Whilst some homeowners have maximised the use of their extension, particularly with the help of good planning, maintenance and repairs, many homeowners find that they tend to use their conservatory for three main purposes.

The first is as a sunroom, often what it was built for and a place to embrace the brightness and beauty of the summer sun whilst indoors.

The second purpose is as a social space, not only during the summer, but also during the festive season, when many homeowners will host friends, family and loved ones and need an additional space to seat guests who may not fit in the living or dining rooms.

The third purpose, rather regrettably, is as a makeshift storage space between autumn and winter and again from the start of the new year until the time comes to get it.

Whilst this can sometimes feel like a necessity, there are far more interesting, unique and beneficial uses for your conservatory than as spare room space.

With that in mind, here are some of the most interesting uses for conservatories we have found, how they can be easily converted, and some general tips to make your sunroom a lovely place to stay all year round.

Home Bar

Many homeowners have dreams of setting up a home bar to live their mixologist dreams, and a conservatory is a perfect place to house it.

It makes your conservatory the social centre of your home, can be as simple as a drinks cabinet or as elaborate as a complete bar setup, depending on how much space you have, and gives you a centre piece to design your conservatory around that can be used even during the summer and winter months.

To make it work for you, think about how much space and time you’d want to commit to the bar and how much you would use it. 

A home bar can include optics, workspace for cocktail mixing and even authentic pulls and barrels, but at the same time, a home bar could just as easily be a lovely drinks cabinet and a set of chairs that are perfect for unwinding in at night after a long day.

Home Office

Whilst not as glamorous nor as social a space as a home bar, a home office is a vital necessity for many homeowners who are self-employed, work remotely or simply want a comfortable space to handle household accounts.

The key to fitting an effective home office around the rest of your life is setting up space-saving storage solutions and foldable desks to ensure that you can put away your office supplies when you need the space to entertain.

As well as this, ensure you have blinds or curtains set up to allow you block glare on your screen, and invest in measures to reduce the level of eyestrain that can sometimes be caused by overhead lighting.

Meditation Space

A quiet space to call your own is an absolute must in any home, particularly during the holiday season and especially when life can feel particularly chaotic.

Meditation can help you find your centre, focus on mindfulness and create a peaceful environment that often spreads to the rest of your house by providing a place to calm yourself and relax.

For the most part, a conservatory already has a lot of the elements perfectly suited to a meditative space; there is a lot of natural light, it is separate enough from the rest of the house, and many are shaped in such a way to provide an ideal space in the centre of the room to lay cushions, seats or yoga mats.

The key to creating an excellent meditative space is to clear away anything that could cause a distraction. Stick to the bare essentials, use relatively soft, neutral shades and fit curtains that are light in colour but thick enough to block out the light if necessary.

Arts And Crafts Studio

An art studio is almost perfectly suited to a conservatory, particularly if you have a verdant garden from which to draw inspiration.

The key to your art space or craft studio is clever use of storage. Make sure you have room not only for an easel, canvas and palette, but also storage space for materials in easy reach, a comfortable stool or seat and mats you can lay down that can be easily cleaned.

Top Tips For Making Your Conservatory Useful All Year Round

  • Insulate the roof.
  • Add thick curtains or thermal blinds.
  • Add a soft rug or thermal underlay to your carpet.
  • Use natural materials for furniture and furnishing.
  • Install solar film on your windows.