Skip to Content

36 Sunroom Ideas That Are Perfect For Lazy Sundays

Redo yours like this, and you'll never want to leave the house again.

By Hadley Mendelsohn and Medgina Saint-Elien
indoor flowering plants
Peter Frank Edwards for Chadduck Hillegas

No matter what season it is, a sunroom is a must-have for daydreamers who love to take in the world from the comfort of home. You can soak in the sun and get your fill of vitamin D without breaking a sweat—or even moving a muscle. Who can resist a cat nap in a room that celebrates slow and easy living? Your need for a space free of distractions and flooded with natural light is the perfect excuse to call your contractor. We even made it extra easy for you by finding the best designer sunroom ideas to help you tell them exactly what you want.

You probably don't need any more convincing, but a modern sunroom is actually very practical. On scorching-hot summer days, you can feel like you're outside without risking sunburn or mosquito bites. In the colder months, the winter sun will fill it with light, making it a cozy backdrop for you and your favorite book. (Just add soft throws to stay warm.) Trust us, you'll use your sunroom year-round if you have a comfortable sofa or daybed for napping, a coffee table for drinks and snacks, window shades to let you temper the light, and a ceiling fan to create a breeze. It's worth the cost if you're considering an addition because it will give your family more room to spread out. And you can redecorate it on a budget simply by adding new plants and pillows.

To inspire you to make your sunroom dream a reality, we've spotlighted breathtaking reading nooks surrounded by windows, party-ready screened-in porches, spacious indoor gardens, and everything in between! These simple and stylish sunroom ideas will make you want to turn into a cat who has nothing to do all day but nap. Whenever you're in dire need of tranquility, you can retreat to this room drenched in light. A lifetime of wonderful sunbathing sessions awaits you.

1

Go Blue

blue sun room
Douglas Friedman

Dallas-based interior designer Doniphan Moore brought this serene sunroom to life by painting it in pool-blue lacquer. The light streaming in reflects off the ultra-glossy walls for a beautiful effect.

2

Build in Entertainment

sun room media area
Maggie Griffin

Maggie Griffin designed this living room made for a family. The windows frame the beautiful view, so it's easy to pause the television and take in the sunset without any distractions.

3

Encourage People Watching

green room
Benedetto Rebecca

Park yourself in front of your window to get some Vitamin D and see what your neighborhood is up to without stepping outside! Designer Charles Cohen installed this custom sectional to make the room feel larger and maximize seating.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Skip the Drapes

coastal sun room
Erin Sander Design

Close your eyes and imagine: you, a book, and the morning sun streaming in. For days when you just want to kick your feet up and relax, there's no better spot than designer Erin Sander's coastal dream of a sunroom. The lamp will come in handy when it's time to nightcap—you won't even notice how fast the time went by.

5

Choose Cozy Seating

green sitting area
Caroline Turner

In this conservatory-style sunroom, every seat is the best seat in the house. From a feather-soft cloud couch to a velvet armchair, it's designed for losing track of time while relaxing.

6

Dedicate It to Music

sun room ideas
Chris Little

Gilt details, antiques, and painted wood floors make this sunroom designed by Nina Nash Long feel like an old-world parlor. The graphic black and white checkerboard pattern really makes the piano pop, and the pale gray-green walls along with the floral skirted table reflect the greenery beyond.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

Fill It With Trees

sun room with a piano
Bridget Romanek

Modern green patio chairs, a verdant accent wall, and tons of trees make this lush green dining sunroom by Brigette Romanek feel like it's actually alfresco.

8

Accent With Natural Materials

sunroom ideas
Robert McKinley Studio

A modern sunroom by Robert Mickinely Studio incorporates neutral colors, nature-inspired materials, and interesting staples for a richly layered yet easygoing feel.

9

Play With Texture

our most popular home tours this year

In her own home's sunroom, designer Ariel Okin layers wicker and rattan furniture with climbing vines, fluffy ferns, and flowers stacked up a shelf to create the effect of a lush indoor garden,

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10

Equip It for Many Uses

Room, Furniture, Interior design, Dining room, Green, Floor, Property, Home, Building, House,
Redmond Aldrich Design

A sunroom can function for more than just sitting. In this one by Redmond Aldrich Design, the small dining table make it an ideal breakfast nook, entertainment zone (card game, anyone?), or makeshift home office. Paint the ceiling and wall in different colors to make the room feel extra polished and thoughtful.

11

Insert a Skylight

sunroom ideas
David A. Land

A skylight, wall-to-wall windows, and sliding glass doors triple the natural light in this cheerful breakfast room designed by Danielle Fennoy. For a touch of warmth, she added a faux sheepskin throw on the floors.

12

Cozy Up a Corner

sun room ideas
LAURE JOLIET

A sunroom should be a place that actually inspires relaxation. In this small space, ETC.etera filled the corner with a roomy damask sectional ideal for catnaps and family hangs.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13

Embrace the Shape of the Room

sunroom ideas
Gieves Anderson

Lacquer-painted floors and candy-striped walls brighten up this small but tall sunroom by Nicholas Obeid. The elongated white floral motif chandelier has the perfect proportions, both embracing the shape of the room while also bringing down the scale. The fireplace also adds some coziness.

14

Use It as a Home Gym

sunroom ideas
WILLIAM WALDRON/OTTO

A sunroom is the ideal home workout space. In the warmer months, you can let in fresh air while you exercise, and in the cooler ones, when it's too cold for a jog, you can take in the natural view and feel like you're outside. The nautical light and eye-catching red punching bag in the Novogratz family home gym sets it apart.

15

Optimize It for Relaxation

sun room for meditation
Nicole Franzen

There's no better room to meditate in than the sunroom. Nate Berkus optimized this beautiful space with crystals, incense, and a gong above the settee. The soothing colors polish things off.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16

Make It Work For You

sunroom laundry room
Anna Spiro Design

Okay, so a laundry room isn't necessarily the most exciting room in the house but using the sunniest area available will definitely make folding and cleaning a lot more inspiring. That's especially true if you channel this preppy blue example by Anna Spiro Design.

17

Shrink it Down

sunroom ideas
WERNER STRAUBE

If you don't have enough room for potted plants, never mind full-size indoor trees, don't fret! Re-create this wall shelf display in a sunroom designed by Corey Damen Jenkins, which allows for a display of mini plants without eating up floor space.

18

Transform a Freestanding Area

freestanding sunroom
ADRIAN OZIMEK

If you have a freestanding garage or garden shed, put it to use by turning it into a light-filled multipurpose space. In this one by Office Ou, a dining room, home office, greenhouse, and entertaining area all coexist in a freestanding sunroom.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19

Use it as an Office

study nook in sun room
Ingrid Rasmussen

Setting up shop in a room with plenty of natural light is always a good idea. Verdant greens set the scene for this calming home office designed by Ingrid Rasmussen.

20

Choose Understated Colors

White, Room, Property, Building, Interior design, Furniture, Living room, Arch, Home, House,
Tamsin Johnson

The arched windows and skylight frame this sunroom beautifully. To allow the bones of the space to shine, interior designer Tamsin Johnson stuck to an understated color palette and introduced splashes of personality with whimsical accents. The materials and lush plants throughout also emphasize the outdoors.

Watch Next
 
preview for Home Tours

Refresh and Inspire

boho bathroom ideas

12 Boho Bathrooms to Inspire Your Self-Care Space

christina on the coast season 5 kitchen

Inside Christina Hall's $191K Reno Project

wowhouse 2023 martin moore kitchen by henry prideaux interior design photography james mcdonald

A Look Inside the 2023 Wow!house in London

building, facade, outlet store, architecture, font, interior design, window, glass, commercial building, retail,

A Dozen Things Designers ALWAYS Buy At HomeGoods

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Logo
twitter icon
youtube icon
facebook icon
instagram icon
pinterest icon
Hearst Lifestyle and Design Group - A Part of Hearst Digital Media

A Part of Hearst Digital Media

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

©2023 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy NoticeCA Notice at CollectionYour CA Privacy Rights/Shine the LightDAA Industry Opt OutTerms of UseSite Map
Cookies Choices