(The science behind #4 is pretty incredible)
Minnesotans know the importance of sunshine. We soak it up at lakes and cabins all summer long, then hunker down for long, cold winters.
But no matter how prepared we are each year, we’re all a little sick of our home’s walls by February. The great news is, a sunroom is a phenomenal way to bring the outdoors into your home and improve your views year-round.
And those are just some of the many reasons our team at Titus loves designing and building sunrooms for our Twin Cities clients.
In today’s post, we’re exploring the major benefits of a sunroom addition, from more square footage to increased natural light, plus some serious perks you might not expect.
First, what is a sunroom?
While a sunroom certainly feels like it’s connected to the great outdoors, structurally speaking, it’s no different from the rest of your home.
A sunroom maximizes natural light with an abundance of windows, yet it’s fully insulated and connected to your home’s HVAC so you can enjoy it year-round. This also means your sunroom can have typical furnishings and building materials since it’s not exposed to the elements.
Now that we know what a sunroom is, let’s explore some key benefits of adding a sunroom to your home.
Sunroom benefit #1: A sunroom delivers added square footage year-round
Unlike screened porches, sunrooms are fully insulated spaces your family can use all year. Because of this, sunrooms are a wonderful way to increase your home’s square footage and provide a flexible space for a home office, distance learning, or a sunshine-soaked spot to curl up with a good book.
Also, many sunrooms have french doors or sliders for optional separation from the rest of the home. This means your sunroom can double as an extra space for houseguests at holidays — or provide a quiet retreat away from the chaos any day of the year.
When the weather is gorgeous, you can enjoy the open-air benefits of a screened porch by opening all those beautiful windows. This allows you to enjoy the fresh air in your sunroom (with zero mosquitos!) and still keep the A/C on in the rest of the house.
Sunroom benefit #2: A sunroom can increase your home’s resale value
One of the best ways to increase your home’s value is to increase its square footage. In fact, some would argue it’s the best way:
“The quickest, time tested, way to increase the value of your home is to add liveable square footage to your home. Doing this automatically increases its value, both in actual price and assessment value “
Finishing a basement or adding a 2nd story are great options to add square footage, but not possible or optimal in every home. The good news?
Minnesota homeowners love sunrooms — and they’re willing to pay for them! A sunroom addition sets your home apart from other properties and gives home buyers more items from their wishlists.
On a recent podcast, a local real estate firm explored the most requested home features on MN home buyers’ wishlists. Some of the top contenders?
- More square footage
- Flex spaces and Zoom rooms
- Designated home offices
- Workout space at home
A sunroom addition can accomplish all of these homebuyer must-haves. It definitely increases square footage, and a sunroom’s connected-yet-separate floor plan makes it the perfect flex space for shifting family needs.
The abundant natural light of a sunroom is perfect for a home office and Zoom space. And, can you imagine your morning yoga or Peloton workout surrounded by views of the summer sunrise or softly falling snow?
Minnesota home buyers are willing to pay for these bonus features, making a sunroom addition a wise investment in your home. Plus, sunroom additions are often less expensive than other additions, giving you a serious bang for your buck.
Sunroom benefit #3: It’s the best way to add natural light to your home
Adding that wall or two of windows to your home is ideal for long MN winters. We all want to maximize every precious moment of winter sunshine, and a sunroom increases your home’s natural light.
The added sunlight makes a sunroom an optimal spot for houseplants — and this has benefits far beyond decoration. In fact, studies continually link indoor plants to increased concentration and productivity, a better mood, and lowered stress levels.
Gardeners can even enjoy starting their veggies from seed in the sunroom sunshine before the outdoor temps allow you to officially break ground in your backyard garden.
Sunroom benefit #4: Bringing the outdoors in is good for your physical and mental health
A sunroom is a great way to connect your home with the natural world outside. Studies show that views of nature decrease the production of stress hormones. You get many of the same health benefits of being outside — even on days when you’re stuck at your desk or the weather keeps you indoors.
Additional health benefits of nature views include:
- Reduction in feelings of anger, fear, or anxiety
- Increased feelings of calm, productivity, and concentration
- Reduced heart rate and blood pressure
- Reduced muscle tension
By increasing your home’s connection to nature with a sunroom, you may actually be improving your family’s health and wellbeing. That’s a win-win in our book.
Sunroom benefit #5: You can have fun with materials and design choices
Because sunrooms are separate from the rest of the home, they can make a unique design statement. This means you can go bold with colors and finishes you might not choose for the rest of your home.
At Titus, we have 2 full-time interior designers on our Twin Cities design-build team. So our clients get expert design eyes on every step of their projects, ensuring a beautiful, functional result without the stress of making every decision on your own.
Sunroom benefit #6: A sunroom boosts your home’s architectural character
A sunroom can break up a long, straight-line exterior, adding character and interest to your property. Plus, a sunroom addition often creates a visual barrier between your yard and the street or neighboring homes, giving your backyard some needed privacy.
A sunroom is a perfect way to connect your indoor and outdoor spaces. Your sunroom’s wall of windows also looks great from the outside, providing a beautiful backdrop for the deck, patio, or backyard pool area.
Lastly, if your sunroom is off the second story or you have a walkout basement, it will be built on stilts. This creates a wonderful covered patio space below, providing shade to keep everyone cool on the hottest summer days. And, you can screen this area to keep pesky mosquitos out.
