If you are planning to add an orangery or bespoke conservatory to your home in 2025, or perhaps are looking for ways to refresh an existing glazed extension, then there’s a lot to think about. They are an excellent way to add extra living space to your home, and also to provide a light-filled room with uninterrupted views of the garden.
Thoughtful interior design will help you to make the most of your orangery or conservatory, and ensure that it doesn’t become a cluttered space with no clearly defined purpose. Here are some ideas to put your own stamp on the extension, so that whatever you use it for, it will always be a welcoming and pleasant place to spend time.
Link the space to your kitchen
One of the most popular uses for a glazed extension in recent years is to link up to your kitchen, which creates a pleasing light-filled space. It’s ideal for family homes, where the kitchen is usually a hub for everyone to congregate.
An orangery extension with partial walls can be used to accommodate kitchen units and appliances, while a conservatory that has floor to ceiling glazing can be used as an informal seating and dining area.
Use the same flooring throughout the kitchen and extension to create a sense of continuity, such as engineered wood or natural stone tiles. For the open-plan kitchen and family hub to work all year round, you’ll need to ensure that you have the right forms of heating and insulation in place.
Ideally, the windows and doors should be double or triple glazed and be made from low-emissivity glass (aka low-E glass). This type of glass has a special thin transparent coating of metal oxide on the internal surface, which lets light filter through, but reflects the heat back into the room.
Underfloor heating is an ideal option for both conservatories and orangeries. It is energy efficient, providing a pleasant gentle warmth that radiates from underfoot to evenly heat the whole space. Even for hours after the heating has been turned off, the room temperature will remain at an ambient comfort level. Blinds or lined curtains will further help to conserve heat.
Choosing the right colour palettes
Don’t underestimate the power of a colour palette to transform a glazed extension! This might not seem too important if you want to prioritise the outdoor views, but colour plays a significant role in our mood and motivation levels, helping to set the tone for the whole space.
If you are linking the glazed extension with another area of your house such as the kitchen or living room, then use similar colour palettes to create a sense of continuity and cohesion.
If your conservatory or orangery is part of an extension that runs across the back of your house rather than links to an open-plan design, you may wish to leave the original brickwork exposed to create a modern rustic or industrial look. Combine with neutral colours and natural materials such as wood or leather furnishings.
While neutral tones will always have their place, recent years have seen a trend towards bolder colours. The great advantage for using stronger colours in your conservatory or orangery is that they won’t be in danger of being overwhelming, thanks to the large glazed panels.
There is also more scope for using soft furnishings to add colour accents, which are easier to change than wall coverings and carpets should you tire of a particular colour palette. Earthy colours such as sage, moss green, and terracotta are currently fashionable choices. If you prefer brighter hues, go for rich jewel tones of emerald or sapphire.
Get the lighting right
To encourage the whole household to make the most of the space all year round, it’s important to pay close attention to the lighting. This may not seem to be a priority if you are planning your glazed extension in the spring and summer, with lovely long light-filled days.
However, a well-designed lighting scheme will not only enhance the beauty of the space, but increase the number of ways in which you can use it.
Aim for layers of lighting, starting with a pendant light that can form the centrepiece of an orangery, or be fitted to the ceiling frames in a modern conservatory. Add accent lighting with floor and table lights that can be used to provide a decorative touch, as well as task lighting for reading, working or hobbies.