Not quite indoors and not quite garden, but filled with natural light and boasting the best views in the house; the conservatory is one of the home’s most relaxing and enjoyable spaces. Here’s how to help your conservatory reach its full potential with expert advice from Apollo Blinds.
1) Select the right blinds
Deciding on which blind is right for a conservatory or summer room is dependent on a number of factors; each type of blind offers different light and privacy control, and Duette® blinds offer temperature control too. The choice also comes down to the look it achieves along with fabric preference.
The most popular blinds types for conservatories and garden rooms include:
• Duette® blinds – energy efficient blinds to keep cool in summer and warm in winter
• Pleated blinds bring a chic, neat look to conservatories and are available in a choice of colours
• Vertical blinds bring subtle shade and variable privacy control, whilst still allowing light and air to flood through.
• Venetian blinds create a stylish and contemporary look, whilst offering great privacy and light control.
• Roller blinds come in a huge range of prints, designs and colours and when open give clear views of gardens and the great outdoors.
Popular operating systems include:
• INTU® (available with roller, Venetian and pleated blinds) fits neatly into the bead of windows and doors with no hanging cords or screws needed. Allows tilt and turn or pivoting windows and patio doors to move freely without damaging the blind.
• Motorised roller blinds can be operated in groups via a remote control.
2) Set the Temperature for year-round use
Gone are the days of cold unusable conservatories in winter and unbearably hot rooms in summer. Installing Duette® blinds will keep the temperature on an even keel all year round. The unique honeycomb design of ensures that rooms are kept at a comfortable and consistent temperature–where an abundance of glass can make temperature control challenging.
A room that’s usable all year round means you’ve room to contemplate the function of your conservatory. It’s no longer an abandoned space or dumping ground so why not use it as a dining room, introduce a day bed for a versatile guest bedroom or even install a bright and airy kitchen that’s filled with natural light.
See our conservatory Pinterest board for more inspiration:
3) Focus on furnishing
With only one or two items of furniture, lots of exposed brick, hard flooring and an abundance of glass, conservatories can feel cold and unloved. But there’s really no reason to leave the room looking sparse when just choosing the right furnishings conservatories can serve as an extra multifunctional space in the home. The addition of curtains and a statement rug makes this conservatory feel lovely and cosy. And an air of opulence is achieved with surprising design elements like the solid wood table, fuchsia pink display cabinet and chandelier.
4) Merge with outdoors
Although probably not achievable in your average household, we love the way this conservatory come greenhouse, with its climbing foliage and rustic picnic table, fuses indoor/outdoor living.
Indoor plants to your conservatory can have significant health benefits as well as adding to the ambiance, plus the extensive glazing can help to cultivate seedlings in the same way a greenhouse would.
For a Mediterranean air citrus plants will flourish in the conservatory. To expand the space be bold and introduce taller plants such as palms that will thrive even in adverse environments.
5) Don’t forget the Roof
We have made-to-measure roof blinds and other speciality products for conservatories and garden rooms.
