation of the sunrooms allows for maximum sunlight exposure throughout the day. This design choice also helps create a warm and inviting space for occupants to enjoy. 

An eastern facing sunroom tends to get tons of early morning sun, perfect for those early risers who want to sip their coffee as the sun rises while still being comfortable enough to sit under the harsher afternoon peak.

On the other hand, sunrooms facing the south will enjoy a balanced spread of sunlight during the day. This is an excellent choice for individuals who desire their sunroom to be brimming with plants and a pleasant area that effortlessly merges the indoor and outdoor spaces into a cohesive whole.

Other Considerations

Beyond just putting your sunroom somewhere, you should take into mind a few other concerns when deciding where to build a sunroom. 

As alluded to in the above sections, questions of the amount of light wanted are of particular importance. Do you or your family want a room that always has light in it or a room that serves as a space only to be used in the mornings or enjoyed in the evenings?

Another factor to consider when thinking about adding a sunroom to your home is the total available space needed. This point is perhaps the most important because if your home and yard isn’t spacious enough to accommodate a sunroom addition then the idea of having a sunroom is moot. 

Finally the last consideration is privacy. Where do you want your sunroom to be? Do you want to have the sunroom facing out front to catch the best light? Would you rather add the room to one side of your house tucked away, or perhaps you want the room to serve as a private getaway that blends into the lush greenery of your backyard?

Types of Sunrooms

Usually a sunroom is a glassed-in area with large windows that is attached to the house proper, but not hooked to the house’s AC or HVAC system, matching more closely to the temperature outside. That’s not to say that one cannot have a sunroom that is connected to your home’s HVAC or AC system.

Three Season Sunroom

Typically, if you would prefer to enjoy your sunroom without the extra effort (or don’t want a more expensive AC or heating bill) we suggest that you go with a three season sunroom.

Judging by the name, it’s easy to guess that this type of sunroom is mainly used to enjoy spring, summer, and fall as the winter season will make the room too cold to properly enjoy. 

However, a sunroom can be enjoyed all year round if given proper window treatments, such as using energy efficient glass panels to keep the room insulated during the colder months.

Four Season Sunroom

Conversely, a four season sunroom is typically hooked up to your home’s heating and AC system and allows you to enjoy the space no matter what season or what the outside temperature is. 

Sunroom Ideas for Decor

Part of the fun of having a sunroom is getting to decorate it in a way that matches your particular aesthetic vision. These elements can be boiled down to a few options that play a rather significant role; things like material, the type of furniture, and even the type of windows used.

Color Scheme

Like most interior design projects, it helps to center the area or space by choosing a color scheme that not only complements the rest of the house but can stand out on its own.

After all, you should want to spend a lot of time in your room you love. Because the sunroom will naturally receive lots of light, opting for off-whites, neutral grays, or soft whites are safe choices.

However, if you’re a bit more bold and want your sunroom to truly impress, lean into decorating using bright blues, deep purples, bright oranges, rich greens, and even pale yellows for the room. 

Furniture

Another major question for when adding a sunroom to your home should be “what function will this room serve?”

Will the sunroom be a dining space? Then obviously it will need a dining table and accompanying chairs. Or will your sunroom be a relaxed living room? If so, a comfy couch and chairs with a nice accent rug with a modern coffee table may be the way to go.

Or perhaps the sunroom will serve a variety of purposes so it’s best to have multifunctional furniture that can be adapted and suit your needs.

Greenery

A great way to brighten (pardon the pun) up your sunroom is to add some greenery to it. Including potted plants and flowers goes a long way in making your living space feel inviting and cozy. Adding plants can serve to better highlight the original function of a sunroom; the merging of the outside with the inside. 

Differences to Other Outdoor Spaces

The sunroom is not the only type of room that blends the outside and inside into a holistic space, there are other types of rooms and spaces that are similar to a sunroom but differ in unique ways.

Screen Room

A screen room is like a sunroom, but with mesh screens instead of glass windows. A screen room lets the outside temperature in while keeping bugs out. Screen rooms sometimes act as communal rooms, but that’s often not the express intent of a screen room.

Attached Greenhouse

An attached greenhouse is like a sunroom but only for plants. These rooms tend to be smaller as well. They are also intended to receive plenty of sunlight and are arranged specifically for growing plants. The room may also have different humidity and temperature levels than the rest of the house. 

Solarium

While the terms “sunroom” and “solarium” may be used interchangeably, the words themselves actually describe two distinct room types. The difference between them is a subtle, but crucial one. A sunroom’s roof is typically made from traditional roofing materials, while a solarium’s roof is also made of large glass roof panels, or what’s called skylight windows to allow as much sunlight into the room as possible. 

Indoor Patio

An indoor patio does share similar DNA with both a screen room and a sun room, but differs in that an indoor patio isn’t necessarily a new addition to your home, but rather a pre-existing area that was converted from a primarily outdoor space to an indoor one.

The windows of this space can either be glass or screen, but the primary differentiating factor is that the space itself was pre-existing and not an addition to the house.

Sunroom Cost and Pricing

Adding and designing a sunroom can vary in cost depending on factors like time, materials, and location. However, you can call us for a free estimate to get started! 

Conclusion

A sunroom is a flexible and beneficial extension to any residence, offering a room bathed in natural sunlight and a natural link to the outside environment. Whether it’s for unwinding, hosting guests, or appreciating nature, enhancing the overall quality of your life.