Conservatories – What Can They Add To Your Home?

Posted by West Country Windows on March 24th, 2020

Incredibly, conservatories and glasshouses were popular with the English aristocracy all the way back to the mid-1700s; at the time they were considered the optimal environment for growing tropical and exquisite fruits due to their capacity to attract more heat and stop rain from damaging plants! They were a sign of class and prestige- Wentworth Castle in Yorkshire is a prime example. Today these structures are more pervasive than ever. In fact, roughly 18% of UK houses feature some form of conservatory attached to the rear. That’s close to one in five households!

It was during the Industrial Revolution that the cost of glass plummeted, taxes related to its manufacture and sale were scrapped, and conservatories became more accessible to the general public. Joseph Paxton experimented with wooden structures, favouring them over the use of iron due to the latter’s high cost and its propensity to damage the glass and restrict insulation. Today’s glasshouses tend to be constructed using the most trusted available materials, notably the lightweight, rust-resistant and sturdy aluminium.

Evidently, homeowners are won over by the prospect of extra living space and a more plush external appearance to the property. Today’s conservatories are widely available in multiple shapes and sizes, modern and classic, which empowers conservatory owners to be highly creative in how they design, embellish and use their conservatory. Many homeowners adapt the interior purpose of their conservatory with the changing seasons. Most frequently, they are used as games rooms or as a sort of additional living room. Tiled roofs cool the conservatory space in hot summer months.

Another possibility for conservatories is to use them as a naturally well-lit dining room. With this approach, it’s much easier to get rid of lingering odours from the cuisine, as conservatories often feature large open windows to enable quick extraction of stagnant air to get fresh air in. In addition, you can free up the old dining room for another purpose. Perhaps it can be turned into a utility room or convert into a large kitchen. In some cases, you can use them for the original purpose of the old orangeries from centuries ago – growing flower plants!

The good news is that experienced window companies can install a brand new conservatory in as little as seven days. Get In touch with one of the leading window companies in the South-West, West Country Windows, to explore your options in more depth. We can provide you with some excellent design ideas and ensure you’re in a strong position to make the most effective utilisation of space according to your chosen purpose - and how (or if) you’re planning to adjust your use of the conservatory at different times of the year.

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With a reputation for providing quality products and solutions to enhance the fabric of your home for over 42 years, our experience, knowledge, and service are unsurpassed. We only supply and install quality Windows, Doors and Conservatories, offering highly insulated and fully weather resistant door and window frames, delivering the best in class technologically advanced glazing systems.