Conservatory Ideas and Designs

4 season porch

Buccellato Design LLC

Inspiration for a farmhouse conservatory in Chicago with a standard ceiling.

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Melonhead Photo
Design ideas for a medium sized traditional conservatory in Houston with ceramic flooring, no fireplace and a standard ceiling.

SCHILDER CUSTOM HOME

Echelon Interiors

Design ideas for a nautical conservatory in Other with no fireplace and a standard ceiling.

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Bruce Fox - Lincoln Park Residence

Bruce Fox

Photo credit: Tony Soluri Architect: Lieberbach & Graham Landscape: Craig Bergmann
Photo of an industrial conservatory in Chicago with no fireplace and a glass ceiling.

Palm Beach Polysatin Shutters

Stamper's Blinds Gallery

Alabaster white shutters soften the busy patterns in this gorgeous eclectic room! Our Palm Beach™ polysatin shutters are constructed with UV resistant vinyl, so they’re guaranteed never to warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolor, regardless of extreme heat or moisture.

My Houzz: Easygoing Elegance for a Massachusetts Saltbox

Mary Prince Photography

Photo: Mary Prince © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a traditional conservatory in Boston with a standard ceiling.

Island Retreat

Loon Architects, LLC

Steven Mooney Photographer and Architect
Inspiration for a small traditional conservatory in Minneapolis with slate flooring, a standard fireplace, a standard ceiling and multi-coloured floors.

A Wurster Revival

Butler Armsden Architects

This is an example of a contemporary conservatory in San Francisco with concrete flooring and grey floors.

Sunroom Addition

DBR Construction Consulting

Sunroom addition with access to pool patio. Skylights allow for increased natural light into space. Project located in Telford, Montgomery County, PA.

Lake Toxaway

Ambiance Interiors

David Deitrich
Design ideas for a rustic conservatory in Other with dark hardwood flooring, a stone fireplace surround, a standard ceiling and brown floors.

Tregirls

Jessica Forbes Interior Stylist

This is an example of a beach style conservatory in Cornwall.

A Sunroom Addition + Patio Cover in North Richland Hills

Medford Remodeling

Photo of a medium sized traditional conservatory in Dallas with a standard ceiling and beige floors.

Transitional Remodel of Town & Country Home

Liston Design Build

Photo of a large classic conservatory in St Louis with porcelain flooring, a skylight and brown floors.

Transitional Remodel of Town & Country Home

Liston Design Build

Large traditional conservatory in St Louis with porcelain flooring, a skylight and brown floors.

East Cobb Modern Makeover Kitchen Sunroom and Living Room

Atlanta Curb Appeal

Sunroom in East Cobb Modern Home. Interior design credit: Design & Curations Photo by Elizabeth Lauren Granger Photography
Inspiration for a medium sized traditional conservatory in Atlanta with marble flooring, a standard ceiling and white floors.

House Beautiful Whole Home

Centered By Design

Inspiration for a traditional conservatory in Chicago.

Sagee Manor Estate

Kerry Crauser Interiors

Design ideas for a traditional conservatory in Atlanta.

Twisted Tree Drive

Katie Postel Interiors

Bright, cheerful and airy sunroom.
Medium sized eclectic conservatory in Austin with light hardwood flooring and beige floors.

Sunlit Elegance: Bespoke Garden Room in Buckinghamshire

Vale Garden Houses

This orangery with its elegant proportions, full length panels and inset glazed roof marries classic charm with contemporary comfort. The windows, thoughtfully designed to line through with the existing house fenestration, draw in natural light and provide an enchanting connection to the surrounding gardens.

Conservatory Ideas and Designs

A conservatory, garden room or orangery is a decidedly British and Irish home extension: a room that allows us to enjoy our outdoor space without having to brave the unpredictable weather. Originally a type of glass house or greenhouse where plants could be grown in sheltered conditions, the modern conservatory now offers flexible entertainment space. Your conservatory can serve as an additional living area, a garden room, a spacious dining room or an open-plan kitchen; all flooded with the extra light that a glass extension will give you.

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.

Complete Turnkey Hamptons Project

DLT Interiors-Debbie Travin

Photo of a conservatory in Miami.

United Kingdom

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