Sunrooms are among the most joyful spaces of modern homes. Not only are they wonderful rooms for relaxation and restoration, but they also extend the livable square footage of your home. In fact, sunrooms are so sought after that HGTV recently included them on its roundup of the best ways to add value to your home.
While sunrooms have excellent potential to improve your quality of life in your home, their fulfillment of that potential heavily depends on one thing: finding the perfect furniture. After all, the right furniture directly impacts how a space looks and feels.
The takeaway? Whatever your aesthetic and functional goals are for your sunroom, finding the right furniture should be one of your top priorities.
All of which begs the question: What does the “right furniture” mean as it pertains to sunrooms?
Read on for a closer look at 5 key considerations when shopping for new furniture for your 3- or 4-season sanctuary.
1. Durability and weather resistance
While 3-season and 4-season sunrooms do offer more protection from the elements than a porch, patio, or other outdoor space, furniture for these areas still requires additional consideration for one simple reason: sunlight.
Sunrooms are designed to maximize sunlight. (It’s right there in the name, after all.) While sunlight makes spaces feel warmer and more welcoming, constant exposure to it can also take a toll on furniture. Not only can sunlight lead to fading, but it also weakens and breaks down many types of fiber.
This is why it’s important to seek out high-quality, weather-resistant furniture designed to hold up to all of the elements, including the sun’s UV rays. Thanks to minimal cleaning requirements, easy-care patio furniture is also ideal.
The good news? There’s never been a better selection of more stylish outdoor furniture. Which brings us to our next point….
2. Style
Gone are the days of shabby picnic tables and folding chairs. As an extension of your home, your sunroom is another opportunity to express your personal style and taste. Rather than being an afterthought, its design sensibility should be front and center.
The good news? Today’s outdoor furniture has come a long way. Sustainably made furniture, modular furniture, polywood, cane furniture, and innovative materials like synthetic resin, recycled plastic, and high-pressure laminate not only equate to more durable options, but also to more stylish ones.
Choosing sunroom furniture that coordinates with the rest of your home is one strategy for creating a harmonious sense of flow throughout your home. However, you can also take the opposite approach and go in a completely different direction. Because sunrooms are separate spaces, you are free to explore different color palettes, materials, and design styles.
3. Functionality
Before rushing out to buy furniture, spend some time thinking about how you plan to use the space. Then, consider what furniture will best help you bring that vision to life.
For example, if you’re primarily planning to use your sunroom for solitary relaxation with your immediate family, comfortable seating will be at the top of the list. Planning on using it more for entertaining? Then outdoor dining furniture may be a more practical choice.
Many people are also opting to think outside the box with their indoor-outdoor spaces. From home gyms and outdoor space to living walls and granny flats, the sky’s the limit when you factor functionality into the equation.
One additional note? Be sure to consider size when choosing your sunroom furniture. If you’re working with a lot of square footage, larger furniture is appropriate. If space is limited, however, scale down to avoid a crowded, cramped end result. Additionally, storage furniture, stackable furniture, and dual-purpose furniture can also be useful in small sunrooms. For example, a chic ottoman can do double duty as extra seating.
4. Comfort
If the words “sunroom furniture” bring to mind thoughts of stark and uncomfortable furniture, it’s time to think again. Comfort is key when it comes to creating spaces where people will want to congregate.
Some things to look for when shopping for comfortable furniture? Plush cushions featuring multi-layer memory foam are the ultimate in luxury. Seating with backs and deep seating are also having a major moment.
5. Finishing touches
The expression “the devil is in the details,” absolutely holds true when it comes to turning a basic sunroom into a sophisticated space.
While furniture is a foremost consideration, don’t underestimate the importance of accessories. Colorful cushions and throws, outdoor rugs, lots of greenery, and attractive lighting all have transformative potential when integrated into your sunroom decorating scheme.
Meanwhile, incorporating elements of hygge like pillows, chunky knits, and throws ensures that your 3-season room will maintain a quintessentially cozy feel—even when it’s negative degrees outside.