OPEN UP YOUR HOME
A conservatory is often the easiest way to extend the living space of your home without having to move house or getting involved in a costly and disruptive extension project. In many instances, planning permission from your local council is not required (but it’s best to check) and the extra room often adds value to a property, provided, of course, that it is built to a high enough standard.
Conservatories – and particularly full-blown orangeries – can also provide extremely versatile spaces, which can be changed as the family grows over time. Typically used as extensions to kitchens or as dining rooms, conservatories can also be utilised as playrooms when children are small, for instance, and then tweaked to become out-of-the-way dens for teenagers. In later life, a gloriously warm conservatory can be converted into a wonderful reading or breakfast room.
Based in Great Shelford, Cambridge Conservatory Centre has many years of experience in creating stunning conservatories for different types of properties, from period to modern.
“Conservatories and orangeries enable you to create additional living space for a wide variety of uses and are often the ideal way to provide a connecting space between existing rooms,” comments Tony Moore, managing director.
“What’s more, because they are used all year round these structures allow you to fully appreciate your garden and the ever-changing British seasons in comfort. Externally viewed, the right design will greatly enhance the appearance of your home and bring an added value should you decide to put your property on the market.”
With over 25 years experience, Westbury Garden Rooms based just across the border in Essex, has established a reputation for creating a huge variety of impressive glazed buildings across the UK, working with architects and homeowners alike. Managing director, Jonathan Hey, believes that the timeless design of his conservatories, orangeries and garden rooms make them a wise investment that will add value to any home, well into the future. The company has just published a Home Trends Report for 2014, which reveals the benefits of extending the home in this way.
“A post-recession ‘new status’ means we’re re-evaluating what makes us happy or successful,” says the report. “With 54 per cent of Britons saying their stress levels are rising, there’s a new perspective on our emotional well-being and, as a result, quality time at home has become a priority.
“Conservatories let natural light flood in to the home, which lifts the spirits and helps you connect with the outside. Extra space, meanwhile, affords simple, happy pleasures like home entertainment. We believe, therefore, that home extensions, such as conservatories, give people a strong emotional investment in their home, which in itself brings happiness.”
