If you love the outdoors and natural light, a sunroom may seem like the perfect bedroom. Luckily for you, converting a sunroom is an affordable option if you would like more bedrooms in your home.
There are some positives and potential downsides to using a sunroom as a bedroom. On the one hand, you’ll have plenty of natural light. On the other hand, it’s challenging to prevent temperature fluctuations. You’ll have lots of interesting opportunities for decorating, but you may also be limited by the windows.
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You can overcome the challenges of sunroom renovation to achieve a bedroom you’ll adore, without breaking the bank on renovations. Here’s what you need to know about how to turn a sunroom into a great bedroom:
1. Provide Additional Temperature Control
Sunrooms have lots of windows and often not a whole lot of insulation, which means temperature tends to fluctuate with the weather. In order for a sunroom to be comfortable as a bedroom, you’ll want to invest in temperature control above and beyond what’s available in the rest of the house.
A wall air conditioner that can both heat and cool the space is the perfect solution. You won’t have to spend much for a high-quality wall unit, either. By choosing a refurbished wall ac unit, you can get great temperature control and energy efficiency for only a few hundred dollars.
2. Insulate Where Possible
There are limits on how much insulation you can put into a sunroom since so much of the wall space is composed of windows. Upgrading windows to double-pane is a great way to increase insulation, but it can be pricey. You can also create an interior wall around the windows and insulate it without spending very much. If there is space under the windows, you can make a window seat when adding the interior wall for added charm.
3. Use Blackout Shades
Even if you love the sunlight streaming into your bedroom at any time of day, the truth is that all of that sunlight is going to have a very negative effect on cooling costs during the summer. On very hot days, you may find it almost impossible to keep a converted sunroom bedroom cool if the shades are all open.
It’s a good idea to get quality blackout shades that completely block out the light. Even if you only use them when you’re not in the room, it can make a huge difference in energy savings and keep the room much cooler.
4. Run Electricity
Some sunrooms already have electricity. If yours doesn’t, running it is an essential component of turning your sunroom into a bedroom. Make sure to provide outlets in convenient places relative to where you want to put the bed and any other furniture.
If you tend to have a knack for electric work, you can probably add electricity relatively easily, especially if you’re also adding interior walls for insulation. However, you can also hire an electrician for this job.
5. Soften the Space With Fabric
Use carpet, rugs, upholstery, and curtains to soften your sunroom bedroom. Sunrooms usually have hard floors, often tile or concrete. It’s not a bad idea to convert them to match the rest of the house. Carpeting sunroom floors is a sure way to make the space feel more like an interior room.
If you choose to keep hard floors, try covering them with throw rugs or an area rug. Add a chair or couch with plenty of throw pillows and use curtains around the windows in addition to blackout shades.
6. Use Plants Tastefully
If you’ve chosen to turn a sunroom into a bedroom, there’s a good chance you enjoy houseplants. Having a few plants in your sunroom-turned-bedroom can be lovely, but too many plants can make the room feel less like a bedroom.
It’s a great idea to arrange plants in a way that feels like decor. Try placing the pots in baskets for a soft, unified look. Matching glazed ceramic pots are also a good idea. Consider placing the pots on stands rather than right on the floor.
7. Provide Air Movement
No matter how well you insulate your new bedroom, it may have a tendency to develop hot and cold pockets because of the windows. Air movement is a great way to make sure that the temperature evens out.
As an added benefit, moving air gently sways curtains to create a luxurious effect and the sense that a breeze is blowing through. Overhead fans are a great option, as they can make the space feel more like a bedroom.
Enjoy Your Sunroom Bedroom
A sunroom bedroom can be a wonderful addition to your home. If you enjoy plenty of natural light, like houseplants, and want beautiful relaxing views of the garden from your bedroom, converting the sunroom into a bedroom is a natural option.
Keep in mind that temperature control is often the most challenging aspect of this conversion, so invest in a good AC unit, insulate where you can, and make sure to use blackout shades.
