Client testimonial: An Oxford orangery with entertaining in mind

From time to time, we ask our customers to write for our blog. Here’s Mrs J talking about how they designed an orangery with entertaining in mind.

With the addition of an orangery, our early Victorian townhouse now has the entertaining space we desired.

Having decided to downsize from the family home, we bought a townhouse in north Oxford, believing it to be in good condition and fully renovated. It soon became clear that there was a severe damp problem throughout the house and we therefore had to undertake major work. As a listed property, we had to obtain the necessary permissions at every step.

We decided to move the kitchen and dining room to the basement, giving us the ground floor for entertaining and the existing conservatory definitely needed to be replaced! Looking through a magazine I was bowled over by a photo of a garden room by Westbury which looked both substantial and elegant and we realised that was what we needed.

Westbury came to see the house and knew exactly what we were looking to achieve, as well as understanding that we would have to work within certain parameters to ensure the glazed extension was acceptable to both our neighbours and Oxford’s planning department.

Because Westbury had worked on similar properties, we knew we were in good hands and trusted them to progress with what ended up being fairly limited input from us. In fact, I only remember the planning department and us making a few small tweaks.

The new Orangery is traditional in style on the inside and out, and the double aspect windows and the beautiful roof lantern keep the room flooded with light at all times. It is a wonderful inside space which marries the house to the garden.

Assured by Westbury that the quality of the glazing would not allow damaging UV rays through, we used the same colour-rich style we have employed through the house for the orangery’s interior decor. This way the orangery feels more like a continuation of our home rather than an afterthought.

Our orangery really is the most amazing space in which to read, relax, host friends and throw parties. It’s spacious yet cosy and we are just so delighted that we came across Westbury’s advert when we did.