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WO R S H I P SUNROOMS ARE A SOPHISTICATED WAY TO WELCOME THE LIGHT INTO YOUR HOME YEAR ROUND AND CAN EVEN BOOST YOUR HOME’S VALUE. By Adrienne Dyer
If you dream
of adding a sunroom or solarium to your home, I’ve got some good news: glass enclosures are always a good idea, and almost always possible, so long as they are built correctly. Here’s how to properly create a stunning, four-seasons room, from design to finish. HOW TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT Before we get into the details, it helps to get the terminology straight. Though 46
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sunrooms, solariums, patio enclosures, gazebos and conservatories all share the same construction considerations — energy efficiency, leak protection, drainage, architectural appeal, insulation, maintenance and a proper foundation — it helps to know the differences. Sunrooms and solariums are basically the same thing: four-season rooms enclosed by glass. Some builders distinguish the two by the amount of glass: solariums being comprised almost entirely of glass including the roof, and sunrooms shaded by a regular roof, perhaps with a skylight or two.
Conservatories are basically fancy greenhouses, with a nod to historic European homes where fashionable folks once added “orangeries” to cultivate citrus plants and other exotic flora. Conservatories often feature details like roof finials and pitched roofs. They vary from small and simple, to huge and ornate as you please. Patio or balcony enclosures may be either completely protected by glass, or feature open sides to block the wind, with a pergola for sun and rain protection. A little farther south, folks call these Florida rooms. In Hawaii, they’re lanais.