Looking for inspiration for your conservatory project? There are lots of things to think about when considering conservatory interiors, from deciding on the style and colour scheme you want to choosing blinds that fit your windows.

Here are some tips in creating your perfect conservatory interior. Please add your comments if you have any further advice – we will add the best of them to this page!

A Question of Style

One of the first decisions to make about your conservatory is whether it will be broadly traditional or modern in style. When most people think of a conservatory it will be the traditional Victorian style that they will picture in their minds; the Victorians brought the concept of the conservatory to Britain with their love of tropical plants which required protection during the winter months.

In keeping with the style of homes in the 19th Century, Victorian conservatories featured pitched roofs, bay windows with thin frames and ornate detail – particularly around the windows and on the roofs. Some Victorian conservatory owners opted for Gothic style windows.

Victorian conservatories generally come in three- or five-facet versions.

Conservatories did exist in Britain prior to Queen Victoria, but they tended to be reserved for the most well-to-do. Georgian conservatories reflected the era’s respect for space and proportion with a nod to Greek and Roman classical architecture (many ruins from these cultures were unearthed during the Georgian period). Georgian conservatories tend to be square or  rectangular with  steep, pitched roofs although the designs we see on Georgian red-brick homes today contain a lot more glass than authentic Georgian conservatories – glass was very expensive at the time as the notorious window tax was in force!

The symmetry seen throughout Georgian building designs can be largely attributed to the work of Venetian architect Andrea Palladio.

Before conservatories became all the rage, some homes sported orangeries. At first these were little more than an extension of a ‘fruit wall’ built, as the name suggests, to protect citrus fruit trees (e.g. oranges and limes) during the winter. Heating, if any, was often provided by an open fire and there was little in the way of fuss in early (16th Century) designs. But as time went on, orangeries gradually became more ornate.

Heating your Conservatory

Before deciding on what type of heating you need for your conservatory you need to think about whether it needs heating at all.

One thing you are not allowed to do under current Building Regulations is to extend your existing plumbing system into your conservatory. If you wanted to do that you would have to convert your conservatory into a fully-fledged extension in which case it would have to conform to modern standards of thermal insulation. Your conservatory doesn’t which is why the authorities are not too keen on you diverting your heating into a room which is likely to waste it, pushing up carbon emissions.

However, even though electric heating is more expensive than gas, you are permitted to use electric heating in your conservatory!  Panel heaters and underfloor heating are both an option but, if you have a Victorian-style glass-heavy conservatory be prepared for horrendous bills if you are planning to use and heat the room all year round. One option for retaining as much heat as possible (while also stopping your conservatory becoming too stuffy in the middle of summer, is to opt for one of the popular conservatory roof conversions on the market today. These replace your glass roof with one made of lightweight artificial tiles and also incorporate their own insulation.

Colour Scheme

Choosing your colour scheme is an important part of your design process and will colour (excuse the pun) every other decision you make, from the material your furniture is made from to the type of blinds you put up and, of course, the paint you use – if any. Many modern conservatories accentuate the light by opting for white or off-white (see the main picture) but don’t feel tied down. If you favour a dark interior, brown PVC is easily sourced and you can even get frames that are brown on the outside and white on the inside. Other colours may be more difficult to track down but there are special paints designed to coat plastic which can be used if you are really struggling.

Before deciding on colour, think about the purpose of your conservatory. If you plan to eat in it during the grey winter months you may want to consider injecting some nice warm colours – reds, oranges and yellows. For a Mediterranean flavour, go for bright bold colours.

Fixtures and Furniture

Just as with any other room in the house, how cluttered or sparse your conservatory is will be mainly down to personal taste. However, there are some considerations you might want to make to ensure you and your plants co-exist harmoniously in the space (see Alan Titchmarsh’s conservatory plants advice here).

Due to the extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations in most conservatories it is not advisable to use any upholstery that is overly sensitive to the environment. The effects of UV lighting need to be carefully considered too since any wood or fabric will be constantly exposed to the sun’s rays, particularly in the summer. For these reasons, metal, stone mosaic, marble, plastic and glass are often seen in conservatories while rattan and willow can add a warm touch without needing to worry about damage from the light, damp or expansion and contraction effects.

If you do get stuck for ideas try looking around the internet for some inspiration from other homeowners. There are even companies who specialise in fitting out conservatories and garden rooms (e.g. Holloway’s of Worcestershire).

Conservatory Blinds 

Blinds are the preferred choice for controlling light into a conservatory. They can also make a big difference when it comes to keeping the interior comfortable and protecting furniture by preventing too much direct sunlight and conserving heat in the winter. Blinds can also perform an aesthetic function as they are available in a range of shades and hues and can even be coated with a wood grain or metallic finish. The most common styles of conservatory blind are the traditional Venetian blinds (patented back in the 18th Century),  with horizontal slats that can be pivoted to adjust the amount off light entered. The slats are generally made from metal or plastic but wooden versions are also available. An alternative to Venetian blinds (sometimes called Persian blinds as this is where the Venetian traders are thought to have sourced their wares) are pleated blinds made from fabric.

Some people prefer to install vertical blinds where the slats run from top to bottom while others dispense with slats altogether and use roller blinds instead.

Up until recently, most blinds had to be permanently fixed to a frame or wall which reduced their flexibility and also tended to get in the way when opening and closing windows. Now there are various systems which are fitted to the window itself with brackets sitting between the frame and the rubber beading that forms part of most uPVC systems.

More Conservatory Design Tips

Here are some more design tips for creating that perfect conservatory look:

• Put function at the centre. It is easy to get carried away with creative ideas and to forget exactly why you wanted a conservatory in the first place. How often are you planning to use your conservatory? How and when are you going to clean it? Is there going to be heavy traffic in and out of the garden? What plants are you housing and what needs do they have (and are they going to ooze sap over your exotic Persian?) All this and more needs to be considered before making any purchases.
• Ask for advice. Share your plans with friends and family and ask what they would do given your conservatory. You don’t have to follow what they say but they may have spotted something about your room that you have missed and inspire you.
• Consider ‘smart glass.’  No, you can’t tap on the glass and browse the internet (yet!) but smart glass does help you to let the light in while deflecting damaging UV radiation away.
• Bringing the inside out. For decades, conservatories have been seen as mainly a way to bring the outside in with perhaps a couple of chairs and a table migrating from within for enjoying the view and the micro-climate. But providing you take precautions with humidity, UV exposure and temperature fluctuations there is no reason you can’t bring out a TV or two,  a bookcase, some pictures and some mood lighting for the evenings. Just remember: you can’t extend your central heating into a conservatory under current Building Regulations.
• Don’t forget your nose. Some plants smell better than others and a poor choice can really put you off your breakfast. Of course, you wouldn’t  try growing a titan arum in your conservatory but even the scent of household favourites, like the paperwhite narcissus, can be offensive to some delicate noses. On the other hand, a zesty citrus or some uplifting basil will be appreciated by most guests.