SmartHomeOwners

If you enjoy the warmth of the sun but would rather catch your sun rays from indoors, then maybe you should consider adding a sunroom to your home.  A sunroom or parlor room is a small room in a home that is constructed mainly of glass, giving the room ample exposure to sunlight. 

Sunrooms enable homeowners to enjoy the outdoors without being exposed to weather elements.  Imagine a pretty sunny day with near freezing temperatures!  You can enjoy the clear, blue skies without having to be out in the cold.  The same benefits apply to very hot, humid summer days.  Watch birds and squirrels as they play in your yard without getting out in the heat.  A sunroom provides a wonderful hideaway to read a book, exercise on the treadmill, entertain a friend, listen to music, or simply relax in a comfortable patio chair.

Sunroom Basics

The "walls" of a sunroom can be constructed mainly of glass, screen windows or a combination of both.  With a screen window or two, you can open the windows and allow the breeze to flow through the screens into your sunroom.  Some prefer an all-screen sunroom, which is always exposed to the outside air.  This can put you at a disadvantage on really hot or cold days.  With an enclosed sunroom, you can use your home's heating and cooling system to achieve the level of comfort desired while also enjoying the beauty of nature.

Sunrooms generally have a wood or concrete frame and contain insulated glass.  Some have tinted glass to minimize the sun's glare and amount of heat that enters the room.  Solarium sunrooms have glass all around and even a glass roof.  These offer complete exposure to the sunlight.  Create a sunroom that will complement your home inside and out as well as fulfill the purpose you have in mind.  The design can be traditional or non-traditional, depending on your taste and budget.

Sunroom Floors

Flooring for sunrooms should be chosen carefully because it will have to withstand daily exposure to direct sunlight.  Select floor materials that will not fade, buckle or crack due to sunlight exposure.  Brick and stone are safe materials, but there are also some types wood flooring that can endure the test of time.

Once your sunroom project is complete, you can add patio furniture, indoor plants, sun catchers, fountains or statues to decorate.  Popular choices for sunroom furniture include cloth-covered seating, cast iron, wicker, wood and vinyl.  Choose furniture for comfort because you will likely want to spend a lot of time in your new "getaway" space.  Add a rocker or small swing for ultimate relaxation.

A sunroom can make a fabulous addition to your home in terms of value and family enjoyment.