Looking to increase your square footage, increase natural light, and increase the character of your home? Have you thought about adding a conservatory? A conservatory, or sunroom, is a great way to connect the indoor to the outdoor. A lot of individuals choose to place their conservatories off their kitchen to add extra entertainment space for large group dinners or special seating for their morning coffee.
The idea of a room comprise of mostly windows and aluminum or steel can be daunting, but really, it is one of the most obtainable additions a home owner can add to create character. Think about exposure when planning your space. For example, conservatories that face Northeast allow for perfect morning sun breakfast, but don't overheat in the summer.
Flooring options like stamped concrete, or natural slate keep the floors cool in the summer time, and you can incorporate wool rugs that provide warmth in the colder months. I would highly recommend using an indoor/outdoor rug in the summer months to prevent mildew and rot from extreme heat. Radiant flooring is a great addition to any sunroom to save money on your heating bill, and also heat the space in the colder months.
Ceiling fans are a great way to address the summer heat, in addition to planning the site of the addition. Make sure that your ceiling fan is reversible to provide cool air in the summer and warm air in the spring and fall.
If you plan on incorporating a glass roof, think about incorporating Sunbrella fabric for any upholstered fabric and avoid any leather furniture, as your furniture will become faded. Also, if any of your skylights are ventable, that will also help with air flow.
A recent trend in the past few years, has been retractable walls, or bi-folding doors. This is a great way to really incorporate the out doors. This is a very modern look, so make sure your contractor integrates it well into the design of your home.
Lastly, add a fireplace for the ultimate addition to your sunroom. There isn't anything better than sitting in front of the fire watching the snow fall around you drinking your morning coffee- oh wait, yes there is. Enjoying the warmer weather-finally- in your new sunroom- and feeling the sun on your face.
Flooring options like stamped concrete, or natural slate keep the floors cool in the summer time, and you can incorporate wool rugs that provide warmth in the colder months. I would highly recommend using an indoor/outdoor rug in the summer months to prevent mildew and rot from extreme heat. Radiant flooring is a great addition to any sunroom to save money on your heating bill, and also heat the space in the colder months.
Ceiling fans are a great way to address the summer heat, in addition to planning the site of the addition. Make sure that your ceiling fan is reversible to provide cool air in the summer and warm air in the spring and fall.
If you plan on incorporating a glass roof, think about incorporating Sunbrella fabric for any upholstered fabric and avoid any leather furniture, as your furniture will become faded. Also, if any of your skylights are ventable, that will also help with air flow.
A recent trend in the past few years, has been retractable walls, or bi-folding doors. This is a great way to really incorporate the out doors. This is a very modern look, so make sure your contractor integrates it well into the design of your home.
Lastly, add a fireplace for the ultimate addition to your sunroom. There isn't anything better than sitting in front of the fire watching the snow fall around you drinking your morning coffee- oh wait, yes there is. Enjoying the warmer weather-finally- in your new sunroom- and feeling the sun on your face.