With the turn of the new year comes a desire to make resolutions and goals for ourselves; a way to start fresh and fill the world with endless possibilities. In no place is this need for newness more apparent than in our own homes, and our desire for change in our professional and personal lives should be matched with a change in our physical environment so that everything feels fresh.
Your sunroom is the place to start this upgrading process, but working out how to best update your sunroom this winter can feel a little overwhelming, especially if you’re on a budget. Try breaking your sunroom down into these components and tackling each one at a time:
- Floors – replacing your floor with a different type will be expensive and time consuming, but simply sanding and re-staining a hardwood floor will make everything feel fresh again. If you have tiles or stone, consider buying an accent rug to change the texture and colours of the room, as well as giving you some much needed comfort underfoot.
- Lighting – given the smallness of sunrooms, how you light them makes a big difference. If you’ve typically relied on overhead lighting, try adding some downward facing lamps for a more intimate feel, while if you’ve used a fireplace or stove, try adding some uplighting in the form of wall sconces or taller lamps to create fascinating contrasts.
- Window coverings – the view from the windows and the natural light they let in is the big reason why you want to make sure you’re spending more time in your updated sunroom this winter. Changing styles between thick drapes, slatted blinds and regular draw curtains will make your room feel new, and it’s possible, indeed recommended, to change your window coverings with the seasons; thicker drapes in winter to keep the heat in, thinner blinds and curtains in the summer to allow the longer days of sunlight to naturally heat the room.
- Furniture – buying furniture can feel like a big expense, but the comfort of a new couch or the pleasing aesthetics of a beautiful coffee table can change how you feel about spending time in the sunroom. For a cheaper option, you can also reupholster the existing furniture to match your new colour scheme.
Not all of these ways to update your sunroom this winter need to be done all at the same time, and it’s important to note that you will want to plan out how you want your fresh new room to feel before you start tackling any one part of the project; maybe that could be your first new year’s resolution!
