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What Can You do With a Conservatory? 10 Different Uses

21 October 2024

 

A conservatory brings natural light to your home and it’s an excellent way to create extra living space, and bring the outdoors inside. 


From hosting dinner parties to carving out a dedicated home office, there are plenty of ways to use a conservatory. But if you’re looking for inspiration, here are 10 ways to transform your conservatory.

10 ways to use a conservatory 

With panoramic views of your garden and natural sunlight, a conservatory is the perfect way to enjoy your outdoor space from the comfort of your home. Your decor, layout and furniture will all help you get the most out of the space. 

 

Elegant dining room

Impress guests with an elegant dining room surrounded by natural views. Whether you want to spruce up family mealtime or host dinner parties, having a separate dining space will help you to bond over a delicious meal.


A light colour scheme will help to reflect the sunlight in the daytime, but adding dark pops of colour like grey, red or green creates a striking contrast. Illuminate the space with drop or wall lights and position your dining table front and centre. You could also opt for a vintage or upcycled dining table to add character to a contemporary space.

Guest bedroom

If you’re having guests stay the night, your conservatory can easily be transformed into a bedroom with a sofa bed or blow-up mattress. It offers plenty of privacy and independence for your guests, and they can watch the stars at night time with Eurocell’s Equinox Vega – a fully-glazed roof panel.  While older conservatories are prone to temperature fluctuations, a new roof system can help to create a usable space all year round (more on this below). 

Kids playroom

Create a dedicated playroom for your children by putting their games, toys and learning tools in your conservatory. Organise in baskets and toy boxes to keep it tidy, and add bright stickers or paint a mural on your walls to stimulate creativity. This way you can keep clutter away from your living room and your kids can be around nature whatever the weather. 


Cosy lounge

 

Create a peaceful living space to relax in, read a book or have some me time. It’s perfect if you want to catch up with friends or get ahead of your favourite TV series. 


Paint it calming colours like soft green or blue and add cosy furnishings like a plush sofa, beanbag, warm blanket and pillows. 

Indoor-outdoor space 


Make use of the natural light by creating an indoor-outdoor space. Use light colours like white, yellow and green which help to reflect the sunlight and add vibrant flowers to go with the theme. You could even use it as a space to grow your plants, similar to a greenhouse. Keep your French or bi-fold doors open to welcome in the light as you enjoy your morning coffee. 


Ultimate den 

 

Turn your conservatory into the ultimate den where you can watch movies, read magazines or practise your hobbies. 


Games room

Get competitive with friends and family in a dedicated games room. From a pool table, arcade games, consoles or board games, there should be something for everyone to enjoy. 


Office 

Shorten your commute with a home office. Set up a desk and comfortable chair, and any equipment like a printer. You’ll have a quiet space to work and unleash your creativity, or invite colleagues over for a catch up. Decorate it to your taste and create a professional backdrop for virtual meetings.

Yoga studio 

Perfect your yoga moves with a conservatory studio. Add equipment like yoga mats and blocks, or create a multifunctional workout space with treadmills, cross trainers and weights. 


Leave the doors open for fresh air and to listen to nature to help you concentrate. Peaceful decor will add to the zen vibe so opt for a light and relaxing colour scheme. Set up a workstation for your protein powders, drinks, healthy snacks and a changing area.


Movie room

Modern conservatories with a tiled roof prevent glare so your conservatory can be used as a home cinema. Put your TV on a nice stand, and add a reclining armchair to mimic the real experience. A mini fridge for snacks and drinks will mean you never have to leave your seat and miss a cliff-hanger.

Conservatory interior design ideas 

Your conservatory is a blank canvas for you to decorate with your favourite colours, fabrics and accessories.

Colours 

While some conservatories have fully glazed walls, others are partially glazed or have small plastered walls which can be painted.  


When choosing your wall colour, opt for a light shade to reflect the sunlight and add the illusion of more space. Here are some colours that would look amazing in your conservatory: 

  • White: Classic and easy to create contrast    
  • Shades of grey: Peaceful and modern
  • Green: Creates cohesion between the indoors and outdoors
  • Blue: A soft blue helps create a relaxing atmosphere 

To bring life to your conservatory, add pops of colour with the shades red, pink, orange or blue. You could include a feature wall or introduce vibrant cushions, rugs, furnishings or plants. 


Consider the purpose of the room too. If it’s a reading room, the colour scheme should be tranquil and peaceful. On the other hand, if you need to be creative in your home office, bright colours will help.

Fabrics 

Choosing the right type of fabric can transform your conservatory. 


Thick curtains offer privacy and keep the sun out, especially if your conservatory doubles up as a guest bedroom. Natural shades like taupe will complement the natural backdrop created by your garden.


A plush fabric for your sofa or chairs will help it look cosy, while cotton and linen are light and airy. It’s best to avoid leather because it can discolour in the sun and get too hot or cold. Where possible, choose fabrics that are UV treated and durable. 


Furniture

Conservatory furniture works best because it’s treated to prevent fading in the sunlight.


Here are the types of furniture you might add: 

  • Couch
  • Chair
  • Coffee table 
  • Dining table and chairs 
  • Cabinets 
  • Storage solutions 
  • TV stand 

To create a unique look and feel, opt for vintage or bespoke pieces which will give your conservatory an edge. You’ll find plenty of bargains on online marketplaces, which could be upcycled. 


Accessories 

To tie the decor together, add some accessories including: 

  • Potted plants 
  • Cushion 
  • Throws 
  • Rugs  
  • Lamps
  • Mirror 
  • Art

Accessories reflect your personality and can be easily swapped out as trends change or you fancy something different. 

Lighting

 

Like any room, you can add spotlights, wall, low hanging and fairy lights to illuminate the space and create the perfect ambiance. Floor lamps can highlight specific features and desk lamps are both practical and aesthetic.  

What not to put in a conservatory?   

There are certain things to avoid putting in a conservatory, especially if it’s facing the sun. These include: 

  • Leather furniture
  • Wooden furniture that’s not treated 
  • A TV facing the windows 
  • Plants that need shade like a fuschia or orchid  
  • Carpet  
  • Sentimental pictures or artwork 

How to use your conservatory all year round 

If you’re finding that your conservatory is unusable in the summer and winter, prone to leaking, and suffers condensation – there are many solutions. It should be a space to enjoy all year round. 


Double-glazed doors and windows 


If you have single-glazed windows, you have likely noticed a chill in the winter and condensation. That’s because a single pane of glass has little insulation and heat can easily escape. 


Instead, double-glazed doors and windows are manufactured from two panes of glass. This helps to keep your conservatories temperature regulated and it’s more energy efficient.


Find out the reasons why your conservatory may be too cold


Tiled roof 


Old polycarbonate or glass roofs aren’t the best insulators, especially because heat rises so can easily escape from an unsuitable roof. With older conservatories, it might be too hot to enjoy  because the glass roof and walls create a greenhouse effect. 


Thankfully, modern solutions like a roof replacement help to solve this. The Equinox Tiled Roof System can be fitted to all types of conservatories in just two to four days. The composite or steel tiles help to insulate your conservatory so you’re not losing heat, while making it more energy efficient and modern.


The warm roof doesn’t take away from the brightness either, but it does help to reduce glare. The tiles are strong, impact and weather resistant, and the composite slate and steel tiles come with a 40-year guarantee. 


Conservatory conversions


If you’ve lost hope with your conservatory or are thinking of replacing it with an extension, you can opt for a modern conservatory conversion. With this, you get to keep the look and feel of a conservatory, but replace it with a more functional structure. 


The process is quite straightforward. The EurXtension system is manufactured in a factory from structurally insulated panels (SIPs) to help keep mess and disruption to a minimum. The modern build system means you can use your existing conservatory base, so we won’t have to dig to create a foundation. 


The EurXtension system comes with double glazed windows and doors as standard and a brand new Equinox Tiled Roof System. It’s energy efficient helping you cut down your electricity bills, fully insulated and adds value to your home because your conservatory can be used all year round. 

 

Is it worth having a conservatory? 

If you are looking to create a multifunctional space for the family to enjoy, a conservatory is a perfect addition. 


It’s worth having if you want to add value to your home and create a light and airy retreat. Extra living space is sought after by homeowners and you can transform it into a home office, playroom or living room to suit your needs. 


Eurocell’s conservatories are stunning and come in many styles. You won’t need to worry about temperature because they are fully insulated, energy efficient and look the part. Find out how a Eurocell conservatory can transform your home

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