So you’ve decided that your home needs a brand new space, preferably one that lets in a lot of natural light and may serve as a way to bridge the gap between the outside and the inside. You’ve been looking around for a while now, doing some research, and you keep coming across conservatories and orangeries. But it’s not quite as simple as that, there seem to be several different kinds of conservatories alone, and you’re not entirely sure what an orangery is. After some more research, you’ve stumbled upon this wonderfully helpful article from Conservatory Online Prices that will walk you through exactly the kinds of conservatories you can get and exactly how an orangery differs from them. We appreciate that our customers come to us to find the most competitive prices for their new glass room extensions, orangeries or conservatory roof replacements. We also want to make sure that our customers are informed about what it is they’re going to be investing their money into. So today, we wanted to break it down for you to be assured that you’re fully aware of the main differences between orangeries and conservatories.

Conservatories

Conservatories are a classic addition to any home. Originally developed in the 16th century, these rooms allowed homeowners to look out onto their gardens or property from within the confines of their walls. These also provided a space to store plants to promote their growth during the winter. Conservatories these days are used by many homeowners as spring and summer living spaces as they provide a warm space within the home to sit during the day or evenings and relax with a nice book or a glass of wine. They also provide the home with an area that connects the interior with the exterior. Swinging open the doors of a conservatory can create a lovely space to sit that’s nice and cool but also still part of the outside. As such, we often see homeowners placing outdoor style furniture within their conservatories, such as rattan and bamboo chairs and tables. 

Conservatories these days come in a wide variety of styles. The glass roof is likely the most popular currently due to the amount of natural light that can enter the home, which is something that homeowners tend to prioritise with their conservatories. Conservatories also come in different shapes. The most common is the Lean-To. The Lean-To conservatory is best for homes with one storey and has limited garden space. The lean-to gets its name from the leaning, awning-like roof that houses the small conservatory coming away from home. Lean-tos are exceptional space savers and make a great choice for homeowners with limited space to spare. The other most common style is the Victorian style conservatory. Victorian conservatories are multi-faceted structures inspired by late Victorian architecture. The design features of the Victorian conservatory are suited to slightly larger traditional homes that have the space to spare in the garden, allowing for a Victorian conservatory to really stand out. Many homeowners love the elegant features provided by this installation. 

Orangeries

Orangeries, on the other hand, are an entirely different matter. Orangeries are European in origin and are traced back to the 17th century in Northern Europe. They were originally intended as a place to house citrus fruits (such as oranges!) during the winter months in a space that would promote their growth despite the cold weather. The buildings had to be secure and not too hot to cook the fruit plants but give them just enough light to help them grow and not die off during the cold. By the 19th century, orangeries were fitted with glass lantern roofs to allow even more light. The modern orangery continues this trend. Modern orangeries are brick installations with flat roofs that house a large glass lantern. Orangeries are much closer to a traditional extension for the home rather than something that looks detached as a conservatory does. Orangeries are also typically much more expensive to fit than a conservatory because of the brickwork needed to build it. Orangeries are the perfect luxury item for the homeowner looking to give their home a brand new space that fits in with the rest of the house. 

Quotes from Conservatory Online Prices

So there you have it. Conservatories are glass installations that allow natural light into the home and come in a wide variety of styles. On the other hand, Orangeries are brick installations that perform much more like a traditional house extension than a conservatory. They are considered a luxury item and therefore have a higher price point, but they are absolutely worth it.

Here at Conservatory Online Prices, we provide our customers with quotes from around the industry so that they can get the most competitive price for their new installation. If you’re interested in getting started on your next home improvement project, get a free no-obligation quote from us today! Our online pricing tool is super easy to use and gives you a price within minutes. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our online contact form. 

We look forward to hearing from you!