Client testimonial: spacious kitchen orangery with garden views

From time to time, we ask our customers to write for our blog. Here’s Mr. M on how his kitchen orangery has and opened up their property and become the ‘hub of their home’.

We bought our Victorian house with the intention of renovating it to suit our needs, and this included extending the kitchen space. Victorian properties typically have tunnel-like, galley kitchens which can be dark and uninviting. However, as keen cooks, the kitchen has always been the hub of our home, therefore we wanted to create a large, light, square-shaped kitchen area in which we could spend quality time together when our three sons come back and visit. 

Beautiful connection between home and garden

Although we’d downsized since our children flew the family nest, we didn’t want to feel like we had compromised on space, so plenty of natural light was a key factor in order to open up the property. Our roof lantern spans most of the orangery ceiling, flooding the room with natural light, creating a bright and welcoming feel. The neutral colour scheme of the interior and joinery paintwork makes the space feel all the more roomy, whilst the kitchen units add complementary pops of colour.

Our kitchen is now so much more than somewhere to simply prepare food. Part of our decision to open up our kitchen was so that we could incorporate the garden as an extension of our indoor space – and we’ve certainly achieved that. Now, we can cook against a beautiful garden backdrop, enjoy family meals in the large dining area with wonderful outside views, or throw open the French doors to create a seamless connection between our orangery and garden. 

Quality craftsmanship

As well as natural light, quality was also a top priority for us. Therefore we opted for an orangery-style extension rather than a conservatory as it felt more of a substantial architectural addition.

We have always spent a lot of time in the kitchen, so it was really important to us that this space could be used all year round.  We knew that if we invested in a well-crafted extension rather than a typically seasonal conservatory, we could achieve this.

Whilst researching our options, we gathered quotes and images from local conservatory manufacturers, but as quality was a crucial factor for us, we were concerned that the products presented to us wouldn’t stand the test of time or provide that premium finish we were looking for. 

When approaching Westbury, I had already built up a good idea of the sort of glazed extension I wanted from browsing through images and examples of other orangeries. I sent Westbury my initial design ideas and they gave us expert advice on what would work architecturally and aesthetically, whilst still achieving our key requirements. When we paid a visit to the factory and saw the quality of windows and fixtures being made, we knew that Westbury could deliver on our vision.

Invaluable care and attention

Throughout the construction phase of the project, the builders were professional and accommodating. They were always happy to address any suggestions or queries we had, and any additional jobs that cropped up throughout the process were simply absorbed into the project; nothing was too much trouble. 

The level of care and attention we received was invaluable, and has continued long after the build stage. I know, even years later, that I can contact the team should we have any issues and they’ll be happy to help – although, to be honest, our orangery is still like new! In fact, we were so impressed by our experience, we’ve already recommended Westbury to our friends for their glazed extension project.

We absolutely love our new space and the quality of living it affords. 

Did you enjoy Mr. M’s story? Take a look at our library of client testimonials here.