Orangeries Are Back In Fashion

Orangeries have long since been a symbol of wealth among certain classes being popular among those who lived in period homes and fashionable country houses.

However, their popularity has since waned, until recently. Their status as a product only for the rich may well have led to their fall from prominence, as economic factors hit the country and having such a frivolous expense was seen as unnecessary.

Orangeries first came to popularity in the 17th century when Italians first began creating large sheets of glass for beautiful, ornate roofs. In the north, the Dutch were the first to popularize the structures.

These attractive buildings were used to harness the sun's rays and were used to store citrus trees in order to bring them to fruit. Orangeries were seen as much more than a greenhouse though, and their architecture became as much of a focal point as the fruit inside.

Those rich enough to afford such an elaborate construction would guide their guests there whilst touring the garden area, which eventually led to them becoming places for people to enjoy the sun as well. Soon fountains, grottos and other luxury features could be found in orangeries across Europe.

It is only now in the 21st century that orangeries have began to make a comeback, as more Home Improvement companies are introducing them to their range of conservatories and extensions.

There could be many explanations for this, ranging from the practical to the prestigious. Firstly, orangeries are now much more affordable, and are no longer strictly reserved for the wealthy elite.

Orangeries are also the largest type of home extension on the market and offer a lot more living space for those looking to extend their home. With the additional space you can use your orangery for a variety of uses, making it a highly efficient addition to your home.

Today's orangeries can also be modernized without losing their classic features. This means that features such as double glazed windows and double glazed French doors can be easily incorporated in to their design.

They will also blend beautifully in with your existing property, as orangery building usually relies on matching the existing brickwork rather than the typical uPVC look of a regular conservatory. While it will certainly act as focal attraction for your home, if will never look like an obvious add-on.

While contemporary orangeries offer all the latest modernization your home or conservatory does, the mere idea of an orangery still retains some of that prestige which made them so popular among the wealthy.

While they may now be more mainstream-affordable, they still have associations of class and will still make the neighbours jealous.