Last updated on July 3rd, 2024 at 11:09 am
Conservatories are a great way to add extra space without the cost of a bricks-and-mortar extension. And they give you an all-weather space in which to enjoy your garden.
But as nice as it is to have a conservatory, they do have their downsides. Commonly, they can be too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Furthermore, conservatories can lack privacy and style.
However, conservatories are fairly easy to upgrade and improve. Here’s four ways to boost the practicality and appearance of your conservatory
Get a new roof
The type of roof you have can vastly alter how your conservatory looks and feels. Many have a polycarbonate roofas they are the most cost-effective. But they’re not great at insulating and can look grubby over time. Therefore, it might be worth getting a new roof to improve the warmth and appeal of the space.
Glass is one option. It’s easy to clean and let in lots of light, to give you a bright and airy space. But it doesn’t necessarily help with temperature control.
To get the best results, you might want to think about getting a hybrid-style roof, with a mix of solid and glazed panels or tiling and roof lights. This option gives you the opportunity to add some much-needed insulation without blocking out too much natural light. You could also consider fitting self-cleaning or solar-control glass to help you maintain your conservatory and boost its comfort.
Of course, all of these options will add to your conservatory roof cost. So, you’ll need to think about how you’re going to use this room to help you decide whether it’s worth splashing out.
Put in underfloor heating
As well as keeping your conservatory cool in summer, you want to make sure it’s warm enough to use in winter. Adding some roof insulation will obviously help. But you could also improve the warmth by upgrading your conservatory’s heating.
Often, conservatories are added onto our homes after they’ve been built, meaning the room isn’t always integrated into the central heating system. Although we might add in electric panel heaters or a small radiator, this doesn’t always succeed in keeping the whole space at a comfortable temperature. That’s why it can be a good move to put in underfloor heating. Underfloor heating provides a nice, even temperature across the whole room and is much better at heating people than a radiator is. So, you’ll find it cosier when you sit out in your conservatory during the colder months.
Underfloor heating also has the advantage of not taking up valuable space. Unlike a radiator, it doesn’t require wall or floor space and won’t affect your furniture layout. It’s also an energy-efficient way to heat a room, so it should help with running costs.
Invest in new blinds
Another way to help maintain the temperature in your conservatory is to invest in new blinds. Good blinds can block out the sun when it’s hot and help to keep in the warmth when it’s cold.
It might be worth investing in blinds that are made to measure and built to fit into the window frames, to help lower hot temperatures and cut out draughts. This type of blind isopenable from the top and bottom, giving you more flexibility over light filtering and privacy.
Thermal blinds will improve things further. The cellular or honeycomb type are very popular in conservatories. They’re designed with pockets of air inside the blind material, giving them insulating properties.
Aside from the practical improvements, blinds can also help with the aesthetics of your conservatory. Good quality, stylish blinds will make the room feel more homely and loved.
Add bi-fold doors
Although most conservatories have a door to access the garden, you could improve flow between your house and garden by changing the design. If your conservatory currently has a single door or French doors, you may find swapping this for bi-fold doors makes a huge difference.
Bi-fold doors are capable of folding all the way back, giving you a seamless link to the garden during the summer. This can be improved by making sure the conservatory floor and patio area are all on one level. It may be worth considering usingthe same floor tiles inside and out, for a more seamless transition.
Opening the space out in this way can help to make a small conservatory more suitable for family get-togethers and entertaining. Plus, the installation of bi-fold doors will help to update the look of your conservatory.
