Our Painted White Brick Sunroom: The Reveal

Of course I’m a little biased, but I can’t help but claim that the sunroom off the side of our house is one special space. Since it’s unheated and has no A.C., it’s more of a seasonal type room that we only use during the spring and fall. It’s pretty sweltering in the summer unless you open all the windows and turn the fans on high, and it’s freezing in the winter, but during those more temperate months of the year…well, let’s just say it’s easily our favorite spot in the house.

Since the sunroom can only be enjoyed during those specific months, it’s often a bit of an afterthought. So much so that I tend to forget we even have a sunroom, and when I do remember, it’s like Christmas morning all over again. Lately though, it’s the space I default to—even if it’s over 90 degrees outside. Reason being the brand new white painted brick walls.

Earlier this summer I put out a public plea for support to paint the brick room white. As you can see pictured below, the raw brick enclosed space before was pretty heavy from a visual standpoint, and it felt a little unfinished to me. It just looked very much like a porch, but I had dreams of making it integrate right in with our whole house all-white color scheme. Thanks to near-constant begging, I managed to get John to agree to let me paint it once and for all.

We actually started by getting an estimate from a local contractor to do the job for us, but after reading their $2,450 proposed price tag, I decided it wasn’t worth it and did it myself. It took two coats over two days (with John’s help the second day), and cost about $180. They say paint offers the biggest bang for your buck, and this room proves that statement without question.

The fresh white walls make the room feel three times as big, and that crisp neutral background helps make our collection of new and vintage furniture and accessories really pop. Case in point, the retro record player that we inherited from John’s family last year. We never really had a good spot for it, but the newly made-over sunroom turned out to be the perfect place after all. It’s so relaxing to switch the speakers on and kick back on the sofa to listen to the radio or a good album. The curvy silhouette of the player would have been completely lost against raw brick, so I’m glad we are able to properly show it off against the new white walls.

Resources: Sofa, Similar Rug, Tufted Corduroy Floor Pillows, Mint & White Dotted Pillow, Blanket, Gold & White Throw Pillow, Multi-color Striped Pillow, Mint & White Triangles Pillow, DIY Magazine Rack, Lamp, Hanging Light Over Table, Cellular Shades, Wood & Chrome Pedestal Table, Vintage Hanging Basket Chair

While I’m still making small tweaks here and there to make the room feel even calmer and brighter, it’s undeniably better than where we started. I know many people balk at the idea of painting over brick, but since I consider this house our “forever home,” the decision was the right one for us to enjoy for years to come.

So, what do you think of the makeover? Would you have painted the brick, too? Should we paint the trim as well, or leave it off white? Full disclosure, we didn’t paint the trim this go-around because it was just too overwhelming and I don’t mind the two-tone look, but I’m not ruling out the possibility of going entirely white somewhere down the line. Feel free to leave your suggestions and alternate ideas in the comments below.

*Photos by Carrie Coleman