Our summer getaway - sunroom for a permanent vacation at home

So a couple of years ago we spent a lot of money - at least in view of our usual very frugal spending habits - on a sunroom. We turned out old painted wooden deck into a bright, light-filled sunroom that we use now as a dining room and just to hang out. The deck was painted a nasty, dark red that just looked permanently dirty. In addition, the backyard, because all we had was the old deck, never got used and so the front of the house was the focal point with the backyard getting kind of neglected and forgotten.

Things have certainly changed since then. The sunroom took several week to finish. We hired a contractor to design the plans and made the sunroom look just like we like it and we are very happy with the result.

The sunroom is still not fully furnished. We are currently looking for another sofa and a chair as well as a small side table, but with the dining table and chairs, we have a place to sit and eat and when the windows are open, the room is just like sitting outside. We have a small bar area for our coffee and espresso - essentials in our house- and a bunch of flavor syrups to go with Italian soda and coffee. Once the sofa is there for afternoon naps, I may just stay in the room all weekend long.

So if you are looking for a vacation on a budget, consider investing in a sunroom and use the room all year long (we have an electric fireplace that heats the room up even on the coldest days in North Carolina). Vacations are now stress free because they start every evening when we are home and eat dinner in the sunroom.