How to Light Your Sun Room
Sun Room Series Part 4
The Sun Room Series is a five-part blog series that will cover everything you need to know about planning, building, and finishing your new sun room.
You know where you’re building your sun room, how you’ll be heating and cooling it, and what type of flooring and wall coverings the room will have. Now it’s time to consider lighting. There will be sun to illuminate your space, of course, but artificial lights will be necessary as well.
Naturally, building a structure with a roof affects the natural sunlight that enters the room. But a sun room, by name, is meant to be well-lit. Even though roof construction will block some of the beauty and warmth of natural light, strategically spaced skylights can help replenish that natural light so you can still be close to the outdoors without being in the elements. And you won’t need to worry about window treatments on the ceiling!
Since a sun room typically has more windows than finished wall space, the location and size of the windows will help maintain that lovely natural light as well. This is great for daytime, but if you want to enjoy your sun room in the evenings or the dark of night, you’ll need to consider artificial lighting. Start with a ceiling fan that is equipped with a light. This will cast a nice bit of illumination on the entire room without being too obtrusive.
Recessed lights are also a wise option for sun rooms, especially if they are on a dimmer which allows you to create a more charged or more subdued ambiance, depending on your mood. If you go this route, just be sure to install the recessed lights beneath the ceiling fan so there is no chance of creating a strobe effect.
Well-placed wall sconces can create warmth throughout your room, and this type of lighting gives you an opportunity to indulge your decorating aesthetic as there are many different sconce designs available. And, of course, we always recommend a lamp or two at shoulder height near the sitting area so you can enjoy a good book in the evening or relax with more intimate lighting.
Coming up in the final installment of the Sun Room Series: When it comes to furniture, think future.