Adding a conservatory to your home is a great way to gain extra space without the hassle of building an extension or moving house. Conservatories are incredibly versatile and can be designed to meet your needs, whether you want a dining room, somewhere for the kids to play, an office, or somewhere to eat breakfast.

This article aims to provide you with conservatory ideas so that you can plan and create a useful and attractive addition to your home.

Size of the conservatory

It is important to get the size of your conservatory right so that it compliments rather than overshadows your house. It is also necessary to consider the primary use of your conservatory to determine how large you will need it to be. For example, if you are planning on using your conservatory as a dining room, you will need to consider the length and width of your dining table, as well as your other furniture.

You could try marking out the outside of the conservatory with string and garden canes so that you can see how big it will be, and much of your garden it will take up.

Conservatory design

Consider how to make a conservatory's design blend with the rest of your house. You will need to think about how you would like to arrange your furniture in order to make the most of the space and to get the best view of the garden.

French doors at the front of the conservatory are great for opening out onto the garden on a sunny day. However, you may want to position them at the side of the conservatory so that you can put furniture in the front and allow access to the patio.

When choosing your conservatory’s glazing, there are two main options – glass and polycarbonate. However, within these are a range of varieties to consider, including curved glass, frosted glass, toughened safety glass and laminated glass.

Position

When thinking about adding a conservatory to your home, you will need to think about where you will position it.

Having your conservatory facing north will keep it cool in summer (as your house will shade it), but may make it chilly in the winter. A south facing conservatory will be very warm in the summer and may need ventilation and blinds to lessen the glare of the sun.

Flooring ideas

The flooring you choose for your conservatory depends largely on what you will be using it for. If it is going to a child's play room, you should choose something resilient and skid resistant. For a kitchen, you will need a spill and moisture resistant floor.

There are many different types of conservatory flooring to choose from, including cork floors, natural stone floors, laminate floors, tiled floors and wood floors.

Costs and guarantees

The cost of your conservatory will depend on how large it is, what sort of design you choose, and the materials used.

Remember, your conservatory will be a part of your home; if you plan on using it regularly you should be willing to pay for a quality conservatory.

Your conservatory will be covered by a guarantee that should be for a period of at least ten years. Make sure that the guarantee covers the entire conservatory, including door handles and locks.