Orangeries & Conservatories, What Is The Difference?

Visitors to our showroom are always transfixed by both our conservatory and orangery designs and often enquire about what singles them out from one another.

Conservatory Design featuring Tiled Roof

The best starting point is to highlight how they first came into being.

Orangeries can be traced back to the Italian Renaissance period when they were originally utilised for growing citrus trees and other plants. Because of the loftiness of some of the trees, the roof was much taller than it is today.

The first conservatory was built in the 15th Century and as it gained popularity became a regular feature at many stately-like homes, though it wasn’t until the 19th Century that it really began to take off as an additional room in the house.

Orangery Design featuring Glass Roof

How do they differ in terms of appearance and structure?

A conservatory contains a far more substantial amount of glass, whereas an orangery combines glazing with a brickwork base. They also have contrasting roofs. Most orangeries boast a Lantern roof, with the conventional conservatory having a tiled roof so that it complements the roof of the house.

Before the technological advances that have been made in recent years in conservatory and orangery design, the orangery tended to be more thermally efficient than the conservatory. Innovations such as the solid roof have levelled the playing field as conservatory buyers can now expect it to offer a similar level of efficiency and all-year round usage.

One thing that may sway householders one way or the other is that the predominantly brick-built orangery can sometimes look like a more natural extension of the house. There’s such a wide selection of conservatory styles nowadays though that finding a design that works with your home isn’t difficult.

Call into Crystal Clear Home Improvements at our Hamilton showroom to discover which option you like the most.