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From expansive garden rooms to modern-style orangeries, there are a variety of ways you can decorate your new space. Whether you've created a new kitchen or an entertainment area, you can make it the centre of your home with the right aesthetic.
Some might associate the use of a glazed extension to expand your home with merely adding additional space – slotting in a new dining room to the side of a kitchen, or building a home office off the side of the property might come to mind, for example. However, our clients know that not all glazed extensions are equal, and there’s so much more to our designs than the creation of more space. Choose an expertly crafted masterpiece with resplendent glass, classic joinery detailing and elegant proportions, and you add elegance and charm to your interiors. If designed with the correct scale and balanced proportions, a bespoke garden room has the potential to transform the architectural style of your property. It will provide your family with a multi-functional, light-filled, open-plan living space that quickly becomes the heart of the home.
Beautiful houses call for beautiful timber garden rooms and glazed orangeries.
Will you choose a light-filled orangery that offers uninterrupted views of your garden? Or is a classic garden room right for you? If you’re going to invest in a quality product with an exceptionally long lifespan, it’s worth understanding the different styles so you can make the right decision for your home. Bespoke garden rooms come in all shapes and sizes, but there are three main styles to consider – conservatories, orangeries, and garden rooms.
People often turn their noses at the idea of a conservatory, which is constructed from glazed units and built onto a brick base. Their reputation for being uncomfortably warm in the summer and cold in the winter has given them a rather bad press. While there is still a time and a place for elegant, fully glazed conservatories in the right setting, orangeries and garden rooms are becoming ever more popular with homeowners looking to transform their living spaces.
A garden room often has a fully tiled roof and will often feature glazed gables which take centre stage and form high vaulted ceilings. In comparison to a conservatory, an orangery or garden room allows for more insulation during the winter and better ventilation during the summer, ensuring that your living space has a comfortable temperature all year round.
An orangery has semi-glazed walls with a roof lantern built on top of a flat roof. Sunlight shining through a glazed roof lantern is beautiful, and it cleverly allows the natural light to flood into the open space below while still protecting the room from excessive exposure and heat.
Three roof lanterns and rattan furniture
The three roof lanterns make this orangery a real showstopper. What better place to enjoy a martini or a light summer supper? Balanced by symmetric lines and appropriate proportions to the rest of the house, the design includes two pyramid lanterns on either side, with one large central lantern to form the main focal point. Rattan furniture creates distinct spaces in the orangery, and in warmer weather, an outdoor dining room can be set up on the patio.
A green painted joinery to complement a red-brick Victorian home
This Victorian home has a mix of windows in various sizes, and all positioned at different heights. The new orangery needed to preserve as much of this asymmetrical charm as possible, so the pitch of the timber roof lantern required changing to accommodate the dropped bedroom window on the first floor. The homeowner runs her own interior design company, Emily Coco Interiors Ltd, so we based our designs on her exact vision. She opted for a dual colour scheme, painted with Westbury White on the inside and Westmorland on the outside. Find out more about the high-quality microporous paint systems we use on our joinery here, in our article about Combining Teknos Paint with Accoya.
The smart, green shade complemented the red brick house and was also used on the fascia round to the side garage.
Orangery with gothic-style glazing bars
The gothic-style glazing bars add depth to the lines of this timber orangery in Surrey, helping everything to feel new and crisp while still reflecting the character of the Grade II listed building. You can find out more about this beautiful project in our case study here.
Glass partition for a period house
This glass partition was added to the side of an orangery to help the proposed designed to obtain planning permission on this period property. It has a contemporary feel, the beautiful exterior brickwork of the main property is perfectly showcased, and the period characteristics are not compromised. See more images from this project in our article about Autumn Interior Design Trends.
A traditional timber conservatory
We installed this conservatory extension in Essex over 20 years ago, and it is still looking good! Wanting to enjoy entirely uninterrupted views of their surrounding garden and neighbouring woodlands, the homeowners chose a structure with a fully glazed roof and heavily glazed walls, making this an excellent example of a classic conservatory. With its south facing position and views of the garden, the room is calm, peaceful, and often used as a yoga and meditation room. You can read more from homeowner Mrs M, in our ‘Built to last! Quality glazed extensions, 20 years on…’ blog post.
An exceptional glazed timber pool house
Through the French doors of the kitchen, we created a sumptuous extension to accommodate a private indoor swimming pool. Three sets of bi-folding doors can be opened up in the summertime to make the ultimate indoor-outdoor spa.
A glazed extension, such as an orangery or garden room, will quickly become the heart of any home and will transform your relationship with your property. Contact us today to discuss your project in more detail or book an appointment to visit one of our showrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three main styles of timber glazed extension?
Timber glazed extensions include conservatories, orangeries, and garden rooms. They each differ in the proportion of glazing versus solid roof/wall structure.
How does a garden room differ from a conservatory in terms of comfort?
Garden rooms and orangeries offer better insulation in winter and better ventilation in summer compared to a fully glazed conservatory, which is prone to irregular temperatures.
Can a timber extension be adapted for a period or listed property?
Yes, our extensions can be designed and manufactured to complement the characteristics of a period home. Examples include Gothic-style glazing bars used on a timber orangery for a Grade II listed building, and roof lantern pitch adjusted to accommodate an existing Victorian window layout.
Can a glazed extension help with planning permission on period homes?
Yes, a previous project we carried out used a glass partition alongside the main structure specifically to help gain planning approval while preserving the original brickwork and period character.
How long do these timber extensions actually last?
One featured extension we installed over 20 years ago is still performing well today, and is now used as a calm, south-facing yoga and meditation space.
Can a garden room be built around a swimming pool?
Yes, we have previously created glazed timber pool houses with bi-folding doors that open fully in summer to connect the pool area with the garden.
Can I choose different paint colours inside and out?
Yes, we have a variety of paint colours and shades for you to choose from. You can view our current range by requesting our brochure.
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