Cozy Sunroom Decorating Ideas

by Joey Pebble

The sunroom is a space that is almost outdoors. Defined by the large, prominent windows which open up the walls, the sunroom is a space of light and nature, and it should be decorated accordingly. Within this room you want to feature the windows themselves, and the natural scenes and healthy illumination that they allow into your home. In this way you can connect your interior environment to the world beyond the walls.

The colors you use in the space should be light and airy. Try out different swabs in the actual environment to see how they look in different shades of light. If possible get samples and paint spare pieces of drywall to get a real feel for the look of the color in the actual environment. This is important as certain colors will glow, or shimmer in varying shades of sunlight.

Furnishings should be casual. You may want to use materials that reflect the outdoor nature of the space such as wicker, rattan, or teak. However don’t go overboard and completely ignore the style of the furnishings in the rest of the house. The sun room is a very visible part of the home, and as such it should flow naturally with the decorative feel of the rest of the environment.

As you lay out the room, try to maintain a sense of open flow throughout the area. The large windows will fill the room with natural sunlight, so you don’t need a lot of furnishings. Just a few necessary functional items should suffice to properly populate the space. Remove clutter, both intentional and otherwise, and keep the space simple and clean.

The prominent nature of the windows makes window treatments very important in this space. Many people will advise light, airy cloth curtains, which can keep out prying eyes but still let in illumination, glowing with the light of the sun. However in some cases you may want to completely shut out the light, such as on a hot summer day. In such a situation blinds made from bamboo or other natural materials can be a good idea. Shutters that can be stacked will allow you a compromise as they can be completely removed when not in use.

You also want to add some lighting fixtures in the space in addition to relying on light from the sun. This will make the room functional even at night. Ambient illumination allows the sunroom to turn from a warm relaxing chamber in the day, into a quiet, intimate conversation cove at night, with the stars in the sky themselves as entertainment.

Once you have the basics down, the purpose of the space should determine the rest of your decorating options. If the space is going to be used as a relaxing lounge then get some comfortable chairs. If it’s a game room then a big table and some shelves will be important. For the most part you can let the purpose drive the form, since the greatest decorative feature of this space are the wide open windows looking out on the splendors of nature.