There’s something glowing in our sunroom lately. And I’m not referring to the fireflies Clara is forever trying to catch and keep (she told me she wants one to live in her room forever). Befriend? Keep? Potato, potahto.
Our sunroom — or veranda if you prefer — finally has proper lighting thanks to new fixtures mounted on the posts in each corner of the room.
Last summer we considered installing light kits on the two ceiling fans, but we never found fan lights we liked. Over time we warmed to the idea of adding sconces around the perimeter instead of overhead fan lights because they’d contribute more to the room’s charm and ambiance. Until now, the room’s usefulness faded with the setting sun. Luckily, our electricians (S.J. Ryan, for any local readers) helped by installing the fixture boxes and wiring we needed. For those curious about costs, they bill hourly; we’ll share specifics about expenses in a follow-up once we have the itemized bill.
To put all four sconces on the same switch, the crew tapped into an existing outlet in the room that’s controlled by a switch inside the house near the sunroom door. From there they ran conduit under the deck to the other three posts. The job was a bit more complicated because the sunroom sits on a slab foundation, so they couldn’t run wiring beneath it. That meant most wiring had to be routed through the posts or under the deck. If we had known we wanted sconces on the posts instead of fan lights back when the room was opened up (after raising the ceiling and before adding the planked ceiling), the process would have been easier. Live and learn.
For now you can see small conduit runs on the outside of each post. Once painted to match the house they should blend in, and Sherry already has plans to add planters in front of them if they’re still noticeable. Big plans, people.
The sconces themselves were a Joss & Main find. They appealed to us for several reasons: they coordinate with our other outdoor lights, they’re the right size for the space, we could get four matching fixtures (not always easy to find on resale sites), and they fit our budget at $51 each with free shipping.
They’re modest in size so we don’t have to worry about bumping into them, and the dark bronze finish adds a nice contrast with the fans.
While the electricians were here we also had them remove an old intercom and properly terminate the wiring. We were relieved there weren’t any major patches required—just a small spot where the wires came out and a couple of subtle screw holes in the mortar. A much better outcome than the giant hole-in-the-wall catastrophe we’d imagined.
The sunroom was only one of several spaces that received electrical upgrades; the office got a ceiling fixture box and a floor outlet under the floating desk, for example. We kept a running to-do list of wiring and lighting tasks and decided to do them all at once for efficiency. There are still fixtures to install and drywall patches to finish, so more updates will follow once those pieces look more finished. Bundling the work together saved us money, and we’ll break down the costs when we receive the itemized bill.
Even though several rooms got attention, the new sunroom lights are the standout. They provide just the right amount of illumination without feeling like floodlights, they make the space cozier, and they extend the hours we can use the room. Some evenings that means pushing bedtime a little later (and maybe enjoying a popsicle). Other nights it simply means not sitting in the dark while Burger takes his last potty break. Either way, we’ll take it.
How are you spending your summer evenings? I’m oddly tempted to rent a projector and watch a movie out here — not that that needs the new lighting, but the idea feels right for this space.
Psst — Teddy’s weekly picture is up, and I’m pretty sure he’s the man.