Guest Post: Creating a Unique Design for Your Orangery

Owning an orangery can change your home in ways you've never known.  The space you'll gain is ideal for all kinds of home activities.

Whether it's somewhere for children to play or a home office, an orangery provides an ideal environment for all environments.

Use Your Own Sense of Style:

To make the structure truly unique and comfortable experience it's vital that you have decor that represents your own personal style.

The common belief it that an orangery should be painted in a neutral colour such as magnolia or a solid cream white.  But while this makes for a setting with a natural mood, it doesn't necessarily capture the mood of the room, and can limit the creativity of having a unique space separate from the rest of your home.

Bright colours and a modern chic look is just as suitable as any other design, and can allow you to express yourself without following trends. 

Capturing the Tone of Your Home:

However, if you do want the tone of the orangery to be a continuation of the rest of your household, you can match the two by incorporating a shade or style that is already prevalent throughout your house. 

This is particularly useful if you want your orangery to act as more of an extension to your home rather than a separate entity for other uses.

Orangeries can be designed so that they support the build of the house.  For example timber conservatories are useful for capturing the appearance of older, traditional buildings as explained in this timber conservatory blog.

Matching Your Decor for an Intended Purpose:

If you have a specific use in mind for your orangery, it makes sense to cater your decor so that it supports the tone and stylistic intentions of such usage.

For example, if you plan for your orangery to act as a dining room, ensuring that there is space for a good quality table to serve your guests is essential.  If your orangery will function primarily as a children's playroom, it's good to make the room child-friendly through the use of bright colours and imagery that will appeal to child. 

If the structure is intended to be a working environment, a more formal tone might be advisable, especially if it is somewhere clients might be visiting.

If the intention of the orangery is to act as a relaxation room for quiet reading and other tranquil activities, a colour scheme of calming blues and greens will help set the peaceful tone. 

Cultivating Plants in an Orangery:

The original use of an orangery was to cultivate exotic plants in a European climate, a practice which continues today.

Many plants will prosper in an orangery environment, and citrus plants are a popular choice in modern British homes.  If tended to correctly they will produce delicious fruits such as oranges and lemons.

Complimenting Your Garden:

An orangery is also ideal to compliment the look an style of your garden to create an effective outdoor aesthetic inside your home.

One useful way to do this is to match the colour scheme of your plants that you cultivate in your orangery to those in your garden, therefore creating a timeless, beautiful look.

Furnishing with a Difference:

An orangery is a place where you can express yourself without conforming to furniture styles of the contemporary world.  Afterall orangeries have been a staple of British life throughout history.

An orangery is supposed to be a spacious area, so avoid cramming it full of large furnishings. Instead choose quaint coffee tables, vases and stools which make for a truly unique look.

Original furniture makes for an excellent topic of conversation when entertaining guests, and can be used to reflect your personality.

The ornaments you choose to include are made more striking if you match them with the colours you choose to decorate the orangery with.

What would you use an orangery for in your home? Comment and let us know.