A conservatory brings light and life to an old home

More issues included the fact that the garage wasn't connected to the house, making winter dashes to the car a very wet experience. "I wanted something that was extremely low maintenance, that could connect the garage, create a living space, bring light into a dark part of the house, and that looked like it always belonged there."

With all these seemingly disparate requirements, Lorna realised that a conservatory was the key. "Our brief was to link the garage and utilise the space to its full potential," confirms Graeme Clark from Conservatory Construction Company. "Lorna is an interior designer as well, so we worked on the conservatory with her input."

The roof structure was the key to bringing in light and tying the design of the old home and the extensions together. "We always look at the design of the existing house and match the conservatory with it as a way of creating a consistency in look."

"We used timber on this project because that's the material used in the existing windows, and we opted for a chunkier look with the timber, to keep it consistent with the rest of the house," Graeme continues. "The structure is actually a steel frame enclosed in timber to create a warmer and softer appearance."

"The great thing about the shape of the roof is that it catches the rays of the sun in the glass, and reflects them back into the house," Lorna says. "I also got them to install motorised blinds and windows because some times of the year it can be glary, and the blinds give a lovely softness to the light."

"The cross breeze that the large number of openings creates keeps the conservatory a very pleasant temperature," Graeme says.

As part of Lorna's design concept, they used recycled materials as much as possible, both for environmental and aesthetic reasons. "I had a recycled marble floor installed, and that adds to the sense that it's always been there," Lorna says.

"I also have plants in that room, so there are drainage holes for water, and floor heating for winter."

Family and friends love the new space for the extra dimension it adds to the home. "It's amazing for how it's changed the way the house is used. It's so lovely to dine under the stars, and it's really cosy in winter. Most people have had a renewed enthusiasm for conservatories once they see how much ours has added to our home."

Graeme Clark

Conservatory Construction Company

Are conservatories usually combined or separated from the house?

It's up to the customer. They've got the flexibility of combining or separating the conservatory using bi-folds, but here they wanted to integrate the house as one open area.

How do you keep heat out of conservatories in summer?

If there's 30 to 50 per cent of the wall with openings - doors and windows - then you can get enough cross breeze to cool it down. We also manufacture thermal blinds that re-radiate heat back out of the glass, so when they are pulled across they act just like a normal roof.

What about keeping the space warm during winter?

There are many ways to keep the conservatory warm - double glazing, high-tech low-E glass, thermal blinds and extending the existing heating system. By keeping the conservatory windows and doors shut, the winter sun will keep the area cosy even on overcast days. 

What type of glass do you use in different projects?

Well there's a huge range of options available, depending on the needs of the family. Conservatories are actually very high-tech, and different types of glass are chosen according to need. So for heating, cooling and safety, we use a combination of high-tech glass, double glazing and thermal blinds.

What roofing options are available?

Well we can do anything, but normally it's in keeping with your actual home. So this one we used timber, but on a modern home we may use structural architectural aluminium.

Lorna Wallace

What other features did you add to the room?

I had a fireplace installed to create a sense of grounding in the room. It creates warmth in winter and also gives us more privacy from the neighbour. I got it in limestone because of the warmth the colour adds.

Do you like the open-plan space?

Oh yes, we love it! We had to knock out the walls, so we put in columns that are identical to other ones in different parts of the house. It's these elements that are repeated through the house that tie the design in.

How flexible were Conservatory Construction Company to your design ideas?

They were wonderful; they didn't insist that I had to use this or that, and they're very experienced with what they do. 

You chose to put in a wooden table to the room - how does it benefit the dining experience?

It's a casual, relaxed, solid table. It was meant to be moveable and my husband chose it and then brought it in, but it is heavy! I don't think we'll be moving it any time soon. But that's fine because you can entertain around it. 

What made you choose the metal candelabra?

I just saw it and felt it was right for the space. It is gothic in style, but I had candles put into it so it seems warmer. I know it's more glass, but I liked the strength of the metal.