New Sun Room Officially Opened as #INN2025 Continues
As part of its ongoing #INN2025 strategic plan, The Children’s Inn recently opened a new sun room on the second floor, a comfortable gathering place that families can use to enhance the feeling of home.
“We started reimagining what this space could look like back in 2019,” said Brian Schmoyer, Director of Facilities & Construction Management at The Inn. “Formerly, it was a second-floor terrace. It received direct sunlight throughout the day and it was really an underutilized space. We thought that if we enclosed it, we could create an all-season space that families could use throughout the year.”
The space, which faces east near the Center Drive side of the building, features several comfortable couches and chairs as well as an electric fireplace and ceiling fans above in the vaulted ceiling. Families can enjoy a seat with a view, as the large windows overlooking the recreation courts feature large sills that allow for seating right by the window.
“It provides a really cool new room for our families to use and enjoy,” said Chief Program and Services Officer Cathy Morales. “They can read a book, sit in a quiet cozy corner, or just look outside and watch the birds in the trees. It adds a whole new element to the families’ experiences while they’re here.”
Morales pointed out the exposed wooden beams at the top of the room, a nod to the wooden pergola that used to cover the outdoor terrace. “The designer incorporated that feature into this new room,” she explained, “which lent a little history of the origins of this space.”
The new sun room is part of the larger #INN2025 strategic plan, which will ultimately provide a state-of-the-art “smart” living environment for the families staying at The Inn. Schmoyer noted that the fireplace, though it does emanate heat, is safe to the touch for children who may be playing in the sun room while it is turned on.
“Our goal was to create a sun room that would really function like a living room at home,” he said. “Safety was our Number 1 priority, and also comfort and feeling like it’s an extension of their home.”
The sun room is just the latest upgrade in the ongoing #INN2025 initiative. “Part of #INN2025 is a facility masterplan which calls for a full renovation of The Inn, including all of our guest spaces and guest amenities,” Morales said. “We’re doing a complete overhaul to think of the needs of the families for the future, and really planning and preparing spaces that will best meet and suit their needs.”
We’re doing a complete overhaul to think of the needs of the families for the future, and really planning and preparing spaces that will best meet and suit their needs.”
Cathy Morales, Chief Program and Services Officer
As warmer weather returns to the Greater DC area, the new sun room will provide a perfect place for families to get some vitamin C without worrying about humidity. “We’ve anticipated this unveiling,” Morales said, “and are so thrilled to finally have it open.”
To learn more about #INN2025, please go here.
