There is only one reason for a sunroom - to bring the natural outdoors into your living space as an extension of your home’s safety and comfort. It makes sense to bring together every element within that space in service to your personal use and taste. These elements identified make it so much easier to think through the process. Every interior designer of any and every space would consider these same elements you’d learn about below.
Don’t stress yourself through this journey. It doesn’t have to be work. You’d really be better off just having fun. The following are guiding thoughts on giving your sunroom a natural rustic feel.
The predominant color of any room sets the mood of any space. Your sunroom is no exception, even when you plan on opening everything up to the great outdoors. As your sunroom is still an indoor space, the color you set makes a difference.
Your predominant color need not be just the paint on the wall either. It’s basically the thematic hue of your sunroom, shades of color that may come from what’s inside it, your furniture, your flooring, your ceiling and, of course, the outdoor space.
Would you consider a pastel light or a more earthy feel? Or would you rather have a warm darker shade that may come from your cushy rugs or cushions?
It goes without saying that a sunroom welcomes the sun into your home, a designated space for it. But the amount of preferred light may not be the same for everybody. You’d need to consider how much of the natural light you want in. And that’s going to determine how big your windows are. Having ground to ceiling windows certainly invites the most sunlight.
Lighting in any sunroom is not just from the outside. How would you light up your space when the sun sets? Would you prefer a brightly lit or slightly dim for a warmer atmosphere? You’d also want to consider which part of your sunroom gets more of your lighting during the day and at night.
It’s difficult to imagine a sunroom without the green, potted plants that add color and life into your private space. Adding some shades of indoor plants in different areas of your sunroom not only gives accent and variety into your space, it brings in touches of life that enlivens any gathering and activity.
There is a great variety of plants to choose from that will most certainly match your preference. You might consider plants that are easy to take care of, able to thrive even in low light such as the cast iron plant, the corn plant or the mother-in-law's tongue. Or you may consider plants with foliage such as the aluminum plant, the Chinese evergreen or the colorful Croton “Variegated”..
A large part of your sunroom space is your furnishings. And while you might tend towards a modern steel constructed or glass adorned seating, there’s much to say about having natural materials to emphasize the rustic feel of your relaxing sunroom. Think about having wood constructed furniture.
There are few that can match the warmth and strength of Amish furniture. They are handcrafted and truly rustic, extending its character into any space it sits. The kind of wood used in Amish furniture tends to be a darker hardwood that looks great with whites. These natural materials have become synonymous with family gatherings and longevity.
Here’s an element of any design that’s often left out in planning - texture and patterns. There’s light. There’s color. And there are furnishings. A rustic feel can also come from visual and tactile textures and patterns that are in every area of our space.
It’s the feel of the wooden tables, the basketweave bucket seats and the colored glass ornaments that can add to the rustic feel of your sunroom. Even wool rugs, sheepskin blankets and cowhide add to the outdoor feel of your space. Nature prints and brick walls are natural patterns that also communicate this same message of the outdoors. Just like color, patterns do give yet another hint of the rustic living.
This element of turning any space into an alternate environment is not so much about design as it is about activity. Any space can be made into whatever people choose to do in it. That’s how we define what a room is. Though a sunroom is named by what it allows to bring in, it may have been first thought of as a place for sunning, tanning or just simply a room to let the sun in.
To make any sunroom rustic, you might want to consider designating the space for rustic activities. Think of indoor yard games like the corn hole, dart, Jenga blocks, indoor giant four-in-a-row and even tic-tac-toe with marked pebbles on a sack-cloth square.
A sunroom is a place of wonder for kids to play, enact make-belief games and do messy creative art with paint, clay or cardboard. Any place becomes rustic when you bring in rustic activities and fixtures such as antler trophies.
Finally, the sunroom is your room. It’s your family room, an alternate to your living room, the playroom and the bedroom. And this room has one element that no other room has - sunlight. So, what do you enjoy that you can bring into your sunroom? And if it hearkens back to your past, to places you’ve gone, to adventures you’ve done, you’re bringing in rustic memories that complement the spirit of that space.
Think of old pictures, memorabilia, old blankets and old bags. Anything that’s sentimental. Just make sure they’re things you don’t mind sitting in the sun.
Obviously, you want to enjoy your sunroom as much as possible. That's why adding comfortable seating is a must. You can add chairs and maybe even a loveseat. Pillows also add a nice cozy feel to the space. It can be nice to lie down in a sunroom, so a hammock may be a good choice! If you want to use the space for meals, be sure to include a rustic dining set.
There are a lot of reasons to give your sunroom a rustic feel. With some planning, you can create a space where everyone in your home feels comfortable.
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