Latest Interiors: Through the Looking Glass
Latest Interiors enjoys the rear garden from indoors with the addition of a conservatory
Conservatories have had a 21st century revamp: once the last word in suburban bad taste, modern conservatories add space, light and style to your home. Furthermore, a conservatory allows you to enjoy the great outdoors, all year round, whatever the weather.
Whether bespoke or pre-fabricated, modern conservatories come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be beautiful. An extension to your living space, a spot for enjoying the garden, or simply a peaceful retreat, this week Latest Interiors takes a look inside some glass houses.
Style and structure
Modern conservatories use cutting-edge design: frame-free glass structures that bring light and space into contemporary homes. Or they can be carefully – and traditionally – constructed to be sympathetic to period properties. Materials like uPVC tend to be the best budget buy, but designers are increasingly returning to the more ecologically-friendly (and beautiful) glass, steel and timber.
When choosing a conservatory, be guided by the period of your home: don’t stick a Georgian-style extension onto your Victorian terraced home. Discreet and understated modern structures can work on period properties, but only when minimal lines blend into more ornate architecture.
New builds and modern homes have licence to be more creative. Frame-free glass structures maximise light and look incredible, timber can bring a light and contemporary feel to both modern and period structures.
Think you don’t have the space? You’d be surprised at how versatile a conservatory can be. Because the structure is formed largely of glass, even a small space – for example a glass-and-steel lean-to against French doors, or inside a courtyard – can feel airy and light. Depending on the size of the structure and where you live, there is a chance that planning permission may be needed, especially in conservation areas.
Good looking glass
Furnish your conservatory with care. Traditionally places of quiet contemplation, a conservatory provides the perfect excuse for indulging in sumptuous cushions and throws.
If you want to use it as a dining room or social space, opt for simple, light furniture and keep the area bright and warm.
If your conservatory is overlooked, adding plantation or roller blinds will afford you some privacy. Smart use of exterior lighting can create a spectacular talking point: spotlights highlighting architectural plants or structures, or twinkling fairy lights draped across trees and borders, will bring your night-time garden alive, whatever the season – or weather.
