Dear Danica, How Would You Design My Sunroom/Office?

What a charming and cheery room! I love the ceiling treatment and the wood floors! It has such a great foundation to work with that it really won’t take much to take the design up a notch.

So your main concerns are functionality, storage, bringing in more color, and window treatments. Let’s address those:

FUNCTIONALITY & STORAGE:

I know all too well the struggle of finding a spot for your office supplies and paperwork in a home office. Office storage solutions are generally clunky and unattractive and are usually better suited for corporate offices. Which is why I like to find storage solutions in unconventional furniture pieces.

You have a big blank wall next your desk. I’d recommend looking for an antique hutch, secretary desk with a hutch, or armoire with drawers and shelves that can hold the bulk of your office supplies. And for your desk, I’d start hunting for an antique desk or library table with a drawer or two…something like this.

Sourcing antiques for these pieces allow you to create both a functional and pretty office. But if antiques are proving to be hard to find, it may be worth investing in new pieces that look antique. Chances are antique lookalike furniture will cost you more than the real deal, which is why I prefer authentic antiques. But it’s nice to have a backup plan if antique options in the right size and finish aren’t available to you.

Antique Alternatives For Storage

COLOR & WINDOW TREATMENTS:

You mentioned you want more lighter colors and I’m fully on board with this idea. Light colors in a sunroom belong together! With such a sun filled room, you can get away with painting the walls a color and it still feeling bright. I’m really into pale baby blues recently and Silver Mist or Blue Heather by Benjamin Moore are the perfect blend between feminine, masculine, and timeless. Try one of those on the walls, ceiling, and trim and see how it feels.

If painting the walls feels like too much of a commitment, try colorful window treatments instead. Generally, when it comes to sunrooms I like a more naked window so I rarely recommend full curtains. If you have gridded windows, you can get away without any window coverings. Otherwise, light filtering cafe curtains, minimal roman blinds, or chick blinds are perfect delicate window coverings that add texture without working against the purpose of a sunroom.

Window Coverings For Sunrooms

FURNISHINGS

As for the rest of the room, I would add a comfy arm chair and a small drink table in the corner. Perhaps a slightly larger rug would better suit the space. But other than that, it doesn’t need much else! I hope that gets the ideas rolling for you!

The Finishing Touches