So many people have conservatories that they can’t use all year round and they just become a dumping ground for garden furniture or drying washing. I have some great tips on how to make the space useable and not just that storage room you have to step through to get to your garden!
Tip 1: Always start with a good clear out and declutter and consider which furniture to keep and which to upcyle to fit your new scheme. Be ruthless – if you’ve not used something for a whole year, you are unlikely to ever use it again. Remember though that someone else might want it. I giveaway items on my local Facebook pages for free and they nearly always get snapped up that same day, which me makes feel a lot better than going to the tip.
Tip 2: To stop the extremes of temperature you can fix solar film on the roof to stop the sun’s glare. Go one step further and fix some beautiful fabric drapes to the ceiling to give a cosy tented look. See what Sophie Robinson has done in her conservatory in the image below – maximalist but stunning! This also helps retain heat in winter. And blinds on the windows is another investment that will add to the cosiness.

Image: Sophie Robinson

Conservatory with beautiful interior
Conservatory painted wall
Tip 3: Most conservatories have a low brick wall under the windows and bricks where they join the house. Painting these a colour that fits the palette of the room is a great idea – or for a more finished look plaster them first then repaint them. 

And of course it doesn’t have to be a neutral colour. Pick out a key colour from your scheme. Remember with light flooded rooms – especially south facing – any paint is going to feel warmer as the red and yellow tones will be brought out. If you want to “cool” it down consider going for grey or blue based colours.

Image: Sophie Robinson

Tip 4: If your windows are white PVC then I have seen people totally transform them inside by painting them. Use a good primer then paint them in the same colour as the walls. Personally I’d choose a dark earthy neutral for this, to get away from the shiny white PVC look. If you’re feeling brave, go for a colour as Sophie has done in the previous image! But just remember if you tire of it, re-painting window frames is a much bigger job than repainting walls, so choose a colour you’ll love for a long time.
Tip 5: If you want to create a snug / lounge type space then arrange comfy chairs around a coffee table in the middle, rather than looking out into the garden, to make the space more sociable and to enhance the feeling that this is a room in its own right. 

There’s nothing worse than a doctor’s waiting room feel where everyone is sat facing the same way!

Image: Westbury Garden Rooms
Tip 6: There are plenty of accessories that will cosy up your conservatory – a big rug that fills the space and feels warm underfoot and plenty of throws and cushions in different textures and patterns. These are the finishing touches that bring the accent colour and, of course, warmth into your scheme. Relatively speaking these can be picked up fairly cheaply from shops like TK Maxx, or why not re-purpose something from elsewhere in your home?
Tip 7: Finally don’t forget “layered” lighting – floor lamps, table lamps and even fairy lights hung from the high ceiling. They create different pools of light which make the space really inviting. 

If you haven’t got enough electrical sockets, there are many more battery operated lamps on the market now. Unless you can afford to fit more sockets then this is a far better solution than unsightly extension cables.

And remember the candles at night – beautifully scented ones will really enhance the mood and feel of your welcoming “new” room.

 

Image: Westbury Garden Rooms