Orangeries are the new conservatories
An Orangery provides a substantial extension, it is suitable for many styles of property from modern to listed buildings
and, if it is sympathetically designed, can be granted planning permission even in a conservation area. Orangeries are fast growing in popularity
and now seem to be becoming the preferred option for modern glazed extensions.
Wood is the perfect material to
give the style, warmth and luxury feel that our clients are looking for. A wooden orangery has a timeless feel and a sense of real quality.
A more recent trend has been to introduce sliding folding doors so that the
whole of one side can be opened up to the garden. You will find examples of this style in our
contemporary orangery gallery. The latest addition to our range are
Oak Framed Orangeries, which you can see on the dedicated page.
A David Salisbury hardwood orangery made in the UK, will work equally well in both traditional and contemporary settings
and offers a stylish alternative to a standard house extension. They are wonderfully light and airy spaces with lantern roofs as well as
being cosy and inviting in the winter.
For this
reason orangeries provide unique multi-purpose living spaces and are frequently used as kitchen
extensions. In the last five years we have seen a significant growth in the popularity of kitchen extensions, and customers who might
in the passed have opted for traditionally built extension are now just as likely to choose an orangery. We make both contemporary and traditional
orangery styles, and you should study the range of photographs on this page, the traditional
orangeries page and in the orangery photo gallery.
Background to orangery design
A history of the orangery can be found on Wikipedia, but essentially
they spread to northern Europe form Italy in the 16th century. Early orangeries were unheated and had large south facing windows with tiled
roofs. As the fashion spread north, being taken up first by the Dutch, heating and eventually glass roofs were added. As they became more
fashionable further embellishments were added such as pilasters and decorative mouldings.
In the UK, Stone-built orangeries
with large sliding sash windows and lantern roofs were forerunners to conservatories and date back to the 17th Century. They were made from
timber and painted white. Some years ago David Salisbury carried out a major refurbishment on an eighteenth century orangery at a stately
home.
Originally orangeries
were designed to protect valuable and exotic plants and fruits during the winter months. Early orangeries had large windows and
doors within a stone building.
Today, orangeries retain a unique character that sets them apart from conservatories, but the distinction between a
conservatory and an orangery has evolved over time and now orangeries are generally defined as having one or more lantern roofs. These lantern
roofs are supported on beams within a flat roof perimeter, which is set within a somewhat heavier framework than a conservatory. Sometimes
even today orangeries will be stone or brick built with windows inserted as you will see from some of our examples.
