It might seem a bit early in the season to be stepping into your conservatories and garden rooms yet (but there’s still an inch of sunlight left!!) but it’s not too early to start thinking about building one. If you don’t have one in your garden, it offers you the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors without being at the mercy of the elements. They can be expensive and they can detract from the beauty of a garden – but only if they’re not done properly. The perfect conservatory, extension or garden room offers you that link to bring the outdoors in. It exists as a transitionary room that binds your home and your garden into one large space. Here are 5 important things to consider, when you’re considering…
Proportion
Unless you plan to host a ball in your conservatory, it doesn’t have to be huge. Make it too larger and it will dwarf your garden, taking away the potential to bring an element of the outdoors into it. Make it too small and it will feel like a utility room. Along with the proportion of the conservatory itself, consider also the proportion of the furniture and design elements inside it. All of these will combine to make it feel like a natural extension to your house or as an intruding structure of your garden.
Aspect – Lighting & Temperature
Everybody wants a south-facing garden for obvious reasons, so a lot of people opt for a south-facing conservatory too. Whilst the same theory applies, that you’ll get maximum sunlight, do you really want semi-permanent UV rays beating down on your glass box? When it comes to designing and curating a comfortable, livable and enjoyable space – a northerly aspect is often preferred. Too much sunlight heats and dries the air inside a conservatory. Humans don’t like it and your plants certainly won’t either.
Plants & Flowers
You don’t want a conservatory without plants, but as referenced above; there are things you need to do first. If you’ve got the right ventilation and aspect, then you don’t have to worry too much about plant damage from too much light or heat. But something you do have to consider is that a lot of plants naturally want to face south, so you need to consider this so you’re not staring at their back-end all day! Also observe the same rules for looking into the types of indoor plants that are suitable for our climate.
Planning Regulations
The dreaded ‘P’ word. Planning is something that can upset even the most carefully laid plans, if it isn’t tackled first. Most conservatories won’t fall foul of plannign regs if they observe the height and overall size restrictions of a domestic structure. Most. There are quite a few exceptions including whether your neighbourhood is part of a conservation area, national park or other such zones. You’re always best consulting a professional here, whether it’s a property surveyor, building solicitor or an actual conservatory specialist. Whatever you pay for the help and advice will be more than worth it if it avoids you having to knock down your conservatory a week after you’ve finished it!