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How to Make Good Use of Your Small Sunroom
Use these tips to create a functional and stylish little sunroom that won't go to waste
So, you’ve got a small sunroom in your house and you’re not quite sure how to use it. The joys of sunrooms lie in the fact that they’re usually light and bright, and can often feel like a connection to the outdoors. Whether the rest of your house is big or small, a sunroom can be the perfect oasis if it’s thoughtfully arranged and decorated.
You may choose to use your sunroom as a home office or studio, sitting room, an extra bedroom, craft or music room. Here are some tips to get the most out of your small sunroom.
You may choose to use your sunroom as a home office or studio, sitting room, an extra bedroom, craft or music room. Here are some tips to get the most out of your small sunroom.
Sitting room
A sitting room is one of the more common uses for small sunrooms. The sunroom pictured makes the perfect nook for having a cup of tea with a friend, or just admiring the view by yourself. Using a small sunroom as a sitting room is an excellent idea as it provides private space away from the common areas such as the living room.
A sitting room is one of the more common uses for small sunrooms. The sunroom pictured makes the perfect nook for having a cup of tea with a friend, or just admiring the view by yourself. Using a small sunroom as a sitting room is an excellent idea as it provides private space away from the common areas such as the living room.
Reading nook
When choosing seating for your sunroom, take into consideration how often you will be sitting there, and if you’re planning on entertaining there. If it’s just going to be used for a quick cuppa, you can get away with most seating, but if it will be a beloved reading nook, then you will want it to be very comfy!
Sunrooms that let light in
When choosing seating for your sunroom, take into consideration how often you will be sitting there, and if you’re planning on entertaining there. If it’s just going to be used for a quick cuppa, you can get away with most seating, but if it will be a beloved reading nook, then you will want it to be very comfy!
Sunrooms that let light in
Kids’ room/guest bedroom
A sunroom could work well as either a kids’ room or guest bedroom. A lot of sunrooms are attached to the main bedroom, so the practicality of this situation depends on how often it would be used and how much privacy you require.
A sunroom could work well as either a kids’ room or guest bedroom. A lot of sunrooms are attached to the main bedroom, so the practicality of this situation depends on how often it would be used and how much privacy you require.
Craft room
What could be more fun than a craft room? If you love to paint, draw, knit, make collages, or enjoy any other creative pursuit, a sunroom could make the perfect spot. Organisation is key with craft rooms – you don’t want to waste an hour searching for your sewing needle or craft scissors. Lighting is also important (especially for needlework), which makes the natural light available in sunrooms ideal. Storage is another consideration, so find shelves, boxes or drawers that suit the size and layout of your room.
Get creative with a craft nook
What could be more fun than a craft room? If you love to paint, draw, knit, make collages, or enjoy any other creative pursuit, a sunroom could make the perfect spot. Organisation is key with craft rooms – you don’t want to waste an hour searching for your sewing needle or craft scissors. Lighting is also important (especially for needlework), which makes the natural light available in sunrooms ideal. Storage is another consideration, so find shelves, boxes or drawers that suit the size and layout of your room.
Get creative with a craft nook
Meditation space
If you do meditation regularly, and live with other people, you’ll know that reducing the amount of distractions (in the form of talking humans) is really helpful. If the sunroom is separate to the rest of the house, it can be quite easy to carve it out for the specific purpose of meditation. Give yourself some blankets, cushions or a meditation stool to sit on. You might also want to include other objects like flowers, candles or incense to help set the mood. The best part is that you only need a small area to set up a meditation space.
If you do meditation regularly, and live with other people, you’ll know that reducing the amount of distractions (in the form of talking humans) is really helpful. If the sunroom is separate to the rest of the house, it can be quite easy to carve it out for the specific purpose of meditation. Give yourself some blankets, cushions or a meditation stool to sit on. You might also want to include other objects like flowers, candles or incense to help set the mood. The best part is that you only need a small area to set up a meditation space.
Be Selective When You Decorate
Choose the furniture, furnishings and decorations for your sunroom carefully by selecting only a few objects that will be the focus of the room. The style you choose doesn’t have to match the rest of the house – the separation of a sunroom means you can have more autonomy to decorate it in a different way to the other spaces in your home.
Choose the furniture, furnishings and decorations for your sunroom carefully by selecting only a few objects that will be the focus of the room. The style you choose doesn’t have to match the rest of the house – the separation of a sunroom means you can have more autonomy to decorate it in a different way to the other spaces in your home.
Colours
As with any narrow or small space, the choice of a light or bright colour can enhance how big the room feels. The ceiling can be painted in this way too. There’s also the option of using dark accent colours to create an optical illusion. Choose light or neutral colours for the flooring too, as darker colours will make the room look smaller.
As with any narrow or small space, the choice of a light or bright colour can enhance how big the room feels. The ceiling can be painted in this way too. There’s also the option of using dark accent colours to create an optical illusion. Choose light or neutral colours for the flooring too, as darker colours will make the room look smaller.
Furniture
Select furniture that makes good use of the available space and blends in with the walls and ceiling. In general, having a few larger pieces of furniture is better and creates a less cluttered environment than having many smaller ones. As with all furniture choices, a combination of style and comfort is important. The daybed pictured is space-efficient and luxuriously comfortable.
Select furniture that makes good use of the available space and blends in with the walls and ceiling. In general, having a few larger pieces of furniture is better and creates a less cluttered environment than having many smaller ones. As with all furniture choices, a combination of style and comfort is important. The daybed pictured is space-efficient and luxuriously comfortable.
Mirrors
Well-placed mirrors create the illusion of added space. Bigger mirrors tend to work best for this, especially if you can get one that takes up the majority of a wall. They will also help reflect and disperse natural light.
Well-placed mirrors create the illusion of added space. Bigger mirrors tend to work best for this, especially if you can get one that takes up the majority of a wall. They will also help reflect and disperse natural light.
Greenery
A sunroom can almost act as a greenhouse due to how much sunlight and warmth they generally receive. You can create a herb garden on a wall, like the one pictured, or just add some indoor plants for visual appeal. A sunroom can function as a connection to nature in lieu of an outdoor area.
Make herbs stay fresher for longer
A sunroom can almost act as a greenhouse due to how much sunlight and warmth they generally receive. You can create a herb garden on a wall, like the one pictured, or just add some indoor plants for visual appeal. A sunroom can function as a connection to nature in lieu of an outdoor area.
Make herbs stay fresher for longer
Personal touches
A sunroom is your opportunity to make your mark; create a space purely for activities you enjoy and branch out from the style of the rest of the house. Rugs help add warmth and colour, and can bring in an extra touch of comfort if the flooring is hard, such as tiles, bricks or floorboards.
A sunroom is your opportunity to make your mark; create a space purely for activities you enjoy and branch out from the style of the rest of the house. Rugs help add warmth and colour, and can bring in an extra touch of comfort if the flooring is hard, such as tiles, bricks or floorboards.
Consider the Temperature
Some sunrooms will be of moderate temperature and sunny year round, while others will get very hot in summer. If you’re in a hotter climate, you might want to install air conditioning or a ceiling fan. You’ll also want to look into the insulation existing in the sunroom and whether the windows are double-glazed, as these factors will affect the temperature too.
Some sunrooms will be of moderate temperature and sunny year round, while others will get very hot in summer. If you’re in a hotter climate, you might want to install air conditioning or a ceiling fan. You’ll also want to look into the insulation existing in the sunroom and whether the windows are double-glazed, as these factors will affect the temperature too.
Declutter
Again, less clutter equals more space. Not only will decluttering make the space look bigger, it will also help it appear more open and inviting. Try to avoid using your sunroom as storage space (unless that’s what you’re after). Select only objects that add significantly to the functionality or appeal of the room.
See more minimalist spaces
Again, less clutter equals more space. Not only will decluttering make the space look bigger, it will also help it appear more open and inviting. Try to avoid using your sunroom as storage space (unless that’s what you’re after). Select only objects that add significantly to the functionality or appeal of the room.
See more minimalist spaces
Look at the Privacy
Sunrooms generally have large windows, which can mean less privacy if they’re facing the street or your neighbours. This will influence how you plan on using the room (probably for more of a sitting room or work space than an extra bedroom). If privacy is lacking, you could also consider putting in screens or curtains.
Sunrooms generally have large windows, which can mean less privacy if they’re facing the street or your neighbours. This will influence how you plan on using the room (probably for more of a sitting room or work space than an extra bedroom). If privacy is lacking, you could also consider putting in screens or curtains.
Make Use of Narrow Spaces
How you utilise the sunroom will depend on how narrow it is. Narrow spaces make good locations for work spaces or meditation nooks. The width will also inform the size of furniture you choose (especially desks) and what type of chairs are suitable.
TELL US
Do you have a sunroom? How do you make use of it? Share your tips and ideas in the Comments below.
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How you utilise the sunroom will depend on how narrow it is. Narrow spaces make good locations for work spaces or meditation nooks. The width will also inform the size of furniture you choose (especially desks) and what type of chairs are suitable.
TELL US
Do you have a sunroom? How do you make use of it? Share your tips and ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
Browse more decorating stories
Home office/studio
This one should go without saying, but it’s crucial to how your sunroom will serve your needs. A sunroom used as a home office will be configured differently to one used as an art studio, for example. To avoid unnecessary effort and costs later on, figure out how exactly you will be using the room, and how regularly.
If you’ll be using your home office once a week, it probably won’t need all the bells and whistles it would if you’ll be using it every day. Generally, having the desk facing the window will help with natural light and even increase productivity. If you’re going to use the sunroom as an art studio or space for photography, natural light will be especially important. Place easels/photo backdrops in positions that make use of the natural light without being glary.