GUIDE TO BUYING AN ORANGERY TRANSFORM YOUR HOUSE INTO THE HOME YOU VE ALWAYS WANTED WITH CRYSTAL LIVING

Transcription

1 GUIDE TO BUYING AN ORANGERY TRANSFORM YOUR HOUSE INTO THE HOME YOU VE ALWAYS WANTED WITH CRYSTAL LIVING

2 CONTENTS O4 ORANGERY OR CONSERVATORY? 08 COLOUR O5 HOW ABOUT PLANNING? 09 USING YOUR ORANGERY O6 MATERIAL OPTIONS 10 DOORS + HARDWARE O7 GLAZING OPTIONS 11 DESIGN FEATURES 2

3 GUIDE TO BUYING AN ORANGERY Orangeries were originally built to grow citrus fruits in our cooler climate and were traditionally the preserve of the wealthy in their stately homes. The recent revival of the orangery offers an elegant, high roofed, light filled extension to a property with large roof lanterns and tall windows. There are lots of design options available when choosing an orangery for your home. Orangeries have evolved to become stunning, modern home extensions which combine large glass areas and lots of wall space for a dynamic living space. 3

4 ORANGERY OR CONSERVATORY? Generally speaking, a conservatory is designed as a glazed structure, creating a light filled space from which to enjoy the garden all year round. Orangeries, however, have evolved to become an extension of your home. Combining lots of glass with more traditional construction methods, orangeries bring in plenty of natural light, but still provide enough wall space to make it feel like a real room. If the design is well-insulated, an orangery can be used as a kitchen, living space or even a study. The stand out features of an orangery are roof lanterns, brick pillars and sections of solid wall next to large windows and doors. From traditional Edwardian-style structures right through to modern, cutting-edge designs, a bespoke orangery can offer a stunning addition to any home. And with the huge choice of materials and tailored layouts available, an orangery is within reach for any budget. 4

5 HOW ABOUT PLANNING? REGULATIONS ADVICE In 2012, the government passed legislation that relaxed the domestic planning constraints for most UK residents. This has now been extended until It s vital that whoever you seek design or build services from understands the extensive criteria which surrounds these relaxed laws. You may find it beneficial if your chosen installation company offers you a full in-house design service as it can save you lots of money compared to using an architect. Always be aware that Planning Permission and Building Regulations are two very different things. Even if your build doesn t require Planning Permission it will still need to adhere to a strict set of Building Regulations. USEFUL LINKS Orangery FAQs Planning permission Building regulations Planning portal 5

6 HARDWOOD TIMBER ALTERNATIVE PVCu Hardwood, PVCu, aluminium and timber alternatives are the main choices for orangery frames. Different house styles and personal tastes will determine the choice, as well as practical considerations. HARDWOOD is the original material option in the UK. It s still the first choice for many, especially for traditional designs. Innovations in engineered timber products and efficient glazing mean that hardwood orangeries can be opened up to the existing property and still comply with regulations. TIMBER ALTERNATIVES - Even the most ardent fans of hardwood can sometimes fail to see a difference between the latest alternatives and real wood. More homeowners are being drawn to the desirable lack of maintenance and longevity of these products, combined with their stunning aesthetic. MATERIAL OPTIONS ALUMINIUM PVCu is becoming more popular again. It is undoubtedly the lowest maintenance product available, is available in an infinite colour range and offers undeniable cost advantages. It also has excellent thermal efficiency, especially when coupled with triple glazing. ALUMINIUM is a really strong material, which is why it has always been such a popular choice for large industrial installations. Now many homeowners and architects are drawn to its slim sight lines when designing a more contemporary structure. LOGGIA was primarily introduced to bridge the gap in the market between a traditional orangery and the standard conservatory. Its clever use of many different materials and great thermal efficiency has meant it has become a serious consideration for many potential clients. LOGGIA 6

7 GLAZING OPTIONS Glass choices are really important for any kind of glazed extension. Think about the practicalities you wouldn t have a brick extension built without insulation. So when you re a having a wall of glass built, you want to make sure it will keep your new space warm in the winter, cool in the summer, be low maintenance and look great. There are lots of different glass technologies available to make sure that your orangery is all of these things. Heat reflective glass has been developed in lots of different types that reflect and absorb different rays. It means that orangeries contain heat when it s cooler and don t turn into greenhouses in the summertime. Self-cleaning glass is usually a coating that works as a catalyst to cause a reaction between organic matter, or dirt, and sunlight. Then when it rains, the dirt simply washes away, meaning you don t have to worry about cleaning glass on skylights, high windows or other hard-to-reach places. Glass designs come with unlimited variables. Depending on the style of your orangery, home and personal tastes, you might want to think about coloured or patterned glazing, Georgian bars or leaded patterns or crystal bevelled glass to capture sunlight. There s the added option of things like privacy glass, if you have a window that is overlooked by neighbours, or even integral blinds that sit between the two panes of double glazing. 7

8 COLOUR Regardless of material choice, the latest coating and paint technology means you can choose almost any colour under the sun for window frames, roof structures and wall finishes. Timber orangeries tend to be painted which gives a stunning hand-finished look. Aluminium can be powder-coated in any colour and PVCu can be foiled (which usually has a limited colour range) or spray painted. Dual-colour options are a popular choice for window and roof frames, so you can have an external colour to match your windows or contrast with brick work and an internal colour to co-ordinate with the plans for your interiors. COLOUR CHOICES This season s colour trends are French Grey 8 Pale Green Duck Egg Blue True Black Cream

9 HOW WOULD YOU USE YOURS? With the right technical considerations and design features, an orangery can be any kind of new room you re looking for. Your designs will alter depending on how you want to incorporate your new space into the existing layout of your home. There is the option to remove existing walls to create large open-plan living areas or you can choose to use your existing door way and have it as more of an additional room. Open plan living areas make fantastic kitchendining areas with enough room for dinner party guests to mingle around the island whilst you cook and plate up your starters. You can create a wide open space with a large dining table, lounge seating area and kitchen, so that when different members of the family are doing homework, cooking tea or watching the news, you can still all enjoy being in a communal family space. If you have a large family and Sunday lunch gettogethers prove difficult to squeeze everyone into, your orangery can be turned into a merged living and dining area where everyone can gather comfortably and enjoy good food and each other s company. It might even be that you re looking for a family play or games rooms, where the children can spend time during the daytime and the grown-ups can take over after bed-time to catch up on the latest blockbuster. The great thing about an orangery is its flexibility ultimately it s about creating a bespoke space that works for your family where you can also enjoy views out into the garden. 9

10 HARDWARE As with most projects, the finishing touches can add so much aesthetically and there are lots of different styles and finishes to be explored. It s also an important feature of the hardware that all the latest security options are included like anti-pick and anti-bump locks. DOORS Adding an orangery to your property potentially creates a need for two new sets of doors. One in between your existing property and your orangery and one leading out into the garden. Opting for doors with a wide glazed area to link new orangeries to properties means that the extra light captured by your orangery s glazed roof will be brought through into the rest of your home. If you choose to merge the space in your existing property with the new space created by your orangery into a wide open plan living area, it ll just be a question of how you want to open your orangery out into the garden. Sliding, patio and lift and slide doors let in lots of light and give you a fantastic opportunity to completely open up your home to your outside space. Not only does this give you the outdoor-indoor merged living space that is right on trend, it also makes garden parties, BBQs and al fresco dining weatherproof to even the heaviest British summer downpour! There are different configurations and materials to choose from in order to create a removable wall as part of your orangery, or just simple French door styles, if that s what your prefer. 10

11 DESIGN FEATURES Here are some tips on basic design features: Does your garden face north or south? South-facing orangeries can be subject to lots of sunlight so you will need to think about thermal control glazing. North-facing orangeries might suffer from lack of sunlight in the winter, so you might want to choose more interior lights. Ventilation is another consideration It s really important to get a nice air flow around rooms. This might be done with vents in your roof but consider accessibility and how close your roof is to your guttering. Lots of people opt for small top opening windows for extra ventilation and it gives them the opportunity to add decorative glass, too. Think about where you look If you choose to have top opening windows, consider where your eye-line is. You don t want your view out into the garden blocked by a frame when you re sat reading the paper or standing up to have look at how your sunflowers are getting on. 11

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