Conservatory Or Orangery – Which Of The Two Will Be Best For You?

Current circumstances prevent you being able to have your home extended right now, but it hopefully won’t be too long until Orion can come to fit a conservatory or orangery for you. 

Whilst you’re waiting for that to happen, you can take this time to decide whether a conservatory or orangery will be most appropriate and use our FREE Online Appointment Service to get much of the organising for it done. 

They’re the two forms of extension we install most often. If you don’t know which one of the two to go for, it may become more clear once you know a bit more about what they can offer you and your home. 

Conservatory

Sometimes, conservatories and orangeries have very similar designs, but you can always tell which is which by the roof – conservatories have sloped or angled roofs that are at least 75% glazed. So you don’t get fooled, a lot of new, modern conservatories have solid tiled roofs with very genuine looking tiles or slates.

If an extension has fully glazed sides, a dwarf or single solid wall and a glass or polycarbonate roof, it’s almost certainly a conservatory too. 

Cost-wise, conservatories are less expensive than orangeries, mostly because they aren’t so dependent on brickwork and don’t have such a dramatic roof covering.

Orangery

Orangeries have been around for a lengthier amount of time than conservatories, created in the 17th Century, over in Italy. They tend to be more enclosed spaces and have less than 75% glass in their (typically) central roof lanterns. 

Shaped in either a square or rectangular form, an orangery is supported by solid pilasters and like many 18th Century buildings, has a shallow pitched roof.

When observing one on the inside, you will spot that it has a pelmet around the perimeter of the ceiling, which will normally have downlighters and spotlights fixed into it. 

Because they’re predominantly brick-built, it’s felt that orangeries are more natural-looking extensions than conservatories. 

It’s hard to advise you of which you should buy as it much depends on your own individual preference. Why not make an Online Appointment and tell us your thoughts so we can help.