Sunroom Makeover Ideas Rooted in Wicker, Lilacs, and Vintage Layers

Looking for sunroom makeover ideas that feel rooted in vintage charm and soft spring layers? In today’s post, I’m sharing the very first makeover of our sunroom, painted in a soft bunny gray and styled with wicker chairs, blooming lilacs, and one sweet Bernese Mountain Dog puppy named Ella.

From slipcovered seating to built-in bookshelves and secondhand finds, see how I created a warm, welcoming sunroom with vintage touches that still inspire me today.

A Fresh Start: Our First Sunroom Makeover Ideas in Vermont

When we first moved into our Vermont home, the sunroom was one of the spaces I couldn’t wait to refresh. It had great light and cozy potential, but the walls were a tired shade of green, the floors worn, and the overall feel far from the soft, inviting space I had imagined.

Armed with a can of Benjamin Moore’s Bunny Gray paint (a gentle hue with the faintest of blue undertones), we gave the room a new lease on life. A salvaged window painting with shades of purple and lavender set the tone, and from there, the space came together in layers: a soft pink-lavender rug, a white slipcovered loveseat, wicker chairs, and a vintage table with a round marble top painted to match the room.

It was early spring, and the lilacs were blooming, perfect timing for armfuls of bouquets and branches from our apple trees. I tucked them into thrifted pitchers and vases around the room, letting the space breathe in all that fresh spring color.

And just as sweet? Our new Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, Ella, who was only eight weeks old at the time. She instantly claimed the loveseat as her own, making the space feel like home in the best possible way.

Sunroom Makeover Ideas: How I Styled This Vintage Space One Layer at a Time

After painting the walls a soft Bunny Gray, I began styling this sunroom with a mix of vintage pieces, spring florals, and quiet cottage textures. The goal was to create a space that felt fresh but timeworn, rooted in natural light and soft color, with wicker charm and layers of comfort.

Let me walk you through the details that brought it all together.

A White Slipcovered Loveseat for a Fresh Vintage Sunroom

That original loveseat was yellow, and very much a nod to the 90s, which was not the direction I wanted to take this sunroom. I was craving something lighter and more timeless, so I went the simple route and slipped a white Ikea slipcover over the frame. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it did exactly what I needed it to do.

The white instantly brightened the room and felt crisp against the Bunny Gray walls and the mountain views just outside the windows. I loved that it was washable, easygoing, and classic, proof that white doesn’t have to feel precious to work in a real home.

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To keep it playful, I added two round retro white leather pillows. They were such a fun contrast to the soft slipcover, and I still wish I could find those pillows today. They disappeared somewhere along the way, but they remain one of my favorite early styling finds.

Seeing this sunroom come together with white seating was also a reminder that light colors can work beautifully, even with pets. If decorating with white feels intimidating, especially with a dog, I share more thoughts on that in my Sunday Home post, where I talk about living with light furnishings, puppy days included, and why I’ve never regretted it.

Using a Vintage-Inspired Rug to Anchor a Light and Airy Sunroom

To ground this light-filled sunroom, I chose a square rug in soft vintage tones, pinks, blues, and the faintest touch of gold. In a smaller space like this, a square rug works beautifully to center the room, especially when you’re working with white slipcovers and light-colored walls.

I loved how the rug added just enough color to keep the space from feeling too washed out. It gave the room a gentle vintage feel and helped define the sitting area without overwhelming it. If you’re decorating a sunroom or any light and bright space, a rug with depth and pattern can make all the difference. It creates balance, warmth, and a sense of place.

Today, my go-to source for vintage-style rugs is Revival. I especially love their one-of-a-kind vintage selections for layered, timeworn charm. You can even save 15% when you shop through my Revival Rugs storefront. And if you’re wondering how to choose the right rug for your space, check out my guide on how to choose a rug for wood floors for tips on size, color, and placement.

A Painted Vintage Table with a Marble Top Adds Texture and Vermont Charm

This little table is one of those pieces I’ve had for years, picked up at an antique store long before I even knew where it would land. It had great bones but needed a little love, so I gave the wooden base a fresh coat of soft blue paint to tie it in with the rest of the sunroom’s palette.

To finish it off, I added a round marble top I already had on hand. If you’ve never considered shopping for marble tables at antique stores, they’re surprisingly affordable and incredibly charming. The texture, weight, and natural stone variation bring a richness to the room, especially here in Vermont, where marble quarries are part of the local landscape.

Topped with a spring bouquet of freshly cut lilacs from just outside the window, the table became an instant centerpiece. It’s simple, but it brings together so many elements I love: the softness of vintage blue, the weight of natural marble, and the joy of bringing seasonal blooms indoors.

Wicker Chairs for Timeless Sunroom Makeover Ideas with Texture and Charm

No sunroom of mine would feel complete without a pair of classic wicker chairs, and these two have been with me for years. They originally came with a dining set, but I’ve styled them in nearly every room of our home over time. That’s the beauty of wicker: it’s versatile, durable, and always in style.

In a sunroom, especially, wicker just works. It adds texture, warmth, and that soft-spoken vintage feel I love. Rattan or woven materials hold up beautifully in bright, sunny spaces; they won’t fade easily and can handle heat and light with grace.

Wicker is also endlessly flexible. You can paint it to match your color scheme, keep it weathered and natural, or lean into a full shabby chic look with layered cushions and cozy throws. Whether you’re going for casual or elevated, wicker chairs add instant personality to a sunroom, one of those familiar, collected pieces that makes the space feel lived in and loved.

Layering Vintage Details in the Windows with Salvaged Art and Spring Blooms

To draw the eye to the windows and play up the soft spring light, I layered in one of my favorite vintage finds: a salvaged window painting picked up years ago at an antique shop in Tiverton, Rhode Island. The piece features hand-painted lavender and green florals—simple, sweet, and just weathered enough to feel timeworn.

I hung it in the center of the sunroom windows, right above the white slipcovered loveseat, letting it frame the view of the mountains beyond. A few vintage glass bottles filled with fresh spring blooms sat on the windowsill below, echoing the same purple and green tones in the painting and tying into the Bunny Gray paint on the walls.

It’s a good reminder that layering vintage details, especially around natural light, can give a space depth and charm without overcomplicating it. When your color palette speaks softly across each element, from the walls to the artwork to the florals, the whole room begins to feel cohesive, calm, and collected. Looking for more salvaged window decorating ideas? Here are a few more of my favorites:

Styling Built-In Bookshelves for a Light and Eclectic Sunroom Makeover Look

One of the features I’ve always loved in this sunroom is the wall of built-in bookshelves. There’s something about having that much open shelving in a bright space that invites you to get creative, and in this first spring makeover, I did just that.

To keep the room feeling airy and soft, I turned many of the books with the spines facing inward. It’s a simple styling trick that tones down visual clutter and adds a warm, vintage-inspired texture to the shelves. I didn’t flip every book, just enough to start playing with balance and create an eclectic, collected look.

If you love styling bookshelves as much as I do, head over to my Vintage Bookshelf Decor Ideas That Brings Seasonal New England Style Home for all the ideas to try. Whether you’re working with built-ins or standalone pieces, it’s one of the easiest ways to bring charm and personality into any sunroom makeover.

A Layered Vintage Mirror Wall to Reflect Light and Add Character

On one of the sunroom’s main walls, I created a layered vintage mirror display using a mix of sizes, shapes, and frames collected over time, many from my favorite Thrifting with the Gals outings. This wall quickly became a standout feature, adding depth, texture, and that imperfectly-perfect vintage charm I love.

To get the layered look, I hung the mirrors at varying heights and angles, letting smaller pieces fill the spaces between the larger ones. Some overlap slightly, while others sit diagonally to reflect light from the windows and give the room a brighter, more open feel.

If you’re looking for sunroom makeover ideas that make use of vintage collections, a mirror wall like this is both practical and beautiful. It reflects the light, enhances the sense of space, and brings that one-of-a-kind look that only a curated mix of vintage mirrors can offer. Looking for more wall decorating ideas? Explore more of these favorite posts:

Bringing Spring Indoors with Vintage Floral Arrangements

Nothing says spring in Vermont quite like the arrival of blooming lilacs and apple blossoms, and this sunroom makeover gave me the perfect chance to bring those fresh florals indoors.

I gathered bouquets of red apple tree blossoms alongside armfuls of lilacs and styled them in a mix of white ironstone pitchers and vintage glass bottles. Some found a home on the windowsill, catching the light, while others were tucked into baskets or placed on the coffee table for an easy, lived-in look. Discover more Lilac Flower Bouquet Ideas Using Vintage and Antique Vessels in this post.

Using a mix of vessels, pitchers, jars, and thrifted vases gave the space a collected feel I love so much. These vintage floral arrangements brought a soft pop of seasonal color into the room and played beautifully off the Bunny Gray walls, white slipcovers, and soft layers throughout the space.

It’s a simple way to shift the mood of a room without changing the core styling, just swap in what’s blooming outside your door.

Sunroom Makeover Ideas That Grew Into a Bright and Creative Craft Room

While this early sunroom makeover holds a special place in my heart, with its lilacs, wicker chairs, and a brand-new puppy, our home (and my style) has continued to evolve.

Over time, the Bunny Gray walls began to feel a bit dated, and just like the yellow loveseat before it, gray had its moment. I wanted to flip the feel of the room, bringing in even more light, brightness, and contrast. So I repainted the walls a clean white (Simply White by Benjamin Moore) and gave the built-in bookshelves a bold new look with Wedgewood Gray, a rich blue-green that added depth, color, and character.

This swap made a big difference. With white walls now framing the windows, the view of the mountains became the true focal point, uninterrupted and airy. The bookshelves, once all white, now offered a colorful contrast that made styling feel even more intentional.

As my blog and vintage booth business grew, this space also took on a new purpose: a creative craft room filled with vintage storage, repurposed pieces, and collected finds. It’s still the same room, but layered with fresh functionality and a new chapter of style.

Want to see how it turned out?

More Sunroom Makeover Ideas to Inspire Your Own Vintage Refresh

I hope this early sunroom makeover gave you a few ideas for styling your own light-filled space with vintage charm and seasonal touches. From painted walls to wicker chairs, marble tables, and blooming lilacs, every detail in this room has its own story, and it’s just one chapter in my sunroom journey.

If you’re looking for more sunroom makeover ideas, take a peek inside both of my sunrooms, from the mountains of Vermont to the coast of Maine—for even more decorating inspiration, seasonal styling, and vintage finds that bring each space to life.

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