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14 ways to transform a conservatory into something functional and fabulous.
Conservatories offer a way to enjoy the outdoors from the comfort of your home, even when the weather isn’t up to scratch. They have something of an undeserved reputation for being dated, but there are many ways to design and decorate a conservatory to make them as lovely as they ought to be.
The key here lies in finding a balance between indoor and outdoor materials – your floor might be flagstone, but covered in a bright rug, with plants sat in a decorative indoor planter. Garden furniture won't look out of place in a conservatory either, and equally a sink-in corner sofa encourages comfortable lounging.
One of the many joys of a conservatory is that its function is open to personal taste and interpretation. Perhaps you're a keen gardener and your conservatory is a place for potting plants and tending to a herb garden, or you love to entertain and use it as a grand dining room. This will of course dictate the type of furniture you use in a conservatory, the materials you need and the layout you create.
Here, we look at 14 decorating ideas to transform your conservatory into something functional and fabulous.
Take a leaf out of Sophie Robinson's book and capture the feeling of summer year-round. Sophie has had most of the furniture you see here reupholstered in a vivacious array of colour and pattern to achieve her cheerful design scheme, and the fabulous floral awnings are a clever way of shading in the summer and insulating in the winter.
Conservatories will always benefit from the warming effect of a rug, and something resilient like jute will better withstand the threat of muddy shoes. Pattern too is quite forgiving and will help to disguise scuffs and scrapes.
Pictured: Diamond Jute Rug at John Lewis
Traditional outdoor materials like cane, bamboo and rattan are great choices for conservatory furniture, and they are usually fashioned with interesting curved silhouettes, woven surfaces and decorative seat cushions.
We love the light and breezy coastal references in this conservatory with subtle nautical stripes and a refreshing white and blue colour palette. The freestanding wooden screen is a great way to mitigate glare from the sun.
Pictured: Country Living Tarland Armchair at DFS, and Hugh Sofa at DFS
Interiors blogger Lisa Dawson (@_lisa_dawson_) has documented the transformation of a disused courtyard into Instagram’s favourite conservatory. There are several elements here that can be easily replicated in your own home – the matt black framing that works so well with exposed brick, the XL statement lantern that makes the most of a pitched roof, and the living room-style layout with comfy velvet sofas arranged around a coffee table.
As a transitional indoor/outdoor space, conservatories will usually have hard flooring, and along with rugs, it is an opportunity to introduce colour and pattern. We would take full advantage of the conservatory being an occasional space and go for a real feature floor.
Pictured: Country Living Starry Skies Tiles in Chalk Grey at Homebase
This fabulous conservatory designed by Flack Studio is a ready-made design scheme. Recreate the look in your own home with painted brick walls – Farrow & Ball’s Middleton Pink is a great choice – and powder blue floor tiles, and finish with statement cane furniture and an abundance of frothy greenery.
Make full use of the height of a conservatory with the tallest plants you can get away with. Vines and climbers are a great choice too, framing you in a full floral canopy. When shopping for conservatory climbers, consider wax plants, jasmine or bluebell creepers for their resilience and delicate flowers.
Pictured: Narrow-Leafed Fig at Patch Plants
Bright, contemporary colours and patterns always look great in gardens and conservatories where they offer a vivid contrast to a more organic landscape. Colours of Arley are our go-to for the best-striped fabrics in an array of delicious colours.
Pictured: Pickle & Bonbon Stripe Exterior Fabric at Colours Of Arley
Conservatories are a great spot for entertaining – fill up the drinks cabinet and have some beautifully designed board games at hand.
Pictured: Orange Leather Backgammon at The Go-To
If you have a pitched roof, you can afford to install a large statement pendant light. Aim for a longer than standard flex to lower your light into the room for a bit of added drama.
Conservatories are usually fashioned from white uPVC and while practical, it isn't to everyone's taste. A colourful metal alternative is just as resilient and is a good deal more interesting to look at from inside and out.
Pictured: The Real Shaker Kitchen by deVOL. Design by Clarence & Graves.
A conservatory is usually thought of as a spot to enjoy during warmer summer months, but there is something undeniably atmospheric in cosying up under the cover of glass while it rains outside. Saying that, conservatories are notoriously difficult to heat in the winter, so keep blankets at hand.
Pictured: Late Afternoon Arco Blanket at Glassette
Take your cues from the Scandis – this is the Ett Hemm hotel in Stockholm – who have a design knack for integrating natural materials indoors. This conservatory replicates the fabulous black frame we saw earlier in Lisa Dawson's home, but in typical Scandi fashion, leans into a darker and more organic colour palette, adding some lovely warming elements in the abundance of throws and seat pads.
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