How to Decorate a Sunroom Porch

Wicker furniture is a natural choice for a sunroom.

A sunroom provides a spot in your home for you to enjoy the beauty of nature without its drawbacks like bad weather and insects. How you decorate your sunroom depends on your personal decor preferences as well as the needs of your family. Whether you live in a refurbished turn-of-the-century Victorian, a rural farmhouse, a mid-century modern ranch in the suburbs or a contemporary newly built home, you will find the perfect decorating style for your sunroom.

Things You'll Need

• Flooring (wood, terra cotta tile, stone, brick or vinyl)
• Area rugs (sisal, braided or Oriental)
• Window treatments (Roman shades, tab curtains, grommet top curtains or bamboo)
• Wicker or rattan furniture
• Overstuffed upholstered furniture
• Slipcovers
• Steamer trunk
• Cushions
• Hammock or hanging chair
• Plants
• Garden statuary
• Bird baths
• Baskets
• Pottery bowl
• Lemons or Granny Smith apples

Instructions

1. Determine how your sunroom will be used. Choose a casual, comfortable design if you have an active family. Opt for a more formal theme if the room will only be used by adults.

2. Pick a decorating style. Choose one that blends with the other casual spaces in the house or opt to try a new design.

3. Lay the floors. Go with wood floors in a country, primitive or shabby chic inspired room. Pair terra cotta tiles with Southwestern décor. Choose stone or brick for an old world Tuscan flair. Satisfy a tight budget by choosing a vinyl floor covering.

4. Add warmth underfoot with area rugs. Choose natural fibers like sisal for cottage flair. Opt for braided oval rugs in a country style room. Go for a gently worn vintage Oriental rug for a shabby chic look.

5. Dress the windows. Leave the sunroom windows untreated if privacy is not an issue. Hang Roman shades that can be raised to let in the sun or partially lowered for privacy. This style window treatment works with any décor style depending on your choice of colors and materials. Choose tab curtains on wooden rods for a country inspired room. Opt for full length curtains or install them half way up the window for both privacy and natural light. Hang floor length curtains with grommet tops from a wrought iron pole for a contemporary look or roll up bamboo blinds to evoke a cottage mood.

6. Choose furniture. Go for wicker chairs painted green, white or red, as you might find on a Victorian era porch, and pair them with glass topped wicker tables. Opt for overstuffed couches and club chairs covered with white cotton or blue denim slip covers gathered around a vintage steamer trunk in a casual contemporary room. Give your sunroom a patriotic flair with rattan pieces featuring red, white and blue striped cushions. Kick it up by installing a hammock or hanging chair.

7. Accessorize the room. Bring the outdoors in with a variety of plants. Gather them in groupings on the floor and hang them in front of the windows. Give the room a garden flair with vintage garden statuary and bird baths. Corral clutter in large wicker baskets. Center the table with a brightly colored pottery bowl filled with lemons or Granny Smith apples.

References

• All Sunrooms; Decorating a Sunroom; Adam Peters
• "Good Housekeeping" magazine: Sunroom
• "House Beautiful" magazine; 10 Spaces With Surprising Decor Details; Max Sherry
• "Southern Living" magazine; Style-Smart Sunroom; Sara Anderson; September 2007