Conservatory Design 101: How to Design Your Own Conservatory
It is always fun to create your very own conservatory design if you are planning to put up one on your property. By coming up with your own design for your conservatory, even though you do not have the technical knowledge for it, you can be sure that you will get what you really want and be satisfied with the end results. Also, you get to exercise your creativity.
Of course, there are a few things to bear in mind when you make your own conservatory design. You can always work with an expert architect or builder to polish your design and add the necessary technical details, but it would be very useful if you know a few of the basics of designing conservatories.
Traditional Conservatory Designs
Most people who build their conservatories on their own as DIY projects often stick with the conservatory designs that are considered traditional. That is mostly because most DIY conservatory kits come in the traditional styles and have step-by-step guides. Thus, sticking with what is known, which is what traditional conservatory styles are, presents less room for error and are a lot easier to work on.
If what you are interested in are the traditional conservatory designs, here is a rundown of the five traditional styles:
1. Victorian. Conservatory designs in the Victorian style are characterised with their high-pitched roof and ornate ridge. They also typically have three to five facets on the front side.
2. Edwardian. Also called the Georgian, conservatory designs worked in this style also have a high-pitched roof and an ornate ridge. Its only difference with the Victorian style is that the Edwardian is more square or rectangular and has a flat front.
3. Lean-to. Lean-to conservatories have conservatory designs similar to the Edwardian except that they have a roof that slopes downward rather than pitched or hipped. The intricate ridges on the roof that makes the Victorian and the Edwardian styles distinct are absent on the lean-to conservatory style.
4. Gabled. The gabled conservatory designs are typically square with a high and vertical roof rather than a sloping roof. This style of conservatory is often regarded as great additions to old houses with a lot of detailing.
5. Combination. Combination conservatory designs are oftentimes a blending between the lean-to style and the Edwardian style, the lean-to and the Victorian styles, or the Victorian and the Edwardian styles. They are often P-shaped or L-shaped and are usually found in big properties.
Choosing Your Own Conservatory Designs
When you draw up the plans for your own conservatory, you may wish to lessen your headache by choosing between the five traditional designs specified above. However, if you want to make this project your own, you can definitely come up with your own conservatory designs to make your conservatory look truly unique.
There are a few guidelines that you have to bear in mind when you create your own conservatory designs. The most important of these is that you should always consider the overall style that your house was done in before you make your own design. Remember that your conservatory must always look as if it is a natural part of the house rather than stick out like a sore thumb.
How do you do this? One of your possible starting points in creating your conservatory designs is matching the size and scale of your conservatory with the size and scale of your house. You can also match the line of the roof of your conservatory with the roof of your house.
Space is another concern in conservatory designs. Your conservatory should maximise what space is available. If the space is narrow, you can create the illusion of wider space by putting full glass walls instead of installing dwarf walls for the base. Another way you can pull off with this illusion is by building a pitched glass ceiling. The clever use of ambient lighting and sliding glass walls can also extend this illusion. You can also minimise the amount of detail on the glass walls and windows if you want to "open up" more space in your conservatory.
Another guideline that you should keep in mind in making your conservatory designs is that eventually your conservatory should add to the value of your house. Most homeowners build conservatories as extensions to their home that will increase the property's market value in case they decide to sell it. If that is your purpose, you will not be able to achieve this if your conservatory was shoddily designed and constructed.