Our sunroom is officially one year old!
It was finished last December, and we had to scramble to furnish and decorate before our family arrived for the holidays. We didn’t have much more than a card table, folding chairs, and some beat-up wicker dragged out of storage, but it didn’t matter. We were just so thrilled to celebrate our first Christmas in the new room!
We have some real furniture in the room now (hooray!), and I had more time to play around with decorating it.
It’s amazing what a difference it made just adding some red to the apple green that was already out there. Now all that’s missing is a little snow outside the windows.
One of the best decisions we made was to have it insulated and heated because now we can enjoy it even on cold, windy days like this.
The project started as a simple screened-in porch that kind of got out of hand, as I explained in “Mr. & Mrs. Blandings Build a Sunroom.”
Once we got the initial plans, we couldn’t stop adding to them. Funny how that happens…
We adopted our sweet pup Maizie right after Christmas last year, and this has been one of her favorite rooms from the beginning.
She loves to find a sunny spot to nap in, so she usually ends up in my sunroom photos.
It’s a lot sunnier in here now that most of the leaves have fallen.
I really need to get some kind of window treatments, but they’ll have to wait until next year.
One of the luxuries of working from home is being able to eat lunch out here every day.
My favorite treat in winter is my daily cup of hot chocolate–with whipped cream and chocolate chips on top.
Maizie and I thank you for stopping by our sunroom and taking a look around!
Michelle Thomas says
Love love love!!!!!!!!! Beautiful!! Your so lucky!! Its gorgeous!!!!!!
Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says
Julia, your sunroom has turned out to be just a glorious space! I would be living out there all the time. All those windows and all that space. What a perfect set up for home office. Sunrooms and porches are my fave living spaces. I love how you’ve decorated it for Christmas too. Enjoy and have a sweet Christmas, my friend!
hookedonhouses says
I do work out here on my laptop a lot. The only problem is that I tend to get so relaxed, I fall asleep, so I’m not as productive as I could be. Ha.
Emily@remodelingthislife says
It’s beautiful and cozy, Julia! I’d love to sit out there and have a cup of hot chocolate with some whipped cream and chocolate chips with you!! Merry Christmas!!
hookedonhouses says
Come on over and I’ll make you some! Plenty of hot choc to go around. 🙂
Kathy Strader says
The room is so beautiful and inviting. Thanks for sharing! Oh, and the dog is too cute.
Jamie@WrightHouseAffairs says
Very inviting! Love the Dash & Albert rug- in the process of trying to pick one out for our sunroom. Thanks for introducing me to that company!
hookedonhouses says
Love my Dash & Albert rug! 🙂
MissCaron says
GORGEOUS… Merry Christmas!
Cathy says
Lovely! And I think I’ll eat the apple being served in the sunroom over the pine cone you are offering in the dining room, LOL!
BTW, I am not convinced you need window treatments. If you do them, I would put something ABOVE the windows (fake roman shades?) so that it doesn’t cover them at all or eliminate any of the glorious light! I showed a decorator windows that I thought I needed treatments for, and she said “Why?”
hookedonhouses says
Yeah, the apple looks a little more appetizing than the pine cone, doesn’t it? Ha.
We’ll definitely be doing something like the roman shades you mentioned. I don’t want to block any of the windows more than absolutely necessary! It would be nice to have something not only for when the sun is glaring at certain times of the day but also at night.
Joan says
It looks great!! No snow needed…
A.Men says
Love the sunshine streaming into your sun room! Is the floor heated?
Merry Christmas.
hookedonhouses says
Sadly, no. It was going to cost thousands of dollars and we couldn’t afford it. I wear my slippers out there on cold days! 🙂
Marci Johnson says
I think that it is beautiful and I would love to snuggle up on that sofa with a book and a cup of tea!!!! Great job!!
Luciane at Homebunch.com says
My very FAVORITE sunroom ever!!!!
Gorgeous, Julia!!! Simply, gorgeous!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
melissa says
Beautiful! I love the sunshine but I wish we had snow too. In fact, I heard less than 11% chance of snow in Cincinnati for Christmas. The rain is just not a good substitute for the frozen stuff.;) Have a Merry Christmas!
All in the Detail says
Julia – Absolutely stunning.
What a lovely spot to ‘sun yourself’ and enjoy the view!
Enjoy,enjoy,enjoy! Thank you for sharing
Happy Holidays –
Carolyn W says
The sunroom is gorgeous–but I truly ADORE your red and white pitcher on the table! Please tell me you bought that somewhere where I can find one, too? 🙂
Merry Christmas!
hookedonhouses says
Oh, gosh, I’m trying to remember. I’ve had that pitcher for years, but I think it originally came from Target. I shop there a lot, so it’s a safe bet! Ha.
Kelly in Memphis says
How pretty! I’ve always wanted a sunroom!
Des says
Your sunroom is gorgeous! I can see why you and your family spend so much time in the room with all those fabulous windows….I can just imagine how cheery it is with all that sunshine streaming thru :o) Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!!!
~Des
Tammy says
Thank you so much for decorating with RED! I’m getting a little tired of all of the uber classy white and silver only decorations. Time to get back to the roots and a now almost vintage look with lots of bold red for Christmas 🙂
Raych says
I’d be snuggling out there with a book and a cup of coffee all day long!
Kristin@Kristin Drohan Interior Design says
Love it! I love the stripe pillows!!!
Anne says
I love how versatile you’ve made your decor! It looks absolutely fabulous and you’ve made it so easy to switch accessories out for each season or holiday.
Vicki says
I LOVE YOUR ROOM! So bright, cheery and comfy. I love the mix of bright colors with black. My fav!!! I think I’d live out there! Enjoy and let the sun shine in!
Jo Batzer says
Love it-and I wouldn’t put any window treatments up-it’s perfect with mother nature showing through!
hookedonhouses says
It would be nice to cover them up when we’re out there at night, though. Lots of black glass reflecting back at us. I just have to decide what will work best without covering too much of the windows…
Sheila says
Lovely! And I’m glad to see that the Ektorp sofa is standing up well to daily use. Do you still love it? I also love the tabletop tree in the galvanized container. Great taste for a great room. Let it snow!
hookedonhouses says
I do still love that sofa. It’s really comfy. I can barely sit on it for 5 minutes without falling asleep. Ha.
Valorie Hart The Visual Vamp says
I love all that you’ve done with this room! Especially Maizie.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
xo xo
The Tiny Homestead says
tell me about this roku thing, it’s a monthly fee or you just purchase the box?
hookedonhouses says
You buy the box. There are several to choose from–I think the cheapest is about $69? I bought mine at Target. You do have to pay a monthly fee for Netflix if you want to use it, but I already was paying for it anyway and can now stream movies through it more easily. Pandora (the music station) is free.
The Tiny Homestead says
thanks for the info! I really like that idea
The Tiny Homestead says
oh, and I also wanted to say that your room looks great and I’m with Maizie, it seems like the perfect place to nap.
Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet says
So sunny and cozy!
Brooke says
beautiful! love how bright it is! nice to be able to have no window treatments which is what I really want but I have too many neighbors!!! wish I had at least one part of the house with some privacy! 🙂 this is just beautiful!!
Kim says
What a gorgeous sunroom! I love the Christmas decorations you have around the room especially the ones on the table. They are simple, but nice that they don’t take away from the view and coziness of the room.
Love Where You Live says
Lovely. Lovely. I like all the cheery colors you’ve added. I could live in this space!!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday. Cheers! -s
Rick says
I love all the red with the lime green. I now what you mean by too sunny. My small (11×11) sunroom has wooden blinds finished to match tall wainscote and window casing. They are only on south side and almost disappear when up. Some of the blinds now have no cords.
I see Maizie is like my 4 Shih Tzu’s by finding a sunny spot to get a nap. I think they are half cat anyway. My wife’s parents are getting a 8 week old Shih Tzu puppy right after the new year. Her name is Lilly and we can’t wait, esspecially my MIL.
rick
hookedonhouses says
We call Maizie our “cog” because she really is half cat. She doesn’t even bark. How fun that they’re getting a Shih Tzu puppy named Lilly! 🙂
Sarah says
I LOVE your couch! I have been looking at the Ektorp in white for a while now.
I have to say, your couch looks better than ANY OTHERS I have seen in blog land.
What are you doing to take care of it? How is it still so plush? Is that a slip cover?
Please share!
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, Sarah! It’s just the white slipcover that I got from Ikea for it. It attracts lots of hair and lint, so the most important thing I’ve found is to have is a good lint brush. I go over it once a week with one of those sticky rollers. That’s about it, though! 🙂
Jessica at Lavender and Lilies says
I love it. I want to stop by and watch the snow fall!
Morgan says
Absolutely love it and is that vintage toile china I see? Very pretty!! I really love the fact that the room is so comfy! You’ve got me brainstorming about a future sunroom..
Karen says
What a pretty room, it feels like you’re in a tree house with all the pretty trees just outside. I can see how lovely it looks when it snows a bit. Very nice.
Karen
Erin says
Lovely! I’m in sunny AZ and living vicariously through your pictures. I’ll pray you get a dusting of snow if you promise to post the cozy pictures and drink a hot cocoa for me when you’re wrapped up all cozy on the couch watching Netflix! Merry Christmas!
hookedonhouses says
It’s a deal, Erin! Ha.
classic • casual • home says
Gorgeous sun room. We are hoping for snow too in the mountains!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Mary Ann
kasey says
I love your sunroom; I would so live in that room if I owned it. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the evolution & still think that yellow table is so perfect against the brick. And the decorating for the season has just the right amount of holiday warmth & cheer–I even like the red with the lime which surprised me. I love your table-scape & think I need to look for a red & white pitcher like that when I go to Target next. And Maisie adds just the right touch. 🙂
Love the reindeer mugs–do you recall where you got them?
I have an exceedingly sparse collection of holiday decorations because I’ve moved so much during my life & have no storage. A small collection of hand-painted Santa statues, an awesome Santa teapot & a Christmas Fairy that was my great-grandmothers. I only got the chance to decorate on Monday & discovered I have no lights for the window. 😮 But today I got a pretty snowmen set with 2 plates & a bowl, then 2 plates in another style at the salvation army for only $1.50! (alas, all the others were chipped).
Question 2 — about the little Christmas trees in the galvanized tubs. Are those real or fake? Did they come with the balls on them? They’re so adorable, and just the size I would like for my little living room.
Thanks so much for sharing all the changes with us.
hookedonhouses says
Hi, Kasey! To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I’d like the red with the lime and the yellow. I didn’t have the time or money to change out all of the greens and yellows that were already in there, so I had to work with them!
The reindeer mugs were a gift from my sister-in-law years ago and they’re perfect for hot chocolate. They get a lot of use (thanks, Di!).
The little trees in the tubs are fake-a-roos. I can’t remember where I got them now. I added the little ornaments to them to bring a little more color into the room. I had them on my mantel in the family room last year but wanted to change things up a little. Glad you like ’em! 🙂
Dee's small home says
I can’t get over all the beautiful trees you have! Geez, they are gorgeous.
We are in Texas and that is the one thing that isn’t bigger in TX.. LOL trees!
dee
Dusty Coyote says
I love that room and the colors! Oh wow, all the windows are gorgeous (love them bare!) and the view!!!
Wendy says
That’s absolutely gorgeous. I’d love to spend time there.
Think about old fashioned roll-up blinds for those windows, if you must do something. They can come in colors and patterns and pretty trims now, and they practically disappear (or add just a line of color if you use a color) when rolled up. I put them in my daughter’s room and they are lovely. They can even come in sheer patterns, if you want to let some light in (though it sounds like at night you’d prefer not to let light out!).
E. George says
Did you say Hot Chocolate count me in…YUM Greetings from Sydney (No Sun No Snow lots of clouds) Julia I have loved your sun room from the word go and it’s looking absolutely wonderful. This year I have gone for reds and greens and it looks so cheerful. Before I get caught up with everything else I would like to take this opportunity to Wish you and your family A Wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year… I would also like to thank you for keeping all of us entertained and inspired. Regards and Best Wishes Esther…
Carla says
You sunroom looks so cute and cozy! Our little Shih Tzu Rocco LOVES laying out in the sunshine too! They are just the cutest little breed ever!!!!!!!!!! Maizie certainly looks like she settled in nicely over the year! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
Midwest Magnolia - Melissa Lewis says
Julia, are you just in your sunroom all the time? I would never leave from there!!! Looks so cute and Christmas-y!
hookedonhouses says
Pretty much! It’s become my favorite room in the house. 🙂
janet says
Wow — it is gorgeous! We have an old screened-in porch. Will be showing yours to the Hubs so he can see how beautiful it is and how much we really need to get new windows and make ours into a 3-season room!
Merry Christmas!
laney says
…i don’t think this beautiful room needs a single thing…except for the sweet family that will spend time there on Christmas day…and all the days to come…blessings julia…your home is still one of my favorite places to be…hugs…laney
Jodi from New Jersey says
Love your sunroom and your puppy girl!. Nothing like a shih tzu face , I think they’re all cousins ! My Ginger (shih tzu) was just 7 , but she’ll always be my puppy. Thanks for the post.. enjoy & think snow!
Heidi says
Your sunroom is so cozy and inviting!! my favorite design style. i especially love the ottomans. where did you find them?
and i love Maizie too!!
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, Heidi! The ottomans came from Target over the summer. They had lots of colors to choose from and they were only about $25/ea. Seemed like a great deal to me! 🙂
Lori Whitehall says
Julia:
I wrote you once before, since I love your living room–so warm and inviting! And your sunroom is lovey too. Even though you say not to ask how to decorate, you are great at it, as your home shows.
And can I ask the brand and color of the walls and trim in your living room? I’m trying to find something warm, but so far what I pick out is always to cool–too pinkish.
Thanks!
Lori Whitehall
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, Lori! The color in the living room is “Pecan” by Eddie Bauer. I got it at Lowe’s. Not sure about the trim–can’t remember! If I can find a can of it left in the basement, I’ll update this. 🙂
Michelle says
Hi Julia,
I just had to comment on your oh-so-beautiful sunroom…it’s so cozy and welcoming, just like a well-loved home is supposed to be! I just found your blog a couple of months ago, and enjoy your work very much. Kiss that puppy for me!
Merry Christmas, and a wonderful, happy New Year to you!
Michelle
Pleasanton, CA
susan says
Beautiful room! Love the red so much I would leave it out well after Christmas. Such a happy but warm room.
Janice Mahon says
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family, especially little Maizie the Sun Goddess. What a lucky little addition to your family.
Adrian H says
I think you have a very elegant and well presented room – I personally would have been tempted to add a couple of roof windows but that is just me and my taste !
Colleen Brady says
Julia, what a lovely sunroom. I have so enjoyed reading how you have decorated your sunroom. I love the sofa and the Dash and Albert rug. I have my eye on one such rug for my entrance way.
I think you are so lucky experiencing snow! Living in Western Australia we get PLENTY of sunshine and heat, but sadly no snow. One year, I would love to take my family somewhere in the northern hemisphere and enjoy a ‘white Christmas’. Thank you for letting us peek into your beautiful home.
Cheers,
Colleen
michael says
did you have some snowing? in my country it was green like it had been Easter ;/ what a shame it wasn’t white xmas ;/
hookedonhouses says
We still haven’t had any snow here, and Christmas has come and gone, This time last year we’d already dug ourselves out of several big snow storms!
Londen says
Oh how I love this room! The windows are gorgeous and the colors in the room are perfect together…do you think you will miss the red if you change it after the holidays? I had to go back and read the Maizie posts again…I’m so happy she has a good family now, she is adorable!
Donna says
Love, love, love the colors!
Claudine Barnett says
This looks terrific! And how smart to insulate it so you can enjoy this spot year round!
Good joB!
Nicole says
This is beautiful! I love sunrooms!
Lisa McElliott says
wow! It looks absolutely awesome! Who would nt love to spend all their time all curled up in a sunny spot and snooze the day away.. Your new puppy is darling, too. I have that same dash and albert rug out at the beach house..great minds!
hope all is well!!!
Lisa
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, Lisa! 🙂
Faye Nobles says
My husband and I are planning our sunroom addition and I am so glad that I found your website! Our plan started out as screening in our back deck also and has mushroomed into a full addition with a basement below. It has been so helpful and an inspiration to me. I love the colors and the bright white walls and appreciate your gradual decorating. Thanks so much for keeping track and sharing along the way. Now is there anything you would change or do differently if you were just beginning your project?
Thanks so much!
Faye
Petra says
Hi. I stumbled across your blog today as I was looking for ideas of colours to paint houses. I am from the southern hemisphere, hence the spelling of “colour”!!! I wanted to say how much I really like your sunroom! It looked really cute when you first decorated it, and it looks amazing with your updated photos, a year on. I love apple green and yellow and white together – just beautiful – and you use red really well – as a Christmas room, it looks soooo inviting! I love the snow! We have summer at Christmas, so a different “feel”. You were talking about window treatments but I just love it without – you can see the beautiful woodland behind you, it would be a shame to detract from that. Anyway, just felt I needed to comment. I must start up my own blog as we are doing up a 100 year old house! You have inspired me! Thanks!
Cristina says
beautiful!
Gayla Cox says
We are adding a sun room this month and I found your blog a few months back and fell in love with your couch from IKEA..I was wondering how it was holding up and does it clean easy, as I have 2 spoiled Yorkies and plan on using the room year round. The closest IKEA is about 6 hrs away.
hookedonhouses says
I still love my Ektorp, but the white slipcovers aren’t low maintenance, I’ll tell you that. I go over them with a sticky roller to get all the lint and dog hair off once a week or so, and I use Tide-to-Go pens to get up chocolate and other stains to put off washing the slipcovers as long as possible.
I have heard from some readers that they got the sofa and the cushions are hard and uncomfortable. Mine aren’t, but I thought I should mention that there seems to be some variation in them.
Summer says
I think these photos just changed my life- I love this room! The windows, the sunshine, the comfort of Christmas- Is it December yet?? I love it all! Thank you for sharing.
Thirkellgirl says
Still happy with your Ektorp chaise? I was trying not to replace my old denim sofa and had the cushions restuffed with new foam, and now it’s so hard I can’t sit on it anymore, so I’m THIS close to getting the loveseat/chaise combo. We bought an Ektorp loveseat a couple months ago to replace a hand-me-down, and I love it, but I don’t sit on it much so not sure how it’s going to wear.
hookedonhouses says
I get asked that a lot! I wrote a “year-after” update about the sunroom this summer that you can see here: https://hookedonhouses.net/2012/07/11/its-summer-in-my-sunroom-come-on-in/
John D'Angelo says
Hi,
I love your sunroom! It came out perfectly and your property around it really complements it. I wish you and your family many happy days in it. By the way, I took the test and I am truly hooked on houses also. My wife and I will be celebrating our 50th anniversary this October and we also love smaller sized homes. Thanks for a great web site!
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, John! Nice to hear from you. Happy 50th! 🙂
Sam says
I love how you change the look of your house for each season, like the colours and feelings in the room! My mum just has our house (which was newly renovated) decorated the same for the whole year(but doesnt keep everythng exactly the same, still swap and changes things and gets new things) but then at Christmas time puts up some Christmas decorations
Love how you do that. Love your house
🙂
hookedonhouses says
Thanks, Sam! I do enjoy changing things up for the seasons. It’ll be time to redo it all for Christmas before I know it! 🙂
Sam says
No problem, I would love to see how you do it for Christmas this year! 🙂
I would also love to spend a family Christmas here, what a great place! You get a nice Christmas feel over there, with the snow. Rather than hot and dry over here in Australia, haha
Linda says
I love your sunroom. Could you tell me it’s dimensions?
hookedonhouses says
Sure, Linda. It’s 17 x 18.
jennifer says
Love your sunroom. We added a similar one with LOTS of light….wondering how the TV works out there. I have heard that with the glare and light a TV is not the place for a sunroom-but I love it out there too!
Any advice on type of TV for this space would be so appreciated.
Thanks,
Jennifer
hookedonhouses says
Hi Jennifer! It’s true that there’s always a little glare on the TV because of all the windows. Really if we’d ever get around to hanging shades that would take care of it, but it’s been 2 years and the windows are still bare…
At least our room is surrounded by trees and lots of shade so there are only certain times of the day and year where it gets too bright to actually see the screen well enough to watch something. I’m not sure if there’s a better type of TV than others for this. I just bought one that was on sale without even thinking about that! Does anyone else know anything about TVs who could give advice? 🙂