Improving your home with a conservatory or orangery

Published: 19/03/2012

Householders who live in period homes with distinctive architecture are increasingly choosing to add bespoke conservatories and orangeries to increase the floor-space and value of their homes.

Homes built in a particular historical architectural style, such as Victorian or Georgian, are well suited to the additions of conservatories, but care needs to be taken with the design and conception of such a project. A sympathetically constructed conservatory or orangery will add value and wow factor to your period home if it is well done.

The addition of bespoke conservatories and orangeries will involve considerable financial investment and it is important to think things through properly. Most conservatory companies offer a project management service that covers initial design and conception, dealing with any planning issues right through to the finishing touches. When devising a plan for your bespoke conservatory they will consider details such as the size and style of your house and garden, the intended use of the new space (such as garden room, dining room or extra general living space), and the best location for the conservatory with regard to aspect and light-levels.

Orangeries have re-entered the world of fashionable interiors in recent times. No longer just the domain of tender plants and exotic specimens, the orangery is now a popular way of adding space, grandeur and light to a home. Generally speaking, orangeries differ from conservatories more in their construction than function. Often larger in size, orangeries frequently have partially glazed roofs and include ornamental architectural features, such as brick pillars or columns, and ornate timber-framed or cast iron window frames.