Getting the most out of your Conservatory

Adding a conservatory to your home is a great way to meet your need for more space without the expense and stress of a conventional extension. With the latest insulated roofs and high tech glass, modern conservatories are comfortable places to relax in all year round. But what else can you use your extra living space for? The possibilities are almost endless, so we’ve taken a look at some ideas to inspire you: 

Living room

An elegant conservatory makes a stylish setting for a bright living room. A conservatory is designed to maximise light and is a perfect retreat for enjoying sunny mornings and peaceful afternoons while a glass roof offers the option of tranquil evenings gazing at a starlit sky. Flooded with natural light, a living room in a conservatory lends itself to natural textures such as wood and seagrass for a cosy rustic atmosphere or combine modern floral prints with pale sofas to create a summery ambience.

Dining room

One of the most popular reasons for installing a conservatory is to create a dining room. Whether for a lazy breakfast with the papers at the weekend, a candlelit dinner for two or a get-together lunch with family and friends, a conservatory can be a great space for dining and entertaining. Options such as bi-fold doors make the most of your garden views while you can create a seamless transition between the kitchen and dining room by using the same flooring throughout. Heating options such as slimline radiators or underfloor heating mean your new dining room will be comfortable to use whatever the weather.

Play room

Tired of picking up the children’s toys from your living room floor? Installing a conservatory as a dedicated playroom is a great solution. A light, bright playroom is a welcoming space for children to entertain their friends. Scattered Lego bricks will no longer be able to hide in your lounge carpet and a train track, fairy palace, toy kitchen or Scalextric layout can be left in situ as long as they like without getting in your way. Add warmth and texture with beanbags and rugs in vibrant colours. Clever storage options mean that as the kids get older a playroom conservatory can easily be adapted to a multi-purpose space such as a TV or games room.

Home gym

What could be a better incentive to exercise regularly than creating a home gym in your conservatory? For many of us, a busy schedule makes it hard to fit in regular visits to the gym but by using a conservatory as a home gym you can work out at any time that suits you. You can exercise in complete privacy while enjoying the natural light and sunshine flooding in. Even better, there are no gym subscriptions to worry about! Modern conservatory windows and tiled roofs offer excellent levels of thermal insulation, so your conservatory will be the perfect place to exercise all year round.

Home office

Whether you work from home or just want to create a well-organised, peaceful area to catch up with your admin, a conservatory or orangery makes a great home office. The natural light flooding in lifts your mood and makes settling down to work much more enjoyable. The latest high-tech glass offers high levels of sound insulation so noise from the rest of the house or from outside won’t interrupt your concentration. If you’re going to be meeting clients in your home office, create a professional image with polished wood flooring, keeping the rest of the decor simple in subtle neutral shades.

Garden room

Anyone with green fingers will love a conservatory designed as a garden room, where they can enjoy their favourite plants and flowers all year round. A garden room conservatory is a perfect way to bring the outside in. Options such as French or bifold doors will maximise the natural light and air. A garden room conservatory is also the perfect spot for coffee with friends or afternoon tea; use lightweight wicker or rattan furniture to create a relaxed, country atmosphere and go for a tiled floor to make watering plants trouble free.

We hope these ideas will have given you an idea of the versatility of conservatories and the numerous ways in which they can be used. A conservatory is a very popular investment for UK homeowners, but in the past, they have sometimes been underused spaces. With the latest thermally efficient glass and roof options, a bespoke conservatory designed to meet your needs will be a comfortable and practical space for enjoying all year round.

Read the most commonly asked questions about building a conservatory or orangery here.