Make the most of your space with these orangery extension ideas…

Any extension should offer you additional room while transforming the look of your home. But how can you make the most of your new space? We reveal our top tips for designing the perfect orangery extension…

A Westbury orangery or garden room is a delicate balance of proportion, space, light and colour. It’s a room that feels like a truly special part of your home. There are a multitude of functional ways that an orangery or garden room can work for you and your family and focusing on what you want to achieve with your new extension is vital if you want to maximise your room to its full potential.

Your orangery designer should deliver a functional space that perfectly suits your family’s needs. Here are some of our favourite ways we’ve helped our customers make the most of their new extensions…

Modern wine room

A modern wine storage room is ideal for those who love to use their space for entertaining. This elegant orangery with twin lanterns was built to the back of a modern country property in Surrey.

Complete with a smart dining area and comfortable living space, it has a bespoke, stylish wine room that showcases a whole collection of fine wines and ports.  

Stylish storage

Use practical furniture that combines open shelving with hidden storage to cleverly disguise everyday items, reduce mess and allow light to flow throughout. This smaller sized orangery was perfectly designed to suit the proportions of this period listed cottage. The unique design sits well with the rest of the property, creating a spacious area for the young family to spend time together in. During our consultations, our clients explained that finding extra storage space had been a struggle in recent years, so we designed a stylish, built-in shelving unit to one side of the orangery for storing toys and books.

Drinks from the bar

This townhouse orangery sits on top of an existing masonry garden room. The space was originally an open roof terrace, used occasionally for hosting drinks and evening get-togethers during the summer, providing the British weather stayed dry! The client wanted to transform the terrace into a space for relaxed and stylish entertaining that could be used all year round, come rain or shine. We made margarita hour a much happier hour, with a contemporary bar area that promises easy access for guests to help themselves. Complete with a sink, worktop, shelving and storage, the bar looks stylish and inviting, while still being tucked away to one side.

In the zone

It’s one of the simplest interior design concepts for open plan living, but it can be the most effective. When you’re styling a larger space like a garden room or an extension, it’s a good idea to create some smaller, defined zones which help to give purpose.

Splitting your extension up will make sure that there are no unused corners and will help you get the most out of your room. Rugs, furniture, lighting and colour can all be used to highlight different areas. Provide ample space for walking around dedicated zones.

Look to the outside

One of the biggest benefits of a garden room or orangery extension is the way they can connect your garden with your indoor space. By simply throwing open your doors, you can completely extend your room out to your patio while inviting the sounds and scents of your garden inside. It creates flow and helps your family feel a little closer to Mother Nature – what could be better than that on a balmy summer day?

Giving your garden a bit of TLC with some new garden furniture is one of the quickest and easiest ways of doubling your living space during the summer, and if you want to go all out, invest in a new and inviting patio or seating area.

This London townhouse is an excellent example of how an orangery can help make the most of your space. Originally the lifeless kitchen sat in a shaded corner in the lower ground basement, but the orangery brought it back to life, creating a bright and spacious room which opens out onto a beautiful stone patio.  

Fill in the gaps

It’s not unusual to feel a little overwhelmed when you’re styling a larger, open plan room. There’s so much space to fill! If the room looks a little empty or redundant, then it simply won’t be used as much – so how do you decorate with balance and proportion in mind? Once you position your key pieces of furniture, identify any potential bare-looking gaps and think about how to address them. Tall houseplants are fantastic to use, as they love all the natural light that streams into an extension and they help to draw the eye and accentuate the high ceilings.

Have a seat

Consider the scale of your room with regards to seating, especially if you’re intending on hosting lots of gatherings. Larger rooms allow for more people, so make sure there are enough chairs for everyone to sit! You want people to feel comfortable and welcome, so include a variety of seating options for them to choose from. This L-shaped orangery includes a pair of comfortable and vibrant armchairs, a casual breakfast bar on the end of the kitchen island and a casual bench at the back.