Conservatory Insulation

When conservatories were first built it was thought that they may save householders money. The idea was that heat energy gained from the sun would be collected in the conservatory and distributed into the house, reducing the amount of heating required.

Unfortunately this concept was based on a conservatory only being used during the hot summer months. In reality, people use their conservatories all year round and heat the room throughout winter. Conservatories can suffer from heat loss at up to ten times the rate of a well insulated room within the house and could be a drain on your heating bill if not insulated correctly.

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Conservatory Lighting

When you are planning and designing a conservatory there are so many different things to think about. There are the frames and the style of conservatory you want, there’s the glazing and the roof to consider and of course, once built, the conservatory must be furnished. The lighting is an important, but often overlooked, contributor to the overall ambience and feel of your finished conservatory.

Although a conservatory is essentially designed to capture the daylight, once the sun has gone down, the room will need some lighting if you intend to use it in the evening. There are many different ways to light a conservatory and plenty of ways to use lighting to enhance the look of the conservatory. Rather than just being a function, conservatory lighting can play a big part in the design.

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The Victorian Conservatory

If you are planning to build a conservatory, one of your first decisions will be about the style of the conservatory. There are several different styles in use today, each one available with a variety of different frames, bases and glazing; which gives you an almost limitless choice.

The style of conservatory is an important decision, because it will impact on how the finished building is used and enjoyed. The style will have an immediate effect on the aesthetics of the property and can enhance the look of your house if done well. A badly installed conservatory could adversely affect the appearance and even the value of your home.

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Conservatory Heaters

A conservatory can be a great addition to your home giving you much needed extra space. But if you intend to use this space throughout the year, you will have to consider some way of heating your conservatory.

There are a number of different ways to heat a conservatory, and most of the common heating methods are covered below. It is worth mentioning that if you are going to heat the room, you should also pay attention to the amount of heat that is lost from the conservatory. Energy efficient glazing and good insulation will help to reduce heat loss and lower heating bills.

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The Edwardian Conservatory

Building a conservatory will bring a host of benefits to your home, it will give you a place to relax and unwind in the sun; it can act as a second lounge or a children’s playroom, or as a nursery for plants. The conservatory will add a new dimension to your lifestyle and at the same time will add value to your property.

The choice of style is a difficult one when you first start to plan your conservatory, but is integral to the overall appearance and feel of the finished room. There are a variety of different styles you can go for, from the traditional Victorian and Edwardian conservatories, to the more modern and contemporary structures.

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Conservatory Glass

One of the main benefits of a conservatory, and one of the more common reasons for building one, is the opportunity to enjoy more of the sun; despite the unpredictability of the British weather. The type of glazing used for the conservatory can have a big impact on the amount of heat and light, which is allowed into the room as well as the aesthetics, the insulation and the energy efficiency of the conservatory.

The choice of glass or polycarbonate for your conservatory may depend on the eventual use of the conservatory; if it is to be used throughout the year and heated during the winter months, glass may be the best option for both windows and roof. If the conservatory is being built purely to house plants, polycarbonate would usually suffice.

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The Modern Conservatory

When conservatories first became popular in this country, it was thought they would aid the energy efficiency of a property by acting as a heat store and releasing the heat into the home. The principle may work in theory, but it is based upon using the conservatory only during the summer months. In reality, we spend time in our conservatories all year round and they are increasingly considered as an extra room.

Modern conservatories are becoming much more energy efficient to reflect this prolonged use, the designs are becoming more functional to offer usable and practical spaces. Architecture in general has become much less ‘fussy’ in modern times, modern conservatories tend to have clean smooth lines rather than the ornate detail that you would associate with traditional styles.

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Conservatory Flooring

Along with the frames, the furniture, the blinds and the lighting, the conservatory flooring is an important part of the overall design. It will have a huge impact on the aesthetics inside the room, yet must be functional and hardwearing at the same time.

When you plan the conservatory and start to consider what type of floor to have, it is worth thinking about what the conservatory will be used for. If the conservatory is an extension from the kitchen, the floor will need to be resistant to moisture and easy to wipe clean.

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Conservatory Furniture

When you are building a new conservatory, much of the focus is on the style and finish of the exterior, the type of materials and glazing, and the actual build process. But once the extension is complete and you are ready to use the conservatory, your thoughts will turn to finalising your ideas for the internal design and the furnishings.

The type of furniture you use is likely to be closely linked to the type of style you are trying to achieve; and along with accessories, blinds, plants and lighting it will have a considerable effect on the ambience, the look, and the feel of the room.

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Conservatory Blinds

A conservatory can be a wonderful addition to any home; it can give you extra living space, a playroom for the children, or a relaxing garden room. It will act as a link from the house to the outside space, improving your lifestyle and adding value to your property.

The furnishing and the interior should play an important role in the planning and design stage of the conservatory, not only to help you create a consistent overall style, but also to help keep you in budget.

Blinds can be one of the larger expenses when it comes to the inside of the conservatory, but good blinds can have a big impact on the look of the room, and how enjoyable the room is to use; particularly during very hot spells in the summer.

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