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Lanai, Florida Room, Sunroom…. What is the difference?

July 28, 2022 by Kimberly Snyder 12 Comments

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Whether it is a lanai, a Florida room or simply the patio, I think where you live has a lot to do with what you call it!

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Florida House Lanai Jan 2018

What the Lanai Looked like When We First Purchased the Florida House

There are many reasons why an outdoor living space is an attractive addition to one’s home.  What you call your outdoor living area probably depends a lot on what part of the country you live in.  Whether you call it the lanai, Florida room, sunroom or simply the porch the area can  expand your living area.   These outdoor areas can be the perfect spot for entertaining guests or just relaxing after a long day. They offer a great way to enjoy the outdoors while still having access to indoor amenities.

Let’s Start with a Few Definitions

Webster’s dictionary defines a lanai as an open-sided living room or a veranda.  The word lanai originated in Hawaii.  The term is widely used in tropical locations to describe a rear facing porch.  Flooring for the lanai will  typically be either concrete, stone or pavers.

A Florida Room is a room often found in the rear of the house and is designed to let in as much natural light and fresh air as possible.  The use of screens help to keep out as many bugs and other creatures as possible.  Sun Room is another term that can used for a Florida Room.  The term Sun Room is more commonly used in the Northern and Midwestern parts of the country.

Lanais as well as Florida Rooms and Sun Rooms will have a roof and permanent side enclosures of either screens or windows. A fancy word for a Sun Room is Garden Conservatory.  The term Garden Conservatory paints a picture of a room filled with plants, light and quiet places to rest.

The picture at the top is the lanai at our Florida house as it looked when we first bought the house from my Great Aunt in February 2018.  In late 2020, we  enhanced our lanai.   It really changed the look of our backyard.

Florida House Lanai Jan 2020

Before

hand rail to enter pool

The Steps to the Pool

pool withh travertine deck

The Pool looking from the West

waiting on cabinets to arrive for the outdoor kitchen

The “Kitchen” Area

More Terms for the Outdoor Area

Farmhouse built in the late 1800s

 

Another word I like is Veranda.   A Veranda is a long, open porch with a roof and may be enclosed by a railing.  A Veranda is in the front of the house and may wrap around the sides of the house.  Veranda is a term commonly used in the Southern parts of the country.  Can’t you just picture sitting in a wicker rocker sipping lavender lemonade while sitting on your veranda?

The picture above depicts a typical Farmhouse front porch.  The front porch is another relaxing , peaceful spot to sit and reflect.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Patio

A patio is normally a spot in the back of the house that may or may not be covered.  The above picture is the patio of the house that Extreme Makeover Home Edition built in Philo, IL in 2009.  That was one of the most rewarding experiences I ever participated in.  Details about my experience can be found here:

No Matter What you Call it, your outdoor space is the the perfect place to:

wooden sign on a wicker coffee table with lantern

 

Ways to Expand the Use of  Your Outdoor Living Area

There is a lot of  interest in expanding our living areas to the outdoors.   If you’re looking for ideas on how to add features to your outdoor living area, here are some things to consider. First, make sure you have enough room for seating. Coffee tables or side tables will give you somewhere to place your snacks and beverages. You could also think about adding a barbecue grill, fire pit, or other outdoor cooking equipment.  Another option would be to add a spa tub or hot tub. These additions will help you relax even more when you’re spending time outside.

Depending on the area of the country you  live, you might need to add a few things to make it more comfortable in the fall and winter.  Throws or blankets can help keep you  warm. For easy care, choose a throw that can be machine washed and dried like the one pictured below.

An outdoor heater might be handy too! I have included a link to one type but there are many options out there.  Please be sure to choose one that it rated for use outdoors.

Shopping Links:

There are many, many options for patio furniture.  This is only one of the options.  I like this one because it has several pieces.  The chairs could even work with a dining table.  The ottomans can serve as additional seating.

This table and chairs set has a hole for an umbrella.  I think the color would work with the pair of chairs and the ottomans.

This Acacia table looks very nice.  It would even work inside your home.  You would need to add your own chairs.

A full size wood burning fire pit

Table top S’mores kit

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. The opinions here are all my own. It helps me to continue to bring to you DIY and projects on my blog.

Please see my disclosure page for more information.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Blog Post, Decorating & Design Tagged With: front porch, lanai, outdoor living

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Comments

  1. Cindy says

    July 30, 2022 at 11:11 am

    Great post. It’s tough in NJ to have the prettiest outdoor pieces. We have the winters to deal with, so storage becomes an issue.

    I love the idea of many of the outdoor eating areas many have too. Not in NJ

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder says

      July 30, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      Thank you, Cindy! Is a heated sunroom an option? I have a storage issue also. Our subdivision or neighborhood doesn’t allow storage sheds. Not even cute ones!

      Reply
  2. upholstered dining chairs with tufted back says

    May 31, 2023 at 8:14 am

    5 stars
    Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
    There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate
    your content. Please let me know. Many thanks

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder says

      June 1, 2023 at 8:56 am

      Sure, feel free to share my blog with your twitter group! thanks!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Evolution of the Lanai at the Florida House - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
    January 20, 2021 at 7:41 pm

    […] If you are wondering why I call it a lanai instead of a screened patio, I tried to explain the difference in this post : […]

    Reply
  2. Let's Celebrate Fall With An Outdoor Living Area Reveal! - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
    November 18, 2021 at 10:39 am

    […] The lanai faces north.  If you are wondering what the difference is between a lanai and a sunroom, please check out this post!   […]

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    May 5, 2022 at 6:32 am

    […] The lanai faces north.  If you are wondering what the difference is between a lanai and a sunroom, please check out this post!   […]

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  4. Let's Cozy Up the Lanai For Autumn! - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
    October 7, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    […] To learn more about lanais, sun rooms and Florida rooms, you can check this post out!  […]

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  5. Spring 2023 One Room Challenge - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
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  7. Spring 2023 One Room Challenge - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
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  8. Thyme to Celebrate Summer - Quick & Easy Refresh - From Farmhouse to Florida says:
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Hello! Kimberly (Kim) Snyder and I'm glad you're here. An entrepreneurial spirit, I've owned a flower shop and antiques store, a pizza parlor and now we're in Florida living a new adventure. Join me as we downsize into our new digs and continue the adventures! WRITER & BLOGGER

Kimberly Snyder shares the adventures of moving to Florida and beginning again in a new space as a herbalist, a creative, and a serial entrepreneur

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Looking for ideas for your 4th of July celebration Looking for ideas for your 4th of July celebration? 5 of my blogger friends & I joined together to bring you a star studded assortment of ideas! #4thofjuly #4thofjulydecor #4thofjulystyle #fromfarmhousetoflorida #kimstyledecor
Creating European dish gardens are one of my favor Creating European dish gardens are one of my favorite things to do! Why are they called European dish gardens? Because of the types of plants used and how they are “planted” in the container.  By leaving the collection of green and blooming plants in their pots, the dish garden is quick to put together. #europeandishgarden #bloomingplants #containergardening #containergarden #gardenstyledecor #fromfarmhousetoflorida #kimstyledecor
This patio table refresh remains one of my favorit This patio table refresh remains one of my favorite projects! I love the patina of the mesh table top. Several different colors of chalk spray paint helped me achieve the look.  #chalkpaintspraypaint #rustoleum #rustoleumchalkpaint #gardenstyledecor #gardenstyledecorating #kimstyledecor #outdoorfurniture
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Pretty in Pink for Spring! Thinking about layering Pretty in Pink for Spring! Thinking about layering in some aqua for Summer. What do you think? #kimstyledecor #coastalfarmhouse #coastalfarmhousestyle #fromfarmhousetoflorida #decoratingwithshells
Summer thyme is just around the corner! Let’s re Summer thyme is just around the corner! Let’s refresh your outdoor area! #fromfarmhousetoflorida #kimstyledecor #outdoorlivingspace #summervibes☀️ #coastalhomedecor #coastalfarmhouse
It is so easy to refresh a wicker basket with a co It is so easy to refresh a wicker basket with a coat of chalk paint! I used some left over chalk paint for this project. After the basket was dry, I filled it with a couple pots of blooming plants! #chalkpaint #wickerbasket #basketmakeover #basketlover #gardenstyledecor #kimstyledecor #fromfarmhousetoflorida
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