Home extensions are an excellent way to update the look and feel of your property. A screened porch or sunroom are two of your best bets if you are considering adding a beautiful recreational space where you can entertain guests or lounge around while enjoying idyllic outdoor views.While they are both equally exciting ideas, there are disadvantages and advantages to building a screened porch or sunroom, depending on various factors, such as where you live and how much you are willing to spend on this home extension project.In this article, we’ll give you an overview of their pros and cons, share gorgeous sunroom ideas, and tips on achieving a four-season sunroom that you can enjoy all year round.Let’s get started!
The Benefits of a Screened Porch
A screened porch takes the typical front porch to the next level with the installation of fibreglass mesh. It’s a practical feature that:
- Keeps bugs, debris, or curious squirrels away
- Encourages natural ventilation and air circulation
- Shields the glare from the sun
- Enhances your home’s curb appeal
- Makes it a safe play area for children and pets
- Serves as a comfortable space to chill in with friends and family on a beautiful weather
If you do not have an existing porch to screen, outdoor decks and patios can also be converted. A screened porch is an appealing option for homeowners with a limited budget, as they are considerably less expensive to build than a sunroom.
What Are The Downsides?
Despite its cozy charm, a screened porch has seasonal limitations. While it’s the perfect place to be in the summertime when it’s warm and pleasant outside or in autumn to watch the change of hues as seasons change with a hot cup of tea, it’s utterly useless once the winter months kick in. A screened porch may not be the logical choice if you live somewhere with freezing temperatures for most of the year.From an aesthetic standpoint, it can be challenging to pull off a screened porch in the front of the house without messing up the facade’s design, especially if you’re not so much into the farmhouse style. The screened porch looks better when applied to the side or rear porch.In addition, the mesh in a screened porch that gets clogged up with dust and grime can be challenging to clean and maintain. If you do not have a power washer and would hate to add scrubbing screens into your list of chores, a screened porch is also not for you.
The Advantages of Having a Sunroom
On the other hand, a sunroom, which is also frequently called a conservatory or solarium, features large windows and sometimes a skylight or a glass roof. It’s a worthwhile investment that lets you make the most out of a versatile home extension 365 days a year.A sunroom has many remarkable advantages, including the following:
- It ushers in an abundance of beneficial natural light
Bask in sunshine while enjoying a refreshing glass of lemonade on sunny days or a piping hot cup of coffee during the cold season.
- It offers clear, bright, and picturesque outdoor views
You can install floor to ceiling glass windows for uninterrupted sights of your garden or nearby landscape or seascape.
- It can be tailored according to your preferences.
A sunroom offers the openness and visibility of your beautiful surroundings with the potential to add a variety of stylish window treatments for extra privacy and protection from sun and rain.
- The beauty of a four season sunroom
It also offers insulation, making it a conducive living space for the whole family even during cold winter months. Aside from insulated glass windows, heating and air conditioning can also be installed, transforming it into a four-season sunroom.
- Boosts overall real estate value
Aside from enhancing your home’s aesthetic and overall curb appeal dramatically, adding a sunroom also increases your property’s resale value. It gives a guaranteed 50 percent return on investment.
Our Favorite Sunroom Ideas
What can you use your sunroom for? You’ll be surprised to know that the possibilities are endless with a four-season sunroom. Here are some useful sunroom ideas that we love.
Plant Conservatory
Because the sunroom gets flooded with lots of sunshine during the daytime, it’s the ideal spot to put your indoor plants and succulents that crave sunlight to thrive. Create your plant sanctuary by filling the sunroom with all sorts of ferns and flowering plants. Enjoy the calming effect and the priceless experience of having an indoor garden.
Home Office
A sunroom can also serve as a functional home office or study area for you and your family. Natural light can encourage creativity and productivity. With vast windows lending pleasing views, you’ll be inspired to work from home every day. Customize your workspace, depending on your sunroom’s floor space.
Additional Living Room
Whether your sunroom can fit a full living room set or a couple of bean bags, there’s no doubt that it’s going to be a favourite hangout area for everyone.
A Second Dining Room
Savour delicious meals while overlooking your garden regardless of the weather. Get a second dining table, which makes an ideal venue for intimate gatherings with friends and family.Smaller sunrooms can make charming breakfast nooks, too.
Indoor Gym
Putting your workout equipment in your sunroom is a great way to motivate yourself to workout first thing in the morning. It can also be a serene but stimulating place to do yoga and other meditative exercises.Clera Windows + Doors carries a wide range of stylish vinyl windows to complement your attractive sunroom ideas. We have insulated glass windows to make four-season sunrooms possible. To learn more about our professional window installation service and to request a free home estimate, contact us today!
