What Style of Conservatory is Right for You?
You thought it was a no-brainer really, didn’t you? You don’t want to sell your house in the current housing market but you need more room for your growing family; adding a conservatory will not only give you that room, it will add something in the order of 6.7% to the value of your house. So you’ve decided that’s what you’ll do, add a conservatory; it makes sense and you’ve always fancied eating under the stars.
What you hadn’t taken into consideration was the wide range of conservatory styles available; you are completely flummoxed, literally spoilt for choice!
Let’s take a look at the styles of conservatory available and see if we can narrow the options. The main styles of conservatory available here in the UK are:
- Victorian
- Edwardian
- Gable End
- Lean-to
- P-Shaped
Victorian Conservatories
The term ‘Victorian’ is something of a misnomer really - Queen Victoria reigned for almost 64 years and there were many ’seasons of style’ during her reign, going form heavy Gothic to almost insubstantial rococo! However, in terms of conservatories, Victorian style usually denotes a three-panel design that is rounded in shape. Some have four, or even five, panels Although it may sound unlikely, Victorian conservatories look good with many modern homes.
Edwardian Conservatories
The Edwardian era covers a rather short period of time - from 1901 when Victoria died, to 1910 and the death of Edward VII. Some architects extend the period to the end of World War I in 1918. In the simplest terms, where Victorian conservatories are rounded, Edwardian conservatories are square. After the overstyling of the Victorian era, an architectural diet seemed in order! For Edwardian, read classic, understated, pale colours.
Gable End Conservatories
Gable-end conservatories are ideally suited to older properties. Their footprint is square, and the front of the roof is vertical. Because there is no slope to the front of the roof, these conservatories give a spacious feeling and they make more of an impact than the other conservatory styles.
Lean-to Conservatories
You might see Lean-to conservatories referred to as Home Extender Conservatories, which is purely snobbish; the term ‘Lean-to’ has working class connotations that some conservatory companies seem to think is less attractive to the buyer than Home Extender! We stay true to our company objective of being honest and we call a spade a spade (or maybe even a shovel!). Other aliases for the lean-to conservatory are sun room, sun lounge, and sun garden.
In terms of style, lean-to conservatories have a square or rectangular footprint, with a sloped roof. They are three sided, with the fourth wall of the conservatory being formed by the wall of the house. They suit many modern properties and are particularly suitable for bungalows.
P-Shaped Conservatories
Well, P-shaped conservatories are exactly what it says on the tin - p-shaped! They are available in Victorian and Edwardian styles and in many combinations; in fact, an alternative name for the p-shaped conservatory is the combination conservatory. They perhaps give the widest choice because of the combination factor.
Choosing Your Conservatory
What style of conservatory will most compliment the architectural style of your house is a secondary consideration really. Practicalities must come first!
Make sure to consider the following:
- the size of your property
- the space available
- the pitch of your roof
- location of windows - both ground floor and first floor
- ease of access
- then appearance
If you find this all a tad daunting, let our conservatory experts help you to make the right decision.
And don’t forget that Double Glazing on the Web do not use salesmen, or hard sell tactics. We believe in open, honest communication with absolutely no pressure to buy. This means you can contact us confident in the fact that you will not be bombarded with spam or telephone calls.
Tags: conservatories, Home Improvements