- Living
- Conservatory
Conservatory Ideas and Designs
What conservatory style should I choose?
A lean to conservatory is the most straight-forward garden room structure with a slanted roof that appears to lean on the original house wall. If you’re looking for a small conservatory then the simple rectangular design of lean to conservatories makes them ideal for bungalows and properties with small gardens.
The Victorian conservatory is the most common style, with an elegant shape which features a rounded end wall. An Edwardian conservatory is built similarly, but with a rectangular shape that is perhaps more space-efficient. L or P-shaped conservatories combine the styles of both Victorian and Edwardian garden rooms, and offer a versatile space that can be split into separate areas.
Contemporary garden rooms with large glass walls are fantastic additions to modern homes or extensions and can create stunning exteriors. However, designs like these do use a lot of space and could require special planning permission. If you don’t have space for a large, contemporary garden room and you aren’t a fan of the uPVC conservatory, orangeries or sunrooms may appeal more; the structure is sympathetically designed to appear consistent with the style of the house.
What is an orangery?
They are both glass-walled and -roofed structures, but what is the difference between a conservatory and an orangery? The traditional orangery has a longer history ‐ it became popular in the 17th Century when homeowners wanted a place to grow citrus plants (e.g. orange trees, hence ‘orangery’) and so built structures, either stand alone or incorporated into their homes, with glass walls and roofs, similar to greenhouses.
The conservatory is actually believed to have developed from the orangery after the fashion for growing citrus plants died down. However, homeowners still wanted a place to grow other tropical, herb or shrub plants that would allow sun and warmth into the house in summer and allow the plants to survive in winter.
Today, the real difference is in the construction. Orangeries are considered traditional extensions with masonry walls and more standard Victorian structures, whereas modern conservatories can be more varied and made of a range of materials, including timber, uPVC or aluminium.
What type of conservatory furniture do I need?
Chances are your conservatory furniture will see a high amount of direct sunlight. Keep this in mind when choosing pieces, since some fabrics and materials can quickly fade or become uncomfortably hot. Outdoor furniture will generally stand up well to the heat and light exposure of sunrooms and orangeries, but don’t be afraid to mix and match with indoor pieces as well. Wicker, seagrass and rattan furniture items are good options, while you might want to steer away from metal and leather pieces which will get hot in the sunlight. Installing conservatory blinds or shades that can be drawn when the room isn't in use is a smart way to prolong the life of your sunroom furniture when the space is not in use.
Whether you want inspiration for planning a conservatory renovation or are building a designer conservatory from scratch, Houzz has 50,545 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Red Box and Des Ewing Residential Architects. Look through conservatory photos in different colours and styles and when you find a conservatory design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful conservatory ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
This is an example of a contemporary conservatory in London.
Little veranda - webuser_908084621
This is an example of a medium sized traditional conservatory in London with a glass ceiling.
Do we want a solid section at the bottom of the doors? This is what we have planned - pennyharland
Graham D Holland
Photo of a contemporary conservatory in London with light hardwood flooring, a skylight and beige floors.
Sofa and picture wall - alison1005
Photography: Lyndon Douglas
Photo of a large contemporary conservatory in London with a glass ceiling and grey floors.
We love this great use of space and a modern look - redboxlondon
The design incorporates a feature lantern and large flat roof section linking the conservatory to the main house and adjacent buildings. This project utilised our building services which handled all baseworks and associated detail.
Folding doors open the conservatory onto spectacular views of the surrounding parkland.
Traditional style with bi-fold doors opening into garden - tamian_godfrey
Inspiration for a traditional conservatory in London with no fireplace, a standard ceiling and beige floors.
Alternate roof idea for rear of house - michelle_choma
Stunning stilted orangery with glazed roof and patio doors opening out to views across the Firth of Forth.
This is an example of a medium sized coastal conservatory in Other with ceramic flooring, a glass ceiling and beige floors.
The changable roof line adds interest to a square room - cheryl_buckingham
Design ideas for a retro conservatory in London with painted wood flooring, beige floors and a glass ceiling.
same aspect of floor to garden; gardening on a slope/ white render/off white floors/flooring - dcraighead29
John Gauld
Inspiration for a rustic conservatory in Cheshire.
Stone wall, light, unusual “boot” room - webuser_661737333
Craig Magee
Design ideas for a traditional conservatory in Cheshire with light hardwood flooring, a standard ceiling and beige floors.
Indoor outdoor living lounge pergola - rama_patel67
Benedicte Drummond
Inspiration for a classic conservatory in London with medium hardwood flooring, a glass ceiling and brown floors.
Gorgeous colour, light and bright but temperature control? - webuser_350966960
Verne Photography
Small world-inspired conservatory in London with ceramic flooring, a skylight and no fireplace.
Introduction of nature and window placement. - webuser_100636112
David Butler
Inspiration for a conservatory in London.
I like the detail at the top of the sliding doors - 6uyc
Photo of a classic conservatory in London with a glass ceiling.
Beautiful exterior with doors in the middle. - yvonne_beeston68
Photo: Amelia Hallsworth © 2015 Houzz
This is an example of a bohemian conservatory in London with carpet and a standard ceiling.
Save the plants and the rest of the furniture - lulabop
Monopitched Sunroom
Design ideas for a modern conservatory in London with no fireplace and brown floors.
Potential end of single story extension - alice_berry23
Medium sized rural conservatory in London with no fireplace, a glass ceiling, grey floors and light hardwood flooring.
Everything. Its so cool n warm to be ard - rokiah_yunos
This is an example of a traditional conservatory in London.