Favorite Home Improvement: Make Your Porch into a Sunroom
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My husband and I love to look at the stars every night. Sometimes weather does not cooperate, but even in the winter we would step out on the back deck bundled up in coats, scarves, and gloves – well, I would be bundled up because I am a Chihuahua when it comes to the cold while he is comfortable in a fleece jacket – just to look at a clear night sky filled with the moon and the stars. Of course, there are the days when we want to soak up the sun. In the winter, it is still cold out, or in the summer the bugs love me. It would be so nice to enjoy "outdoors" all year long.
Hey, Let’s Build a Sunroom…
One night back in the fall, we were standing on the back deck. The night was clear, the stars were bright, and it was freezing. I finally had to give up and go inside. As we sat at the kitchen table, my husband said, “Ya know, we should build a sunroom where the roof comes out over the deck.” I told him that was a nice idea. The next morning when I left for school, I didn’t give it another thought. When I got home that evening, I found my husband had taken the slats off half the deck that was under the roof and had framed in a room. My eyes must have been huge when I saw it.
He responded to my goggled-eyed stare with, “What? We talked about it last night.” I just laughed and said, “It was a two sentence conversation, and I didn’t know you were set on starting it today.” He then went on to list the benefits of having a sunroom.
Sunroom = Warmth on Cool Days and Frigid Nights
We are able to enjoy being outside during the winter. My husband put insulation under the deck slats, laid indoor/outdoor flooring, put up insulated half walls, and installed thermal paned windows with screens. The room is approximately a 9’ x 12’ square foot area, so a small 1500 watt heater keeps it just right when it is cold outside. And, of course, we do love to stargaze, so now I can be warm while we are “out” looking at the constellations.
Sunroom for Our Pets
Adding a pet door to the sunroom’s screen door is going to be beneficial to our outside cats and our mini-Dachshunds who think they run the place. Our cats can move from the shop to the sunroom, which makes taking care of them easier. Our Dachshunds can run outside and not be cold while waiting to be let back inside because of the convenience of the pet door. We don’t want our sweet pets to be cold, so a pet door into and out of the sunroom gives them a place.
Sunroom in Summertime = Mosquito Free
Aside from warmth in the winter, we can sit out during summer months and not worry about mosquitoes. They love me! I can go all summer without perfume, hair spray, fragrant lotion, and be doused in bug spray, and the nasty little buggers will find me. My husband never gets a bite, and he would get frustrated when I didn’t want to sit outside with him on summer evenings. Now, we will not have that problem to contend with, and we can open the screened windows and enjoy our time “outside.”
You Won't Get Stir Crazy if You Have a Sunroom
My husband is the type who cannot sit still and cannot stand to be in the house too long. Knowing this, he built up the sunroom walls half way with light pine wood planks. The light, natural color makes the room look bigger and gives it a rustic feel. Though it looks like a room, it gives the illusion of being outside with all the windows. He can escape and feel the open space and squelch his stir crazy cabin fever. I can either feel relieved that I don’t have a trapped bear in the house or go out and join him.
A sunroom is an all-year-round room that makes you feel like you are outside. Drinking coffee while it snows or an iced tea in the late summer evening, makes this a welcome home improvement.
© sholland10 2012. All rights reserved.
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Oh, Girlfriend, I gotta admit; I'd go with the closet, too. LOL I do LOVE the new sunroom. It is almost finished. Just a bit of trimming and the exterior. We are already using it, though, and it is fabulous.
I've always wanted a sunroom. Heck, I've always wanted a giant old fashioned Southern Porch with a rocker or a swing, too. But seriously, this is an excellent hub to really inspire some home improvement projects. Rated up!!
Ah, I was wondering what these constructions were called in the States, or if you even have them. In the UK these are called conservatories. We had ours built over 2 years ago, and as well as being a great place to sit, it is where I work. In the UK you have to get planning permission first, so I was amazed to read your husband started building while you were at work!
Very interesting hub.
Great hub! I can't wait to build my own sunroom.
Hey Steph! I know what kid of porch you are talking about, and they are beautiful!! Putting the sunroom on has really been a joy.
Thanks for dropping by, reading, commenting, and voting!
Hi Melovy, we live outside the city limits, so we do not have to have a permit or get permission. If we had been in town, we would have had to go to planning and zoning to get permission. Nope, I came home to new walls on my back deck. LOL I think I am going to get as much use out of it as you do your conservatory. :-)
Thanks for dropping by, reading, and commenting! :-)
Stacy, I do love it, but my husband is the one who started it, planned it, and picked everything out for it. I'm not complaining because he did all the work, and it does look great (although I would have done a few things differently - lol).
Thanks for dropping by, reading, and commenting! :-)
I've always adored the idea of sunrooms. I have a pantry in my apartment that could kind of be re-done to become one. Maybe I'll do that!
Now I need my own house or do you think the landlord would build a sun-room for me?
We have one of these in our house, and they're great year-round. Voting this Up and Interesting.
Simone, I think you should keep the pantry... We can never have enough room for our things. LOL Just sit next to a window and pretendl. ;-)
Tams, you could always ask. The worst your landlord could say is, "NO!!!" I'm pretty sure if you keep paying rent, you're safe. :-)
Oh, I know, Alocsin! I am really lovin' it!! Thanks for the votes!! :-)
Makes me want to build a sunroom right now; unfortunately I have none of the skills that your husband does. Great blog; I loved the part about the two-sentence conversation. I could totally relate to it.
Hey Bill! I bet if you got a "how to" manual, you would be fine. Wait, better not listen to me; I am not allowed to touch power tools. LOL Yeah, good thing he and I usually agree or that two sentence conversation might have been an issue. I love the sunroom so much that I have no complaints, though. :-)
You describe your sunroom so well that I imagine I've had a peep in it.
Loving the outdoors, we have always had a house with a big veranda.
Look out the next time you hint at a change with your house, your husband will be making changes when you turn your back!
Thanks, LadyLyell! Yep, I have to keep my eye on him, but he is so good at creating nice things around the house. :-)
It sounds beautiful!
Wow. I can't believe that your husband jumped on it so quickly. Is he for hire? ;)
Congratulations on the addition!
Thanks, Veronica! He's one of those people who must have a project going ALL the time. Opposites attract! LOL Nope, I won't allow him to be hired out; someone might try to steal him! He does do excellent work, though. :-)
I loved this Hub! Glad you found a way to get your pups in and out with the doggie door. I have one on my front door, and I really like it. Sounds like your hubby did a great job on this project. I voted this UP,Etc.etc.
How cute are your little t-shirt clad pooches! I love the idea of a Sunroom for the pets, makes for a brilliantly restricted, yet accessible pet place. The addition sounds divine!Great hub.
Cheers~
K9
Hey Susan, I read this hub a little earlier today and didn't post a comment right away. One reason being is that I don't own a house in which I could install one. I don't get to make home improvement choices considering I live in an apartment complex. Oh well. I will tell you one thing, if I did own my own home, then I would certainly have sunroom and other various rooms that would have complete access to sunlight. Great hub! :) Voted up! :)
Hi Mary! We don't do anything around this house without considering the pups! They are our babies. LOL We spent about an hour training them to go through the pet door. They love the sunroom because they can get in out of the cold without waiting on us. Yes, my husband has done a wonderful job. Thanks so much for the comment and votes. :-)
Thanks, K9! We love the room and so do the pups! As I told Mary above, we do not do anything around here without factoring them into the equation. :-) Thanks for the comment! :-)
Thanks, Ray! I am glad you commented. Hopefully, you have a nice window to sit in the sun. I loved doing that before. We are just thrilled with the room. Thanks for the comment and votes!! :-)
When we lived in the midwest this was a goal of mine to eventually add on a sunroom and for the very reasons you mention. I always dreamed of sitting out back in the evenings sipping on iced tea without mosquitos buzzing in my ear. I know my hubby would have loved the quiet retreat as well. Great hub and voted up!
I have always wanted a sunroom... you are one lucky woman to have a husband that will build it for you! ;)
Hi Teaches! You must live in an area where you can't have one now. :( It truly is lovely. I am excited for summer more than usual now. :-)
Thanks for dropping by and voting!
Barbergirl, yes I am very lucky. I do think he was thinking of our Dachshunds more than me, though. LOL
Thanks for dropping by!
A great idea! I always feel happier when there is a lot of light in the house, but a sun-room takes that even further. The night sky and pets were benefits of this I had not considered!
Thanks for SHARING.
Brett, the sunroom is a blessing for all, especially the pets. It is the most used room in the house. :-)
Thanks for SHARING your comment! I appreciate you dropping by! :-)
A sunroom can be such a cozy and wonderful retreat. Very nice hub. Thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks, A.CT! We do love it! I appreciate your comment. Thanks for dropping by. :-)
...I have a sunroom in my cottage at the lake here and it's a blessing in the summer with its big open windows and fresh lake air and it's like bringing the outside in - so I know all about the glory and beauty of a sunroom and this hub is a beauty too because of your glorious writer's intervention - and to that - the Rev. Epi says Amen!!!!!
lake erie time ontario canada 10:13pm
Oh Epi, I can only imagine the beauty you experience with a sunroom on the lake. That sounds heavenly. Do you get to use it in the winter, too. I bet it would be beautiful to watch the snow falling!!
Thanks for dropping by!! Sorry it took me so long to respond!
Awesome
Thanks, Ajay! I appreciate you dropping by!
LOL - a Chihuahua, huh? I think a sun room would be nice, but here I might have to air condition it. We have lots of decks to sit outside and enjoy the great outdoors when it's not too hot. But sometimes the mosquitoes are killers and that is when a sun room would really come in handy. Great hub! SHARING!
HSB, yes, I am a Chihuahua! LOL We are thoroughly enjoying it right now. It has gotten down in the single digits, yet we are comfortable sitting in our sunroom. I can't wait until spring and summer. It is all windows and they will be open, and I won't have to worry about the mosquitoes. YAY!!
Thanks for sharing and for dropping by to read! :-)
Extra warming on cold but sunny days. Easily serves as an early season greenhouse with just a little heat from grow lamps, and gives all of those great benefits you list. Who wouldn't want one, if the cost can be reasonable? Voted Up and building.
Love the idea of a sunroom, your hub, and your puppies!!!
Perspy, we love it so much! My husband has done all the work, and we are very proud of it. Thanks for the vote and good luck with the building! :-)
Hi Audra! We love the sunroom and the easy access for the pups and our two cats. Now we don't have to worry about them being out in bad weather. :-) Thanks for dropping by! :-)
I like the idea of that type of a sun room. Great hub!
Thanks, Pamela! We are enjoying it today. It is a beautiful sunny day, but we have 30 mph winds with a bite to it. :-) Thanks for dropping by! :-)
I did not get that sunroom yet! I am going to start whining about it right away though:) I wish that Dave could build one but he is a computer guy. We have been doing a lot of projects lately so it might be a good time to whine!
Whine with wine... Give him the bottle, talk pretty. When half the bottle is gone, start whining. ;-) You can do it! I know you can!
RealHousewife Level 8 Commenter 4 months ago
Awwwww I want a sun room so so so so bad! lol I am constantly updating things in my 12 year old house:) I have to pick and choose and I do one big one at a time. I am deciding on a hot tub or a sunroom next - ORRRRRRRRRRR hey! how about a sunroom with a hot tub in it:) LOL
I am so envious - I was looking for a home with a sunroom but it was about the only thing I compromised on. Right after I saw the hujungous walk in closet in the master bdrm:) lol It could be a baby's room it's so big:) haha Now what gal could turn that down???
Fun costly hub here for me - I am already making the sunroom plans in my head!