The sunroom is a space for all seasons. Clad in glass, its multi-paned walls and bays admit the sunlight and radiant warmth that lets both plants and humans thrive, whether in the dwindling light of midwinter or the green awakenings of spring.
Year-round, the sunroom embraces its landscape, inviting rest and contemplation of the seasons—and it’s a great place to read or take afternoon tea.
Thus, this Luxury Defined property spotlight celebrates May’s merry month with a deluxe collection of sunrooms. Consider a few of the settings on offer for that sunny space: a rambling country house in Yorkshire, England; a historic mansion in Detroit, Michigan; a fine townhouse in Dublin; and a riverfront estate in Ottawa, Canada.
Bask in the light of these sunrooms in the glorious days of May, and open the door into summer.
1. Victoria House in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland
Ailesbury Road is a sought-after address in the heart of Dublin’s embassy belt, and Victoria House is one of its finest residences.
The spacious, gracious townhouse, thoroughly renovated in 2018, offers 5,920 square feet of interior space with four elegant, high-ceilinged reception rooms, six ultra-comfortable bedrooms, three of them en suite, and two shower rooms. The bespoke Clive Christian island kitchen provides a sunny breakfast space.
The amenities include a cinema lounge, a hideaway billiards room, and the sunroom: a custom, glass-roofed Hampton conservatory.
A newly built, self-contained two-bedroom guest apartment adjoins, and landscape architect Jane McCorkell reimagined the south-facing back garden as a tranquil space for lounging and alfresco dining.
Set on the sunny side of Ailesbury Road in the heart of Ballsbridge, near Donnybrook Church and prestigious St Michael’s College, the home is within walking distance of the Royal Dublin Society and Aviva Stadium, home of Irish rugby, on Lansdowne Road.
2. Stonecroft House in Follifoot, Yorkshire, England
Stonecroft House is surrounded by rolling farmland in the charming North Yorkshire village of Follifoot, five miles from the market town of Harrogate and 20 miles from the historic walled city of York.
This ivy-clad period residence has been updated with great attention to detail, providing more than 3,000 square feet of accommodation embraced on three sides by lovely gardens and views of the Rudding Estate.
The entrance vestibule and cloakroom open to a reception hall with a wood-burning stove. The dining room and the dual-aspect sitting room, with its own fireplace, access the grounds. The country-styled contemporary island kitchen, with its breakfast space and Aga range, leads to a wide, double-height, glass-vaulted sunroom and the rear gardens.
The staircase rises to a spacious landing, a bathroom with separate shower room, three double bedrooms and a large, dual-aspect primary suite with a walk-through dressing room and a marble en suite bathroom.
The lawned gardens are planted with mature trees and hedges for utmost privacy. A cobblestone forecourt and a double garage provide ample parking.
3. The Benjamin Siegel House in Detroit, Michigan
The Benjamin Siegel House presides over 2.16 landscaped acres–half a city block—in Detroit’s coveted Boston-Edison Historic District.
Built in 1915, the 11,103-square-foot, Italianate limestone mansion was designed by architect Albert Khan for retail magnate Benjamin Siegel.
The fountained motor court and its elegant carriage house make a grand first impression. The formal gardens are a horticulturist’s dream. The centerpiece is a grand Victorian-style greenhouse built in 2022, with vaulted glass walls and brick herringbone floors.
The residence invites year-round entertaining, with two sunrooms, a ballroom, library, banquet room, a big chef’s kitchen with a parlor, and a wood-paneled reception room with a monumental fireplace.
The reception hall is a showpiece, with wainscoting, handcrafted wooden staircase, and elevator with frescoed ceiling and red upholstery. Other magnificent period details include handcrafted wood and marble finishes, colorful Pewabic pottery tilework, muraled ceilings, and stained-glass windows.
The primary suite is one of seven luxurious bedrooms, with four full bathrooms and two partials. The third floor houses the ballroom, sewing room, game room with billiards and card tables, and a balcony overlooking the gardens. There are two bedrooms and two baths in the guest apartment above the three-car carriage house.
4. The View – Waterfront Estate in Ottawa, Canada
The View, one of Ottawa’s finest waterfront homes, has a peaceful wooded setting on nearly two-thirds of an acre with 117 feet of prime waterfront on the Ottawa River.
Architect Chuck Wheeler designed the five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom residence to embrace the indoor-outdoor lifestyle and capture the river views.
The foyer segues into a gracious fireside living room with coffered ceilings, a banquette window seat, and four sets of French doors to the rear terrace.
The formal dining room is a grand affair next to a beautiful French country kitchen with a pantry and wet bar. A dual-sided fireplace connects the kitchen with the sunroom and its eight sets of glass doors out to the gardens.
The lower level houses a fitness studio with a full bath and plenty of storage space. The main staircase has a landing with banquette seating. A few steps up is a reading nook and a family room with a wet bar, cocktail bar, fireside lounge, powder room, and a private deck with a river view. The primary suite has its own riverfront balcony on the second level. A covered deck offers a sunken hot tub. Below, a beautiful stone terrace provides a saltwater pool and sun lounges.
Find a home with a deluxe sunroom here.
