There’s a school of thought that says that extending your home to give you and your family more space is more expensive and more hassle than they’re worth. These people have never thought about installing a sunroom, either on top of an existing outdoor deck or just carving out some extra space from your garden. The perfect solution to adding both functionality and value to your home, sunrooms provide numerous sources of enjoyment for the entire family.
Sunrooms are affordable, which make them one of the most cost-effective home improvement projects. By combining openness and visibility, a sunroom has the potential to offer you a family space that is unlike anywhere else in your home.
What is a sunroom?
A sunroom is a glass or screen outdoor living room the can be attached to your home, build on to of a deck or patio or built to be free standing. The walls of glass allow for the sunlight to come in while shielding you from the wind, bugs, rain, UV rays and cold temperatures.
Sunroom additions are a popular home improvement as they are an affordable way to add leisurely living space to your home. The expectation can be of up to 300% return on your initial investment when you come to sell the house, and that’s before you take into account the priceless hours of family and quiet time that you’ll spend in your brand new sunroom.
The benefits and functions of a sunroom.
Sunrooms have numerous functions and benefits that are only limited by the user. What would you do with an extra 70 square metres? To highlight some of our favourite benefits and functions we have created a short list for you below.
1. Sunrooms make the perfect workout space.
Instead of working out in your cold and dark basement, try moving your exercise space to your sunroom. Surrounded by natural light, this beautiful room will give your workout a fresh, new feel. The additional space will allow you to extend your home gym options, as well as upgrading your old models that will now be much more visible to your family and guests.
You will be able to work out with our having to contend with cold temps, harsh elements or bugs, all from the comfort of your own home. No need to worry about whether the gym is open, or if the sidewalk ice has melted enough for a run. Just you and the sunshine.
Concerned about privacy? Don’t be! your sunroom can be made as private or as open as you prefer! In the same way that you use blinds, drapes and curtains around your home to provide privacy, your sunroom windows can be fitted with any combination of shading devices to help keep unwanted eyes out. An added bonus is that thicker drapes or curtains also keep your additional space private.
2. A year-round garden.
We Calgarians know it isn’t possible to maintain a year-round garden because of the harsh weather. However, a sunroom will provide you with the opportunity to do so! The room allows for sunshine and a consistent temperature year round to help your garden thrive! All you need is to purchase some flowers and you’ll have your very own indoor garden space.
With a sunroom, it’s possible to create an indoor year-round garden. In particular, the south facing windowsills will be the perfect place to grow those seedlings for planting outside. It’s possible with a four season sunroom that hooks into your home heating system to generate enough heat to operate a mini greenhouse in your sunroom. Fresh vegetables in February? Sounds delicious!
3. Create a new space to play for the kids and grandkids.
Sunrooms can be designed in a way that will give your children or your grandchildren the perfect place for fun and games. A simple set up of four couches around a big central coffee table will give you the perfect set up for family game night, as well as a quiet hanging out space for those treasured rainy afternoons spent reading and talking with your kids.
4. Create a cozy new TV room.
A typical sunroom will measure 4 metres by 4, and the small space makes it a perfect cozy hideaway for those cold nights. Apply furniture such as a table, a television and a nice comfy couch and you’ll have the perfect space for movie nights with friends or alone watching your favourite programs. A new sunroom is also a great excuse to upgrade your TV set and sound system, which will also get potential buyers thinking about their own dreams when they come to look at your home.
Say goodbye to the winter hum-drums with a sunroom playroom! Increased exposure to light is known to improve health and the moods of kids and adults alike. All that sunlight keeps the sunroom naturally heated too, so you’ll find the new addition to your home becomes the hub of your home.
5. The perfect guest room.
Who wouldn’t want to spend the night under the stars, protected from the weather and the bugs? Great fun for young kids and a special treat for adult guests. The big wide windows will give you and your guests the perfect opportunity for star gazing without the hassle of keeping warm or finding a good place to watch the heavens.
A sunroom can also double up as a combination of any of the above options by thinking creatively about the furniture that you use. For example, installing a Murphy bed against the old external wall allows you to convert between a guest bedroom and a cozy TV room. You can grow plants in just about any sunroom set up, and the increased oxygen levels and scents will make your sunroom feel like a haven from the noise and chaos of the rest of the house.
Our experts know how to create a guest room that makes the most out of the sun without sacrificing privacy. We’d love to help! We’re here to help your new space make sense while saving cents!
The best part of your blog for me is when you talked about how you can use your sunrooms as a play and fun area for your children or grandchildren. My children are often unable to play in our yard due to too much heat. I want them to have space in our house where they can play safely and protected from sun’s UV rays, so I will be sure to consider installing sunrooms.
It did catch my attention when you said that installing sunrooms can provide your children a perfect place for fun and games because sunrooms can be designed for your children’s needs. My kids love playing in our yard. I don’t want their skin to be damaged because of sun’s rays, so I will be sure to consider installing sunrooms that will allow them to play at home safely.
It was nice that you suggested placing your television and comfy couches in your sunroom so you can use it as a space for movie nights. My husband and I are planning to spend more quality time with our kids. We want to make sure that we’ll have space in the house where we can perfectly bond, so we’ll consider adding a sunroom in our house.
Add to that the fact that the average cost of moving currently stands at a record 12,000 and it’s clear why many families are finding it makes sense for their sanity as well as their finances to stay put and improve, rather than move.
I like how you mentioned that a sunroom will be a great place for kids to play! My husband and I recently decided that we want to add more room to our home, but we weren’t sure what we should add. We’ll have to look into getting a sunroom added to our home!
I’ve been wanting to have a room in the house where I can relax and read books whilst the sunlight streams through the glass window. Therefore, I told my husband that I want to have a sunroom in our home. It’s great to know that it’s not just cozy, it is also a perfect place for children to play fun games.
In my opinion, placing a TV in the sunroom is a good idea. A sunroom is a place where all family members enjoy the sunlight and outdoor atmosphere while sitting inside. I love to sit and watch TV in my sunroom. Rattan rocking chairs are another excellent choice for the sunroom to enjoy your reading.
I loved how you mentioned that it can become a hang-out space that’s quiet! My husband was telling me last night about how he wants to add a sunroom to our home, but I wanted to learn more about the benefits first. I really appreciate you helping me learn more about the advantages of having a sunroom!