Decorating Sunrooms

by Giorgina Devereaux

Function

Before deciding on the type of sunroom decor, consider what the function of your sunroom will be. 

Some sunrooms are used as a family room, home office, gym, billiard room, or relaxation room complete with a hot tub.         

Color

Since some sunrooms also have walls, incorporating color will add a lot of beauty to the sunroom. 

For detailed information on color, please see Home Decorating Colors.

Furniture

There are different types of furniture that can be used to furnish a sunroom.  However, when decorating sunrooms, some pieces are more prevalent than others. 

Family Room Furniture Ideas

Wicker/Rattan Furniture:  Commonly used sunroom furniture used for decorating sunrooms includes wicker and rattan. 

It is an elegant, light weight material that stands up well to constant exposure to sunlight.   

Since it’s portable, it can easily be rearranged. 

Wicker is a hard woven fiber that is also available in all weather resin, which has the appearance of real wicker and can withstand all types of weather. 

It is almost maintenance free and cleaning involves merely wiping it down with a damp cloth followed by a light dusting. 

Rattan is derived from a solid timber vine that grows in Indonesia.  It is very durable and resistant to splintering.  Wicker and rattan patio furniture are versatile because they can be used both inside and outside.  In addition to being comfortable, they are sturdy and aesthetically pleasing.

When decorating sunrooms, you can find the following furniture pieces in wicker and rattan: 

• Sofa
• Loveseat
• Chairs
• Rocking Chair
• Ottoman
• Bench
• Dining Table and Chairs
• Bistro Set
• Bar Set
• Coffee table
• Side tables
• Chair Side Butler Table

This furniture is also sold as a conversation set consisting of a sofa, loveseat, end table, and coffee table. 

It comfortably seats 5 or 6 people, with some of the furniture pieces featuring rolling armrests, lovely arches, and the wicker is woven over powder-coated aluminum frames. 

Some of the tables have glass tops and elegant scrolled legs, which makes a nice decorative touch. 

This furniture is available in the following finishes: 

• Espresso
• Charcoal
• Natural/brown 
• White

You can find seat cushions in a variety of colors to suit your taste when decorating sunrooms.  Cushion colors include:

·         Orange

·         Blue

·         Red

·         Yellow

·         Green

·         Tan

·         Black

·         White

·         Floral Patterns

·         Striped Patterns

·         Pineapple Motifs

Microfiber/Leather/Upholstered Furniture

You can also opt to furnish your sunroom with furniture pieces consisting of microfiber, leather, and upholstered materials.  There are many different colors and patterns to choose from when decorating sunrooms.  It all depends on what your preference is.

Home Office

If you are considering using your sunroom as a home office, it is an excellent choice since there is no shortage of light.  Some pieces you may want to include are a nice desk (in the finish of your choice), ergonomically correct chair, file cabinet, bookshelf, and media cabinet. 

Gym

Some prefer using their sunroom exclusively as a gym because it welcomes the outdoors inside. 

You have a nice view of lush greenery and this is very relaxing during a rigorous workout. 

What to incorporate into your gym depends on what physical activity you like. 

For instance, you may want to include equipment, such as, a stair climber, tread mill, recumbent bike, workout bench, stepper, abdominal machine, and free weights.  To protect the floor, consider adding interlocking rubber mats.

Billiard Room

A sunroom can also serve the purpose of being a billiard room. 

You can add a nice pool table, game table, bar set, and other billiard room accessories of your liking.

Lighting

Since a sunroom has abundant lighting during the day, it is important to have adequate lighting during the evening hours. 

You may want to include a ceiling fan when decorating sunrooms, along with the light kit. 

Some ceiling fans feature blades that are made from rattan for that tropical look, which looks fabulous. 

Ceiling fans come in handy because it allows you to stay cool when necessary while providing lighting. 

If you are not interested in a ceiling fan, you can opt for a ceiling fixture. 

Depending on what the function of the sunroom is will enable you to decide on what lighting is most appropriate. 

For instance, if the sunroom will be used as a billiard room, you may want to consider adding billiard lights. 

Another option when decorating sunrooms is to incorporate a floor lamp, which is an excellent source of lighting.  Ceiling fixtures and floor lamps are available in a variety of styles, finishes, sizes, and brands.  Be creative when decorating sunrooms with lighting.

Flooring and Rugs

Flooring choices that require minimal care is tile, slate, and hardwood.  To soften the overall look of the room, consider incorporating natural-fiber rugs, such as, sisal or hemp, which resist moisture damage. 

The beauty about using rugs in decorating sunrooms is that they come in a variety of designs and patterns.  A good material to keep in mind when choosing a rug are those made from polypropylene fibers.  Polypropylene will not rot or accumulate mildew, and can endure through the sun, snow, sleet, and rain. 

Accessories

Some accessories you may want to consider when decorating sunrooms are picture frames, bird sculptures, figurines, a piece of art featured on an easel, and a decorative accent box.

Other ideas include incorporating a water feature, such as, a fountain and faux plants. 

The sound of water trickling is very relaxing and is a fabulous way to invite the outdoors into your home. 

Another way to welcome the outdoors inside is by including silk plants. 

They come in a variety of styles and colors, such as, silk Acanthus, Bird of Paradise, Cycas Palm, Parlor Palm, as well as in silk floral designs, such as, silk Orchids, Zinnias, Proteas, Magnolias, Poppies, Hydrangeas, Wildflowers, and more. 

These faux plants are high quality and lifelike.  You won’t have to fuss with watering them daily and they will look beautiful for years to come.

Window Treatments

Shade Screens:  You may opt to have shade screens installed in your sunroom to give you the ability to control and adjust the light as well as the heat and cold. 

Some options include sunroom shades that come in either a manual pull or motorized system.  These shades are available in a wide variety of fabrics and screens, which can be insulated to help maximize warmth and cooling. 

The beauty about some of these shades is that they can accordion back into a very compact size allowing the maximum amount of light to enter the room and can be stopped at any position. 

Since cellular light filtering fabrics are used, it stops approximately 35% of the light while gently diffusing the light to reduce the glare from the sun. 

In addition, it stops about 55% of the heat gain.

Solar Shades:  This is a type of roller window shade that is usually made from a synthetic mesh fabric.  It is available in varying levels of opaqueness.  The higher the opaqueness of the solar shade, the more light is allowed inside.  This is a great choice for windows that have a view since it reduces glare while improving energy efficiency by reducing solar heat gain and providing important UV protection. 

Window Film:  Direct sunlight can result in fatigue, eyestrain, and loss of concentration. 

Not only that, but the excessive heat is very uncomfortable, and with time, the rays of the sun fade draperies, furniture, upholstery, and carpeting. 

This film blocks out 99% of the UV rays that ordinary windows would allow inside. 

Treating your windows with a special window film will provide significant solar insulation.  The window film is a laminate made of high performance metallized polyester film that increases comfort by reducing heat and glare. 

This film is applied directly to the interior side of the glass and helps correct temperature imbalances between the sunny and shady areas.  It helps reduce cooling and heating costs since it reduces the cost of cooling by rejecting up to 79% of the sun’s heat and decreases heat loss by up to 30%, which results in saving money on your energy bill.