Modern conservatory design ideas

75 Beautiful Contemporary Conservatory Ideas and Designs - December 2022

Wimbledon Conservatory

Chaunceys Timber Flooring

This conservatory in Wimbledon features our Linen finish on prime grade engineered oak planks, creating a fresh, uplifting contemporary space.
This is an example of a contemporary conservatory in London.

Solarlux Glass House /Glass Canopy

Solarlux Systems Ltd

The glass canopy provides reliable overhead protection against the rain for a patio, terrace or entrance; the addition of vertical, sliding glass elements form a glass house to provide all-round protection from the wind and rain, without obscuring your view. Every system will be bespoke and a perfect match for the architecture of your building as well as your needs due to the wide choice of shapes, colours and materials.

Raleigh Hills Sunroom Addition

TELFORD+BROWN STUDIO ARCHITECTURE

We were asked to add a small sunroom off a beautiful 1960's living room. Our approach was to continue the lines of the living room out into the landscape. Opening up and glazing the walls on either side of the fireplace gave more presence to the Dale Chihuly piece mounted above while visually connecting to the garden and the new addition. Ostmo Construction Dale Christopher Lang, PhD, AIAP, NW Architectural Photography

Contemporary Retreat

MAGUIRE CONSTRUCTION INC

Trent Bell Photography
This is an example of a large contemporary conservatory in Portland Maine with medium hardwood flooring, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Little John

Found Design Studio

Photo By: Trent Bell
Photo of a contemporary conservatory in Boston with medium hardwood flooring, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a standard ceiling and brown floors.

DELIWALA BUNGALOW

Usine Studio

Cozily designed covered gazebo sets an exceptional outdoor yet indoor zone
Design ideas for a contemporary conservatory in Ahmedabad with a feature wall.

Mt Rain House

place architecture:design

Tom Holdsworth Photography Our clients wanted to create a room that would bring them closer to the outdoors; a room filled with natural lighting; and a venue to spotlight a modern fireplace. Early in the design process, our clients wanted to replace their existing, outdated, and rundown screen porch, but instead decided to build an all-season sun room. The space was intended as a quiet place to read, relax, and enjoy the view. The sunroom addition extends from the existing house and is nestled into its heavily wooded surroundings. The roof of the new structure reaches toward the sky, enabling additional light and views. The floor-to-ceiling magnum double-hung windows with transoms, occupy the rear and side-walls. The original brick, on the fourth wall remains exposed; and provides a perfect complement to the French doors that open to the dining room and create an optimum configuration for cross-ventilation. To continue the design philosophy for this addition place seamlessly merged natural finishes from the interior to the exterior. The Brazilian black slate, on the sunroom floor, extends to the outdoor terrace; and the stained tongue and groove, installed on the ceiling, continues through to the exterior soffit. The room's main attraction is the suspended metal fireplace; an authentic wood-burning heat source. Its shape is a modern orb with a commanding presence. Positioned at the center of the room, toward the rear, the orb adds to the majestic interior-exterior experience. This is the client's third project with place architecture: design. Each endeavor has been a wonderful collaboration to successfully bring this 1960s ranch-house into twenty-first century living.

The Clearlake Plan 1272

Donald A. Gardner Architects

With its low-slung gables and unique clerestory, this modern Craftsman exterior home plan is distinctively appealing. Double doors open into the living space where the great room, dining room, and kitchen blend together. Retreating glass doors present rear views and expand living outdoors seamlessly. This home plan's kitchen layout promotes easy workflow and casual entertaining, and the nearby mud and utility rooms are tucked away near the garage. The master suite is fully appointed and situated across the home plan from two secondary bedrooms which share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom.

TCD Spring 2019 Showcase

TCD Homes

Design ideas for a large contemporary conservatory in Other with porcelain flooring, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a standard ceiling and white floors.

Shirley Woods Renovation

WINN Design+Build

Stacey Zarin-Goldberg
This is an example of a medium sized contemporary conservatory in DC Metro with light hardwood flooring, a standard ceiling and beige floors.

Backyard Reading Retreat

Board & Vellum

Photos by Andrew Giammarco Photography.
Inspiration for a small contemporary conservatory in Seattle with ceramic flooring and grey floors.

15 wonderful ways to boost light and space |

(Image credit: Conservatory Craftsmen / Landmark Photography)

Looking for conservatory ideas? Our love affair with conservatories can be traced back to the botany-mad Victorians, who would retire to their ‘glasshouses’ to cultivate rare and exotic plants.

Since those days, design, technology and engineering have come a long way, making the once-traditional conservatory one of most flexible rooms in the modern-day home. Efficient heating and air conditioning systems, plus heat-control glass and insulated window treatments ensure the space is comfortable year round, making a conservatory suitable for a home office, play room, dining room, or to use as a relaxed living space.

Below, we bring you conservatory ideas, both traditional and modern.

Conservatory ideas

The informality of a conservatory is perfect for modern-day living and, as interior designer Steven Payne of Maison AD explains: 'I’m often asked to design conservatories that open up the back of older houses. Well-planned sunroom ideas bring the outside inside so that even on chillier days you can still enjoy a sense of being outdoors.’

1. Take inspiration from nature

(Image credit: Westbury Garden Rooms)

If you are looking for home addition ideas with a view of the garden but a deep connection to the house, a conservatory should be high on your list. Careful styling and clever color choices can transform a conservatory into a true restful retreat from which to enjoy the glorious garden views.

‘This space boasts super large double doors on both the rear and side aspects that ease out into the garden for a harmonious indoor/outdoor lifestyle,’ says James Upton, Managing Director and Designer of Westbury Garden Rooms .

(Image credit: Future / Emme Lee)

If adding a conservatory would require planning a home addition, consider adapting shed ideas or a greenhouse to your needs instead.

While most people use their greenhouses for horticultural reasons, as you would expect, many are using their greenhouses in a more multifaceted way introducing living, relaxation, dining and lifestyle elements into their greenhouse or garden room use. The same goes with sheds.

While these spaces may be too warm for some, you do have the added benefit of being able to set your greenhouse right in the middle of your backyard or garden, so you can feel fully enveloped by nature.

3. Choose a traditional style conservatory

(Image credit: Malbrook)

Many house styles lend themselves naturally to classic white conservatories. These white frames not only look beautiful from the outside, they help bounce light around. While uPVC frames were popular for many years, painted wood is becoming a stronger choice.

‘Traditional sustainable hardwoods are recommended,’ says Mark Wild, designer at Malbrook . ‘New ultra efficient eco glass specs will also future proof the new extension to add value to any home.’ Add further interest with decorative frames, such as gothic arches.

4. Or, go completely contemporary

(Image credit: Conservatory Craftsmen / Landmark Photography)

If your conservatory ideas are contemporary and to be a new addition, maintaining the architecture of the main portion of the home creates a seamless flow.

'There are many design considerations when planning a conservatory,' says Evan Cohoe of Conservatory Craftsmen . 'The biggest it the existing architecture. When you hear conservatory most think of something Victorian but we can also go ultra modern,' like they did for this conservatory at a modern Minnesota home.

5. Double up

(Image credit: Vale)

Why have one conservatory when you can fit two? Double up on your conservatory ideas by building two styles to achieve the best of both worlds. In this elegant project, there is a classical orangery on one side, incorporating full panel sliding sash windows within a framework of decorative pilasters and entablature.

‘The main orangery provides a living room from which to enjoy spectacular views of the garden. Adjacent is a more solid construction housing sliding doors and a roof lantern, which provides a formal room for dining,’ says Lisa Morton, Director, Vale .

6. Opt for a wooden structure

(Image credit: Prime Oak)

Oak conservatories are a wonderful choice, especially for homes in the country. ‘Oak has been used for construction for centuries due to its remarkable beauty, strength and durability,’ notes Jonathan Stackhouse, Planning Manager at Prime Oak .

‘A timeless material that matures gracefully over time that also offers a sustainable eco-friendly solution, designed to be enjoyed for lifetimes to come. Today oak still provides unrivalled quality and a well-maintained oak building would add value to any property, regardless of its age. To help maintain and keep the building looking new, we recommend an oil based waterproof coating, usually to be reapplied 1-2 times a year, as required.’

7. Capitalize on a view

(Image credit: Conservatory Craftsmen)

A conservatory is the original room with a view, so it makes an excellent choice for a home addition in a panoramic setting.

'This room was intended for dining, housing greenery and gazing out at beautiful Lake Geneva,' says Evan Cohoe of Conservatory Craftsmen, about this Minnesota home. 'This is technically an orangery. In the summer the plants live on the patio terrace. In the winter the plants are pushed in. This is the way the Victorians used orangeries also.'

8. Be sympathetic to the main building

(Image credit: Julius Bahn)

Historic homes can often benefit from the addition of a light enhancing conservatory, as they often feature small windows resulting in dark rooms, but ensure you are careful.

‘A successful orangery design on a period home should not over-dominate the appearance of the existing building but be visually subservient to it,’ says Jonathan Stackhouse, Planning Manager, Prime Oak. ‘Oak framing utilizes traditional construction and carpentry methods which local authority planners often welcome in period settings.’

This project from Julius Bahn also carefully matched the new roof to the existing roof tiles in order to blend harmoniously with the existing home.

9. Boost light with a roof lantern or skylight

(Image credit: David Salisbury)

One of the most common reasons to build a conservatory is to boost the amount of light that enters a home, and exactly how much extra light you want will depend on the intended use of the space.

‘Orangeries with roof lights are ideal for kitchens as they provide a controlled amount of light through the roof and an opportunity to focus this above a kitchen island or dining table; whereas a conservatory, with its typically fully glazed roof will be the ideal design for plants to thrive,’ notes Karen Bell, Sales Director at David Salisbury .

10. Dress the windows

(Image credit: Blinds 2 Go)

Adding blinds into your conservatory not only adds an extra splash of beauty to the space, but will also help the space to be as functional as possible.

‘As your conservatory is likely to be the brightest room in the house, you’ll need blinds that adequately cut out enough sunlight to ensure the room is habitable in summer and on those blindingly sunny winter days too,’ says Leah Aspinall, Head of Design at Blinds 2go .

‘Another consideration is the heat. As conservatories tend to be mostly glass, they can get extremely hot in the summer months and cold in winter without adequate window coverage,' she says.

11. Make it modern with a glass box

(Image credit: Jonathan Gooch / Future)

From modern box to traditional conservatory, a glass-walled addition will boost your living space, brighten your home and provide a greater connection between indoors and out.

There is now a huge variety of high performance glass available, designed to improve energy efficiency and control solar glare. The type of structure and direction in which it faces will dictate what type of glass is most appropriate. ‘A north-facing conservatory will have a different glass requirement to a southwest-facing one, simply because it is exposed to less direct sunlight,’ says Lee Vaughan, managing director of Breckenridge Conservatories.

12. Opt for a sunroom addition

(Image credit: Future / James Balston)

A conservatory doesn't have to be an addition, it can also be a freestanding structure. Building a conservatory out in the garden allows it to double as a potting shed or greenhouse.

13. Create a space for rest and relaxation

(Image credit: Jody Stewart / Future)

The defining feature of a conservatory paints this option as a bit of an add-on as opposed to integral part of the building. A conservatory should have a lockable door to the main house and not share heating and plumbing services. But most conservatory specialists are happy to build conservatory-style extensions that flow with the main house and which have connected services that can support a kitchen, and certainly a comfortable living, dining or office area.

'Years ago, homeowners simply had a conservatory bolted to the back of their homes as sunrooms for use during warm weather,' says Paul Schofield, Apropos' technical sales manager. ‘These days, conservatories and other glass-heavy home additions are a fully-integrated part of the home thanks to improved thermal ratings, so homeowners can use and enjoy them all-year round.'

Conservatory structures are usually made of uPVC, wood or aluminum, with all three available in a huge range of colors. ' The choice is mainly aesthetic,' adds Paul, ‘although aluminum is particularly strong, yet light and is also resistant to corrosion, unlike wood which will require maintenance.'

14. Optimize an indoor and outdoor space

(Image credit: David Cleveland / Future)

A successful addition can dramatically improve your lifestyle – and the value of your home. Whether you’re based in the town or country, there’s a solution to suit every property. Here wall-to-wall modern glazing at the back of this rear extension completely opens up the kitchen-diner-living room to the garden. Continuous stone flooring inside and out link the interior to the outside space. Adding a conservatory or orangery to the back of a period property may require planning permission.

15. Make more living room

(Image credit: Parish Conservatories)

There are plenty of creative ways to use a conservatory, but they're also suited to meet the simple need for more living space.

Paul Zec, of Parish Conservatories in Connecticut, says he's quoted conservatories for use as aviaries, orangeries, and pool shelters, but the company designed the space above as a living area for a homeowner that wanted a sunny room to relax in.

How to choose the right conservatory?

While the range of conservatory styles – from Victorian glasshouses and Edwardian pavilions to minimalist boxes – has never been wider Mark Jones, of Town and Country, specialist in bespoke designs, says the market is dominated by two distinct looks.

‘On the one hand we still have lots of requests for traditional Victorian conservatories which look wonderful in a range of settings. On the other side, we are increasingly being asked to design a more hybrid, orangery-style structures. Typically these have solid timber or masonry walls with semi glazed roofs and tall windows or folding doors opening on to gardens or patios.’

Proportion is key. ‘Cheaper kit-form conservatories are often made for new-build houses so the design will be dwarfed by larger Georgian or Colonial properties,’ explains Mark Jones.

Privacy is another priority especially if you live in dense areas where fewer windows may be a more prudent option.

You will also have to consider the location. The best planned conservatory will capitalize on views of your garden. Do you need storage? If so, then an orangery style with more wall space will be more practical then a fully-glazed construction. For larger open plan spaces, roof lanterns placed above separate eating and kitchen areas add definition.

Will a conservatory add value to my home?

According to the Chartered Institute of Surveyors, a conservatory can add at least 5 percent in value to your property but only, says architect Jeremy Preston-Jones of Malbrook Conservatories, if the scale and quality of the glasshouse matches your existing house.

‘I’d say that most of our customers spend between five to ten percent of the property value on their conservatories. So, if a house is worth $900,000 a budget of $90,000 is realistic.’

What are the types of conservatory available?

Whether you choose to call it a conservatory or orangery there is a range of styles and design features to choose from. What you pick should ideally reflect your house style.

If you opt for a bespoke design, one idea is to replicate features from your house, such as arched windows or gabled roof in the conservatory to link the two structures. There is no reason to be slavishly faithful to the period of your house either. A sleeker modern style on a farmhouse could work just as well as a more conventional model, provided the scale and silhouette is complementary.

Victorian

The quintessential Victorian house style bleeds into conservatory design, with features such as a pitched roof with ornate ridges and facetted front, like a bay window.

Edwardian

Often square or rectangular, the early 20th century conservatory is less ornate than Victorian styles with a flat sometimes pedimented front and more useable floor space.

Orangery

The classic orangery combines stone or timber walls and corners with tall windows and a flat roof with glass skylight.

Lean-to

The simplest shape with a single-sloped roof and the longer wall adjoining the house. Can be useful for filling in corners and to avoid taking up too much space in a small garden design.

Gable Fronted

A vertical and front and steeply pitched roof that can be plain or ornamented. The design creates a generous ceiling height.

P-Shaped

Typically combines a Victorian-style section with a lean-to structure to make the P-shape.

T-Shaped

A symmetrical design featuring a larger middle porch section and wings that make a T-shape.

Lantern

Featuring a two-tier conservatory roof, the overall impression is of height, light and grandeur.

Do you need zoning or planning permission to build a conservatory?

In the U.S.

In most instances, if the conservatory is extending the footprint of your home or requires moving walls, you will need building permits before breaking ground. The exact regulations and types of permits you will need depend on the city where you live, since these regulations are governed at a local level. Your town planning and zoning commission is the best resource for information on building permits for a sunroom or conservatory.

In the U.K.

The recent brouhaha surrounding the Government’s proposed relaxation on planning has drawn attention to conservatories. According to Jonathan Hey of Westbury conservatories, planning rules and building regulations are often conflated. ‘Planning permission applies to the look and size of a structure, not it technical specifications. Like any extension, the conservatory will be subject to planning permission if it exceeds the permitted development area around a property.

‘It’s vital that you check your contractor or designer is up to date with the latest regulations’ says Jonathan. According to the Conservatory Association, ggf.org.uk, planning permission is often not needed for a smaller domestic conservatories that meets the criterion listed below. However, rules are constantly being updated so always check with your local planning office.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

With contributions from

Kaitlin MaddenExecutive Editor, Homes & Gardens

Beautiful winter garden in the apartment

After a hard day's work, any city dweller would like to feel the atmosphere of absolute comfort in his house. Winter garden in the apartment - 35 photo ideas. To create such conditions for complete relaxation is within the power of every owner of a city apartment, and for this it is enough just to arrange a winter garden in your home.

By the way, creating a winter garden in an apartment was considered only a dream until recently. But now, fortunately, such a dream has already become a completely feasible reality, and most importantly, what is required from the owner of the apartment, since this is the choice of the most convenient and successful place in the home to create a "green corner", as well as the correct selection of indoor plants. nine0003

You can create a winter garden in your apartment with the help of experienced designers who can offer unique and magnificent projects, which can contain complex solutions and interesting projects at the same time. You can create a winter garden in the apartment and on your own, and the recommendations below will help with this.

Watch the video: Winter garden in an apartment - 35 photos of ideas

Winter garden in a city apartment0002 In general, a winter garden in an apartment is a rather complex combination of evergreen houseplants. Some people think that it is enough just to purchase some beautiful flowers and create a “green corner” out of them, but, in fact, not everything is so simple, since it is also necessary to make a single whole composition from such plants.

It is also very important to choose the right place for the future location of the winter garden in the apartment, and the best option may be a window with a bay window or a well-insulated loggia or balcony. If it is not possible to create a winter garden in one of these places, then you can choose a living room for this purpose. nine0003

Next, you should decide on the plants, and if the dimensions of the room allow, then you can create a beautiful "green corner" of evergreen ornamental shrubs and small trees, such as ficus, fir or juniper. Further, small plants should also be selected as companions, which will feel great at a certain temperature regime. Winter garden in the apartment - 35 photo ideas.

You should also choose the right flower pots for indoor plants, and it is desirable that they match the design of the living room as much as possible in their color scheme. In order for the plants in the winter garden to feel great, it is necessary to install special fitolamps in the corner where they will be located. It is also necessary to purchase means for caring for plants from the winter garden. Moreover, there must be kits for cultivating the land, fertilizers intended for certain indoor flowers, sprayers and watering cans. Winter garden in the apartment photo:

Watch the video: Do-it-yourself winter garden

Modern design ideas for a winter garden in an apartment

How to make everyday life brighter and the room more comfortable. Pots of flowers and planters for some - yesterday. Today, the design of a winter garden in an apartment can be vertical farms and living paintings. Better yet, microalgae. We will understand the intricacies of modern floristry.

One of the current ideas of our designers, it was spied on by European colleagues, the idea is to make a winter garden in the apartment using unicellular microalgae of the genus Chlorella. To do this, microalgae are placed in photobioreactors, somewhat reminiscent of shutters. These shutters are hollow and filled with biomass water that grows in sunlight and produces oxygen. And it does it 4 times more efficiently than potted plants. nine0003

Of course, such a project with our winter is not feasible. Therefore, our designers suggest using giant reactor flasks indoors to decorate bright living rooms and atriums. For those who are not ready to replace flowers with flasks, there is another option for an advanced winter garden design in an apartment - a hydroponic vertical farm. Initially, space technology has now been adapted for everyday life. Here, the roots of the plants are not in the ground, but in the nutrient solution.

For this purpose, containers are taken that are interconnected. One is the main one, where the solution is poured, and already from it, with the help of a pump, it is distributed to other containers. As it circulates, the liquid is saturated with oxygen along the way so that the roots can breathe and do not rot. Lettuce, peas, peppers, basil, and this is not the whole list of plants that can grow here. Winter garden in the apartment photo:

Vegetable crops were not chosen by chance, because the garden requires increased attention, which is good, from the point of view of psychologists. Therefore, taking part in caring for plants, for example, at lunchtime, will have a psychologically positive effect on tired household members. And there are even statistics that thanks to this practice, the incidence rate is reduced, since caring for plants relaxes a person after a busy day at work. nine0003

Do-it-yourself winter garden in the apartment, but for the lazy - landscaping with phyto-pictures. The design is based on special shelves, a water tank at the bottom, and a special material on the back wall - the know-how of our scientists. Thanks to the inclusion of antibacterial peat in its composition, it raises liquid to the roots of plants without any electricity, nourishes them with oxygen and prevents flower diseases.

To make a winter garden in an apartment with the help of phyto-pictures, for this, of course, there is a recommended list of plants such as, for example, ampelous crops: this is certainly chlorophytum, tradescantia and all kinds of ivy. nine0003

Designers also made a big breakthrough and learned how to plant petunias and violets in vertical gardening. Until now, these plants were considered fastidious, and did not take root in phytowalls. Now all that is needed is to remember to pour water on the flowers once every 2 weeks. See the winter garden in the apartment photo:

The best winter gardens and greenhouses in the house - 42 photos. Beautiful interiors and design

If you decide to create a winter garden in a private house, then we congratulate you! Whether you live in a village or a big city, you will fill your life with joyful and pleasant moments. Fill your winter garden with exotic plants, turn it into an additional living room - at any time of the year you will be in harmony with nature. Whether you're hiring builders or building your own winter garden, we've got some good tips for you. nine0006

Natural stone walls add comfort to the winter garden

Winter garden glazing

Glazing is, of course, the key to creating a winter garden. Glass must be insulated. When designing a roof, its slope plays an important role. Calculate how the sun's rays fall in winter: the roof should be at right angles to them. Then in the winter you will be able to collect all the solar heat, and in the summer you will be able to hide from the scorching sun. All year round, your garden will be maintained at an optimal, comfortable temperature. nine0006 6

Add a couple of fresh accents using furniture

The glazed terrace as a winter garden

Winter Garden-Orange

Durability

mild winter, yet pay attention to a very important point: cheap materials are not even considered here! Glass and moving mechanisms must be of the highest quality if you want to spend time in your conservatory all year round. Regarding the choice of materials, we recommend contacting our partners: oknafdo.ru. nine0006

Enjoy a delicious breakfast or read a wonderful book in this winter garden

Why not celebrate the New Year in the winter garden?

Winter garden decoration

Of course, the winter garden can be used to store plants in winter. You can also make a greenhouse out of it, where you can grow your own vegetables all year round. However, let's consider the option where the interior of the winter garden resembles a living room where you can gather with the whole family, enjoy nature and fresh air at any time of the year and in any weather. In the first place - comfort and coziness! Use comfortable upholstered furniture or beautiful rattan garden furniture. Set up a comfortable table and don't forget the lamps. Thus, sockets will also come in handy for you. nine0003 Plants are without a doubt the soul of a winter garden. Fill the room with greenery. The very embodiment of comfort, round full of flowering plants, your winter garden will become an oasis where you can fill up with strength for new achievements!

Classic furniture in an aluminum winter garden

Do you think that the vine is only a summer plant? By no means!

Wonderful idea: winter garden dining room

Glazed terrace as a winter garden

If you already have a wonderful veranda or terrace where you like to spend time in good weather, why not glaze it? A small family does not need a large winter garden, a glazed veranda is enough - a calm corner with fresh air, where you can spend winter evenings.

Winter garden with protection from the scorching sun

Large winter garden with a domed structure

We publish for you photos of completely diverse, but without a doubt, the best winter gardens and greenhouses. nine0006