Sunrooms are often open-air spaces, so furniture and decor should remain light and airy to maintain a sense of space. Wicker and natural fibers, like this whitewashed rattan sofa by Thomas Guy Interiors, are great choices.
Strategically placed mirrors can reflect sunlight and help accentuate floor-to-ceiling windows. Decorative rugs and pillows add color without overcrowding the space.
1. Relaxation
With natural sunlight streaming through the glass walls, sunrooms are often designed to feel more like finished interior rooms than outdoor structures. To bring your sunroom ideas into alignment with your home’s style and design, use a similar palette of furniture, fabrics, and accent colors. This creates a seamless connection between the two and adds a sense of cohesiveness to your sunroom ideas.
Sunrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows are the ideal backdrop for a bold decorating statement. If you opt for this sunroom style, choose a dramatic piece of furniture to serve as your focal point. In this light-flooded room from Whittney Parkinson Design, a wood dresser serves as a chic accent that complements the neutral colors of the surrounding decor. A collection of decorative pillows and area rugs in black-and-white patterns offers a complementary color palette that brightens the space and complements the window panes.
For a sunroom that doubles as a relaxing retreat, emphasize comfort with comfortable seating and plenty of pillows and cushions. If you love to read, tuck a plush hammock into the corner of the room and hang a woven lantern for a cozy reading nook.
Maximalist decor is a hot trend in interior design, and it’s also an excellent way to dress up your sunroom if following a Sunroom installation. For a striking room, try patterned wallpaper and matching curtains, a boho-inspired mix of rugs and throw pillows, and loads of plants.
If you have a small sunroom, opt for a tone-on-tone color scheme to keep the space from feeling cramped. In this modern farmhouse sunroom from blogger Liz Marie, wicker furniture and a dining table painted in pale white create a light-filled retreat. Short curtain panels soften the corners and help minimize glare. Shelving in the slanted ceiling offers the perfect spot to display potted plants and flowers without eating up floor space.
2. Island Escape
A sunroom is a great place to turn into a relaxing screened-in porch or productive home office. These rooms feature large windows that let natural light flood in and offer stunning views of the outdoors. If you want your sunroom to be an escape from the everyday, opt for a tropical style that celebrates beachy vibes and leisure. Choose rattan furniture, palm tree prints and seashell accessories for a room that oozes vacation vibes.
Many people think that a sunroom has to be filled with bright colors and patterned fabrics, but that isn’t necessarily true. In fact, neutral shades of gray can create a tranquil space that is perfect for reading and relaxing. To make your neutral sunroom more interesting, add a decorative area rug with bold patterns that complements the furniture and window treatments. This will keep the room from looking too flat and will also add texture to the space.
While some sunrooms have a traditional shed-type roof, others have gable, cathedral or split-roof designs that blend in with the architecture of the house. This sunroom is a nice melding of the two styles, with a unique roofline and plenty of windows for natural lighting. The furniture is arranged to focus on the striking view, and the homeowners have kept the accents simple to prevent distractions from the landscape.
If you love to host family gatherings, then a sunroom that can seat many is a great option. This room features comfortable seating and an island-inspired dining area. The dining table includes a bar for drinks, and the homeowners have dressed up the space with floral print linens and pretty window treatments. The dramatic chest serves as the room’s focal point and provides a jumping-off point for the savvy mix of furnishings and patterns.
3. Modern Minimalist
When it comes to sunroom decor, a minimalist aesthetic can offer some major style. Minimalist spaces are often dominated by a single accent piece, like a chair or sofa, that acts as the focal point. Other elements serve as complementary adornments. Minimalist design also favors simple forms and clean lines. If you’re looking to give your sunroom a minimalist feel, try matching furniture and other accents to a neutral monochromatic palette. Mix in a few darker shades to add depth and contrast.
This sunroom features a unique layout that allows it to function as both a dining room and living space, all while maintaining an uninterrupted view of the yard. The homeowners kept the furniture arrangement simple to ensure they could enjoy the beautiful scenery. Dark wicker furniture and accents, including decorative pillows and a small nautical statue, keep the space cozy and casual.
Long and narrow, this sunroom features a split layout that separates the space into living and dining areas. The homeowners used a textural wallpaper with a tropical vibe to add interest, but kept the furniture and finishes classic to keep the space from feeling too dated. The wicker chairs and patterned rug are the perfect finishing touches to add pops of color.
While open floor plans are typically associated with modern designs, they can be a great way to connect and unify different rooms in a home. To help your sunroom and other adjacent rooms look connected, consider coordinating flooring, paint colors, and window treatments. You can even go as far as creating a cohesive color palette throughout the entire house, as this East Texas event designer did with her sunroom.
4. Greenery
A sunroom with a view of greenery is an excellent place for growing houseplants and herbs. Those who don’t have a green thumb can also benefit from the mood-boosting benefits of plants that are known to remove toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air. To make the space more appealing, choose tie-up shades that allow for varying amounts of sunlight and can be easily adjusted as the day changes. Incorporate these window treatments into your sunroom decorating to create a comfortable space for lounging and entertaining alike.
A large sunroom can be transformed into a dining nook or coffee lounge when adorned with built-in banquette seating and a coordinating table. For an elegant look, opt for upholstered chairs and ottomans in neutral tones like white or gray and add a pop of color with a geometric area rug. This stylish sunroom from Chango & Co features a grand piano and plenty of natural light that draws the eye to the beautiful wood floor.
When it comes to sunroom designs, the options are endless. If your sunroom has a clear view of the outdoors, you can create a charming space that feels like a vacation getaway. Alternatively, you can turn your sunroom into a tranquil music room or a winter garden with the addition of greenery.
If you prefer the quaint, classic charm of farmhouse style decor, you can imbue your sunroom with this timeless aesthetic by incorporating wooden furniture, mason jar lighting, and rustic accents like weathered farm equipment. Add floral or gingham patterns to curtains and cushions for an extra dose of farmhouse appeal. To draw the eye outside of the glass, invest in ambient lighting that lights up the foliage and highlights the beautiful landscape beyond.
5. Creative Space
Sunrooms offer a unique opportunity to express individual style and character without committing to a major home remodeling project. If you choose a sunroom design that integrates well with the existing structure, it will add to the overall aesthetic of your home and create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Matching exterior elements, such as roofing shingles and gutters or siding colors, can help achieve this effect. Coordinating the windows of your sunroom with those of your house will also contribute to this sense of unity.
A sunroom is a space for relaxation, but it can also be used to foster creativity and encourage personal connection with nature. A spacious sunroom can be outfitted with a standing easel to double as an art studio or a cozy reading nook. To evoke a sense of adventure and exploration, a saltwater aquarium can introduce the serene movement of fish and vibrant colors to the room.
Most sunrooms are designed to bring the outside in and the inside out. To enhance this natural ambiance, opt for maximum glass walls and paint your sunroom in light, airy colors that reflect sunlight effectively. Wood furnishings are a classic choice for sunrooms, as they provide a warm, earthy look that complements the natural scenery beyond the windows.
If you plan to use your sunroom after dark, consider installing lighting fixtures to illuminate the space. BHDM Design added a large table lamp and a contemporary pendant to this sunroom to transform it into a cozy lounge after the sun goes down. Adapting your sunroom to the seasons is another great way to keep it feeling fresh and inviting throughout the year. In spring and summer, fill your sunroom with vibrant floral arrangements and a pastel color palette that mirror the beauty of the outdoors. Come autumn, transform your sunroom into a dazzling display of rustic pumpkins and rich fall foliage.
