There are many types of conservatories and sunrooms, each with a style that suits modern or period properties and delivers additional sunlit space within your home. What are the different types of conservatories, and which type is right for my property? What are the various roof types, which is best, and can a style be customised to suit my home? Based on our decades of experience, we’ve examined the most popular types of conservatories below: Victorian, Edwardian, Gable End and Lean-To. Plus orangeries or tiled roofs. Here, let’s learn more about each conservatory type, its advantages, and features to decide which conservatory is best for your home.
Square or rectangular shaped for maximum space, minimal design and contemporary homes.
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Ornate, multi-sided, decorative and harmonious with period style properties.
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Triangular high roofline, grand clean lines, for maximum sunlight in limited spaces at your home's front or rear.
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A sloping roof leaning against your home for increased living area in limited or narrow spaces or side wall positions.
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A more solid extension with significant brickwork, large windows, and glass-lantern-feature flat roof.
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A tiled or non-glazed solid roof structure for enhanced insulation and further sunlight control.
Our SunroomsConservatories come in various styles, primarily influenced by their location on the property, available ground space, and personal preference. The four most popular types of conservatories we make are Victorian, Edwardian, Gable End, and Lean-To. Conservatories come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes, we fuse styles together to create bespoke L-shapes, P-shapes, and other rounded or wrap-around designs. Victorian sunrooms are the most ornate and serve as spacious sunrooms, making them ideal if you have an unusual space or seek a more stylized or elaborate look, and they work superbly with period architecture.
In contrast, the other three styles are often chosen for their contemporary and minimalist design or their position on your home. A Lean-To conservatory leans against the property, making it perfect for narrow spaces, lower eaves or longer, thinner plots positioned to the house’s side.
Gable End and Edwardian conservatories feature geometric, symmetrical designs that are well-suited for traditionally open, square spaces, thanks to their clean lines and corners. However, an Edwardian conservatory, sometimes referred to as a Georgian conservatory, is typically the largest with a pitched central roof above a square or rectangular base, providing maximum floor space – perfect for kitchen extensions. On the other hand, the Gable End conservatory also has a rectangular shape but features a high, dramatic pitched roof, making it suitable for smaller or more limited spaces that want to feel more spacious at the front or rear of a property.
To create a sunroom that enhances your enjoyment and maximises the potential value of your home, it’s essential to plan for a building that fits your available space, meets your intended use, and aligns with where you intend it to feature on your property. In terms of cost, size can be a factor, but also the base and foundations. It really comes down to size, where you want it, and the environmental and ground factors surrounding it. One significant cost saving we have seen is when clients replace an old structure for a new conservatory and recycle the existing foundations or base, A garage conversion, convert an old greenhouse, replace an old UPVC structure with a sustainable timber one, or even an old kitchen converted to a sunroom.
See ProjectConservatory roofs fall under glass or pitch and tile options. There are several types of conservatory glass roof conservatory systems, but we always recommend thermal and energy-efficient glass, such as Planitherm. Thermally efficient glass roofs reduce sunlight and heat gain, restricting the passage of heat and keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter. You can upgrade to self-cleaning glass that uses innovative coatings to break down dirt and grime for further benefits. Thermally-efficient glass roofs are the best choice if you want to maximise sunlight and keep within a sensible budget.
Alternatively, a tiled roof, or pitch and tiles, is the most durable and lowest-maintenance option for perceived lower U-values for those concerned about unwanted solar gain and looking to improve energy efficiency over standard roof glazing. However, the negatives of a tiled roof are that they usually cost more and will not deliver as much sunlight, making your space less radiant than a glass roof.
You can opt for a hybrid roof, combining a roof lantern with a traditional roof system or a tiled roof with roof windows. This delivers long-term energy efficiency, low U-values, extended durability, and the natural illumination of a glass roof.
Thermally efficient glass will deliver a timeless, classical conservatory roof for maximum sunlight.
Combining feature roof windows or skylights with a tiled or flat roof finish creates an excellent hybrid roof system for your conservatory.
For a more less illumination and the lowest solar gain, a pitch and tiles roof system on your conservatory will deliver the longest lasting roof system - a classic tiled roof.
Roof lanterns make a sunlight-filled statement on any roof, whether it be a sunroom, living room or upstairs room - they can be built into most roofs.
Imagine the transformative power of windows set into your roof, like flat skylights that seamlessly blend with your ceiling or elegant roof lanterns that rise gracefully above. A roof lantern, with its majestic pyramid shape, invites light to dance in from all directions, filling your space with warmth and brilliance. In orangeries, conservatories, and compact extensions, these windows are not just functional; they are gateways to joy, flooding tight spaces with natural light from above. With thoughtfully designed blinds and ventilation options, manually operated or using innovative smart home automation, you can control light and fresh air at your leisure. You can customise roof lanterns into new designs or add them to existing structures to transform them into sunrooms and let the light guide your household flow.
Our Roof LanternsAfter reading our guide, you may still be confused about what conservatory is right for your home. Perhaps you need something that combines a lean-to with a gable-end style, in which case we can design an L-shape. Maybe you have a circular patio you wish to transform with a conservatory on a period property; we could look at a customised Victorian style with a tiled roof and guide you through the planning and Heritage regulations. Although generally speaking, period properties are better suited to a Victorian conservatory and a modern home to an Edwardian, this is not always the case. Likewise, smaller conservatories are usually best suited to a lean-to or Gable-end, but features of other conservatory styles can be integrated to create a sunroom bespoke to you.
Explore ConservatoriesBeyond the conservatory and its architectural design, there are so many personalised options to consider, including patio or bifolding doors, the windows and their style and opening function, plus built-in automation, storage solutions, allowances for furniture, media systems, lighting or plumbing factors if you intend to use it as kitchen extension. Our years of expertise can help you unveil every unthought-of aspect, from the initial concept to the finishing touches. Whether you are just in the early research stages or have a complete architect’s design, see our process then brief us and let’s explore your project.
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