Image credit: DFS
Conservatory furniture used to mean wobbly, rickety and anything but comfortable: fine for limited use but not a patch on the rest of your home.
However, in the last few years, it’s come of age, with more choice and different materials on offer. Now, conservatory furniture can be anything from squishy sofas to sleek built-in pieces or full-size dining tables, allowing you to get the most out of a garden room.
Before you indulge in our conservatory furniture ideas, start by thinking about the functions you’d like your conservatory to fulfil – is it more of a socialising space, somewhere that can provide extra storage, or the ideal spot for alfresco-style meals when inclement weather strikes?
Next, consider the size of your conservatory. Will furniture need to serve more than one function or be versatile? For example, will you need expandable or convertible sofas so you can use the space as an emergency guest room? Or do you need your tables or seating to double as storage?
Finally, thanks to the abundance of daylight, conservatories are a great place to be a little braver and bolder with colour.
Think about including rich tones or patterned fabrics that you might shy away from in other rooms, or accessorising with throws and blankets that will take the chill off in winter.
Before you know it, you’ll have created an oasis of calm with year-round appeal.
Create extra seating and storage in one
You may not think a small conservatory has space for dining – particularly, fitting in all those chairs. However, if you add built-in furniture as seating, it’s easy to cater for a crowd, as you can accommodate more diners. The key to making it work is to concentrate on flexibility.
Built-in banquettes or benches can store cushions or seating pads inside, while an extending dining table can work as extra surface space. If more friends and family pop round, simply supplement the built-in seating with dining chairs from elsewhere.
Even better, fitted furniture can be handy outside of mealtimes – as a cosy window seat, book nook or relaxing sunny spot. Keep it sociable – don’t just follow a single wall, but tuck the seating into a corner so people will face each other.
Finish the look with blinds, so that on the sunniest days, dinner guests aren’t dazzled.
If you love joyful prints and plenty of colour, there’s no reason why you can’t use them in a conservatory – but they need more consideration.
For example, you can install conservatory blinds that reduce the sunlight on brighter days, or roof blinds to cut down on UV light fading your furniture from above. Plenty of plants inside and outside will also help to absorb the light and protect your furniture within.
“Due to technological advancements in glass, homeowners do not need to be as concerned with the furniture choices as they might have been in the past,” explains Mervyn Montgomery, joint director of Hampton Conservatories.
“Most of our customers select a regular fabric sofa for glazed extensions in order to get maximum use and comfort from their new room. What is perhaps more important is that the placement of the furniture is considered at the same time as the room is designed.
“For the room to feel elegant and for the proportions to work, it’s helpful to consider how skylights, roof lanterns and other variations in ceiling heights affect the flow of the space below.”
All that sunlight makes conservatories a lovely place to linger but your furniture and fittings tend to enjoy it a lot less.
“Fading can be a big issue for carpets and fabric,” says Simon Temprell, interior design manager at Neptune. “You can use regular indoor furniture, but choose very light-coloured fabrics, as they tend to show fading less than darker colours. Some fabric manufacturers have furnishing fabrics that are fade-resistant too.
“Outdoor furniture does tend to be one of the best choices, as the materials used are robust and fade-proof. I find that Lloyd Loom furniture works well, as the construction and finish is hard-wearing and highly textural.
“Consider painting it in a bright colour, such as quince or rhubarb, and keep the cushions neutral to avoid fading. Just make sure that the pieces you choose are relaxed and comfortable so that it doesn’t start to look too formal.”
Rattan is the classic choice for conservatory furniture, thanks to the fact that the material is good at withstanding the heat that comes from large expanses of glass.
“Rattan is also preferred over other materials due to its lightweight but sturdy nature that makes it easy to move about,” says Dave Sadler, company director at JB Furniture.
This means it can be relocated outside if you’re entertaining in the garden. Another plus is that rattan adds texture to a room that, because of its glass walls and roof, is typically lacking in it.
However, for all rattan’s pluses, it can feel a little too traditional for some. Fortunately, there are modern pieces available that combine other materials, such as timber, and swap traditional patterned cushions for clean, contemporary prints and a neutral palette.
Sit and socialise
Make sure you use your conservatory more by choosing sociable furniture that lends itself to entertaining as well as everyday use. Rather than multiple chairs separated by a low coffee table, opt for more convivial seating.
“Outdoor corner sofa sets are great at creating a comfortable, sociable set-up and really maximise the square space offered by a conservatory,” suggests Helena Davies, head of buying at Barker and Stonehouse.
Hampstead Corner Sofa, Sarah Raven, RRP £1,749
“A mix of cushion shapes and sizes, along with an array of cosy throws and woven blankets, will help to soften the look and create a homey, welcoming space to host groups hiding from summer showers, or as a mellow solo retreat during wintry months.”
Are our conservatory furniture ideas inspiring you to kit out your space in something new?
Before you buy, grab a measuring tape – while it sounds obvious, some furniture can be bulkier than it looks. If in doubt about the amount of furniture you can fit in, go for fewer pieces – overstuffing a conservatory space can make it feel cramped and crowded.
Remember to include some storage but keep it minimal: lightweight basket drawers and slim bookcases are more suitable than chunky cupboards.
It needn’t be heavy and traditional
When you think of metal-framed furniture, your mind might spring to cumbersome wrought-iron pieces with a traditional feel, but there are many modern alternatives.
Steer clear of twiddly ornate designs, and instead, go for minimal looks, such as chunky industrial wooden furniture or Scandi-style shapes blended with bamboo. Simplicity is key.
“Contemporary conservatory furniture is all about complementing the naturally bright and airy feel of your interior space,” advises Rob Smith, general manager at ConservatoryLand.
“Metallic and matt-black furniture and accessories represent a more modern twist, but it all depends on your own sense of style and design.”
Make it multi-use
Choosing furniture that can be used both indoors and in the garden is always a smart move. Not only is it more likely to resist fading from the sun, it’s usually more robust and lighter than indoor-only pieces. However, it’s important to make sure it’s still fit for purpose in a conservatory, where you might spend more time.
“When it comes to conservatory furniture ideas, consider what can be both elegant yet versatile before then exploring what can be used both indoors and outdoors, allowing for a stylish transition when required,” says Charlie Alexander, founder of Oxenwood.
“For example, concrete-topped dining tables are perfect for everyday and entertaining, but they also offer protection from UV damage.
“Remember that indoor furniture goes beyond a practical level of simply providing somewhere to sit. It can also be a statement piece and an eye-catching design feature, so requires careful consideration to make it part of the wider design in your conservatory.”
Include a desk and storage, as well as seating
The daylight that floods into a conservatory makes it the ideal space for anything from reading to crafts and hobbies – it can even function as an at-home workspace with some form of climate control.
Ensure that the furniture you choose for it helps you to enjoy those activities and pastimes. A desk and chair, chaise for lounging, or some handy storage can all add an extra dimension to the room, making it into more of a destination.
“A conservatory can be used in a number of exciting and beautiful ways,” says Sam Hood, co-founder of Amara.
“From entertaining guests when the British summer falls flat to creating the perfect environment for growing plants, this multifunctional room can become a real asset to your home.
“Embrace the abundance of light and colour to help bring the outside in and think about how you want to use the space, remembering conservatory lighting for the darker or more wintery days and evenings. Add table and floor lamps to keep the atmosphere relaxed, which can also help change the mood of the room in an instant.”
Couches and conservatories can mix
While you’re considering practicality and fade-resistance, it can be easy to overlook the one thing we need furniture to be: comfortable. This is where sofas come in. While adding fully upholstered pieces to a conservatory is a newer trend, it’s one that looks set to stay.
“Whether you have a small or large conservatory, you can easily extend your entertaining space with a sofa,” explains Francesca Hadland, interiors expert for Bridgman.
“A generous and comfortable couch will make your conservatory feel endlessly inviting, clearly defining the room as the place to relax and socialise.”
Hugh Four-Seater Sofa in Ivory bouclé, DFS, RRP £949
Choose curves for comfort and straight lines for formality
For those lucky enough to have larger conservatories, it’s important to give different areas a purpose. This makes sure that each part will be clearly defined, allowing you to select furniture tailored to that zone.
For example, designating one part of your conservatory for dining means you can choose the right size of table, and whether you’d like fitted furniture alongside it.
Just as in any open-plan room, try to tie furniture together so it still feels like one space. You can achieve this with accessories, such as the same cushions or plants scattered throughout, or with materials, opting for coordinating metallic finishes or timbers.
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