7 Great Sunroom Ideas

There’s nothing quite like a sun-soaked space to enhance energy, productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. Build yourself and your family a sunroom for all seasons—a place where the outdoors can be enjoyed year round. Whether you’re thinking about a porch sunroom, screened-in patio sunroom, or an entire addition, you can easily extend the existing heating and cooling systems of your home to enable a comfortable atmosphere every single day.

You can even build passive solar energy techniques right into your home design with south-facing sunroom windows. Certain window and flooring materials can help absorb and redirect the sun’s heat while lowering your monthly energy bill.

Sunrooms range in price depending on size and features like windows and HVAC, but typically the cost is between $10,000 and $70,000. Ready to get inspired to create a sunroom in your home? Read on to see some of our favorite ideas.

French doors instead of windows

Most sunrooms feature walls of windows to bring in as much light as possible and make it seem like you’re right outside. But instead of designing your sunroom to have all windows and maybe just one door leading outside, design it to have walls of French doors. When the weather is nice, you’ll be able to open the doors and really let the outside in, definitely more so than you could with windows. Bonus: You’ll also never have a hard time finding your way out.

Retractable screens

If you’re leaning more toward the more affordable option of using screens instead of full glass windows, keep your options open year round with retractable screens. With these, you’ll be able to keep the bugs out and still enjoy a cool breeze, and when you want to completely open up the space, it’s as easy as retracting the screens.

Dramatic lighting

Bring some glamour into your sunroom with some dramatic lighting. Choose a fixture that will complement the space when it’s daylight and look stunning when it’s lit up at night. From large chandeliers to mason jar pendant lighting, there are tons of choices out there to make your sunroom a standout.

Use it as a dining room

Sunrooms can make ideal formal dining rooms that make those family dinners that much more special. The only downside is that your family or guests might not be able to fully appreciate your perfectly cooked pork roast because they’ll be distracted by the stunning walls of windows.

Use it as an indoor porch

Another more affordable option is to treat your sunroom as an indoor porch. Install ceiling fans to help with air flow, and outfit the room with comfy outdoor furniture like porch swings and wicker chairs. It’ll be a relaxing, shady spot where you can read a book, take a nap, or entertain friends.

Connect it to a deck

Create a seamless inside-outside space by connecting your sunroom to a deck. This is an especially great idea for smaller sunrooms, as they can feel quite a bit larger with a deck right outside. Use the french door idea mentioned above or install a glass garage door to be able to make the two feel like one cohesive space.

Make it eclectic

Don’t feel like you have to decorate your sunroom like the rest of your home. Since it’s a special spot, think of it as a blank canvas to use bold colors, mix up textures, and have fun. Make it eclectic for an unexpected, playful surprise that adds to your home’s character.

Have any good sunroom ideas? Let us know in the comments!