When I began an exhaustive search for my new house several years ago, I found myself visiting house after beautiful house that just weren’t the right fit. I was driving my realtor a little batty because as much as she tried, she couldn’t figure out what the “it” factor was that I was looking for. Truth is, I wasn’t sure either, but I knew I would know it when I saw it. And I really did. Driving past this newly listed house, I noticed that it had a sunroom at the entrance. No other house on the block had anything like it. I called my realtor and asked her to get us an appointment to see the house right away. I had a feeling this was the one. When we walked in the front door – into the charming and welcoming sunroom – I knew this was my house.
I was so excited to decorate because I had never had a sunroom before, so it would be such a challenge. By definition, a sunroom (or solarium) is a porch or living room that is enclosed in glass, offering ample natural sunlight and safety from inclement weather. They have an indoor-outdoor look and feel and depending on where it’s located in the home can serve many different purposes.
Seating
My sunroom sits right off the living room so it’s kind of a second sitting area. But because its next to the living room – and it’s a small space – I didn’t think a sofa or loveseat was appropriate for seating. I thought it would be the best spot to showcase a pair of vintage chairs and maybe a bench that wouldn’t block the beautiful view from the windows. I started the hunt for a pair of chairs that took me to every flea market, thrift store and estate sale in my area for many months. I finally found the perfect French velvet tufted lounge chairs from a seller on Etsy. They were described as Hollywood Regency style and had the prettiest salmon color that worked well against the sage green floral wallpaper in the room.
The next challenge was finding a bench. I like to mix old and new, so it didn’t have to be vintage. Everything I came across was either too wide, too tall, the wrong color or not the right style. I had almost given up, when one day I was wandering through a local shop while waiting for a table at a restaurant a few doors down. Haven, one of my favorite home décor shops in downtown Plymouth, had a new leather bench in the perfect brown color. I knew it would complement the salmon color chairs. So, I whipped out my handy tape measure (a treasure hunter never leaves home without one) and it was the right size. They also had some really cute French motif pillows, which helped pull together the modern and vintage French items.
Accent Pieces
Now that my seating was in order, I was on a mission to complete this cozy space. I needed a table to sit between the pair of chairs, a rug and lighting to name a few. It was important to select pieces that warmed the space without cluttering the view. The windows were so beautiful and brought in so much light that I couldn’t bear to add any window treatments.
I found this gorgeous vintage sewing table at a local antique mall, and it looks great as an accent table. Not only is it functional with its tiny drawers for storage, but it’s a great conversation piece. The vintage lamp was a great find from Treasure Mart in Ann Arbor (this shop is closed now – I sure miss that place!). It has the perfect blush coloring to work with the vibe in the room.
The newer pieces in the space complement the vintage so well. The pedestal and lady sculpture are both from Ballard Designs, as well as the light fixture. The vintage inspired rug is from Frontgate. Both of these catalog-based companies are go-to’s for me for anything home. The rug pulls in all the colors from the chairs, the bench and the artwork and just brings it all together. The coat rack and umbrella stand (which holds a special collection of umbrellas from Mackinac Island) are both from Pottery Barn.
Art
In my view, no room is complete without art. I can’t get enough of it and as a result have more than I can ever use. I am especially obsessed with vintage oil paintings. I’ve shared my love of portraits here on the blog before, but I also love florals, scenic views and lifestyle paintings. I’m drawn to color and technique and the overall feeling a piece represents. The paintings I selected for the sunroom are all vintage oils that are not in great condition – it’s part of their charm in my eyes. One is a flea market find and the other two were found on Etsy. Their coloring, imperfection and overall vibe complete the look and feel I envisioned for this room.
Hope you’ve enjoyed my sunroom tour. They are wonderful spaces in a home that seem to evoke happiness given the sunshine they bring. Sunrooms offer a lovely environment to share quiet moments with family or close friends or just yourself. Mine is a true highlight of my home. I’ve enjoyed many a cup of morning coffee sitting in this room, and good conversation with friends and a glass of wine too. It’s also a holiday hub – every Halloween I greet Trick-or-Treaters from here, and it’s also where I display my pretty Christmas tree. But the most special time of all that I have in this room is with my sweet dog Coco. She loves to see all the neighborhood activity while sitting on my lap in one of our vintage chairs. It’s the highlight of everyday for both of us.
~ Beckie