Over the past few years, there’s been a huge surge in interior design content across social media, particularly since the lockdown inspired many people to renovate their homes. Across Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok, we are seeing thousands of people sharing home decor ideas, serving as a source of inspiration and jealousy for maybe. Much of these design ideas are very different from what we may be used to seeing in catalogues and stores. We’ve had a browse and selected a couple of our favourite design ideas for orangeries and conservatories that we think will spruce up your home and improve your happiness.

Biophilic Orangeries and Conservatories

The American psychologist Edward O. Wilson coined the term ‘biophilia’ in 1984, describing it as ‘the urge to affiliate with other forms of life’. Literally, it translates to ‘love of nature’. Essentially, he had noticed the negative impact that urbanisation had on people’s well-being and sought to reverse it by encouraging people to connect with the outside world. By strengthening the bond between yourself and nature, you can improve your well-being, reduce stress and enhance your creativity.

You’re probably wondering how exactly this relates to orangeries and conservatories. It turns out, there’s pretty much no better environment in which to incorporate a biophilic design than one of our structures. After all, they are somewhat naturally biophilic, being in such close proximity to nature, with large glass windows to let in the natural light and heat. As this light streams into your house, you will be exposed to more vitamin D, which many people are deficient in. Studies have shown that a lack of vitamin D can lead to depression, so getting lots of sunlight is extremely important.
Through their naturally warm, light atmosphere, orangeries and conservatories are also the perfect place to grow plants. Conservatories were originally designed to grow tropical fruits due to their ability to trap heat, light and moisture without being affected by the elements. By adding plenty of plants to your conservatory, you will improve the air quality through increased oxygen and add colour to your home. It’s no secret that bright colours can have a huge impact on our moods.

Emotional Escape Rooms

With such a rise in the discussion around self-care and mental wellness over the past few years, it’s no surprise that ’emotional escape rooms’ have become the latest trend in interior design. You can probably guess what these rooms are by their name; they are essentially rooms designed to allow you to escape your emotions in whatever way works best for you. These can hugely vary from person to person. For example, some may wish to create a meditation space, perhaps incorporating soothing colours, a couple of beanbags and some candles or incense. Alternatively, you may need a place to release your anger, in which case you could create a ‘rage room’, perhaps containing things to destroy or a punching bag. Whatever your needs, your emotional escape room can be tailored to suit you and allow you to release your emotions in a healthy way.

Give Your Home the Upgrade It Deserves

There are a million and one other innovative ideas for your orangery or conservatory scattered across the internet; these are just a couple of our favourites. If you’d like to talk to an expert about how you could incorporate a stunning new conservatory or orangery into your home, get in touch with the team at Outside Interests today. We will be more than happy to help you select a design and discuss all your options. A better you could be just around the corner!

The world of work has transformed quite dramatically over the past few years, most notably in terms of where we work. As the Covid-19 pandemic has continued to influence the way we live, more and more people are finding working from home to be a permanent solution. In this case, setting up a makeshift workspace on your kitchen table might not cut it anymore. If you’re working from home for the foreseeable future, you may want to consider investing in a proper office space to optimise your productivity, comfort and sanity.

Less Noise

If you live with other people and have experienced working from home before, you are more than likely all too used to attempting to block out the noise of your housemates as you fruitlessly try to concentrate. It’s never fun and generally results in you getting significantly less work done than if you were in a more optimal environment. Having a conservatory office allows you to separate your home life from your work life, increasing concentration, reducing distractions, and boosting productivity. Moreover, those zoom calls with your boss will be much easier without distracting background noise!

Natural Lighting

Many people are unaware of just how much lighting can affect your productivity levels. If you’ve ever tried to work in a dark, poorly lit room, you probably found yourself feeling much more tired and irritable than usual, which is only natural. After all, how can you expect to work well in the same environment you sleep in? Conservatories let in an abundance of natural light, which will help you stay awake when replying to those Monday morning emails. The sunlight will also expose you to plenty of vitamin D, which is essential to healthy brain functioning and will boost your mood, helping you feel productive and happy during your working day. 

Making the most of the natural light will also be highly cost-effective, as you will save money not only on lighting but also on heating. The conservatories at Outside Interests trap heat, helping you feel warm and cosy all year round. Our innovative glazing systems help regulate the temperature in the summer, allowing you to keep cool and avoid overheating.

Personalised Environment

As mentioned above, it’s challenging to work in the same environment you sleep in. It’s also difficult to work where you eat or chill out after a long day at work. Building a custom office can help separate the different areas of your life, allowing you to avoid burnout and risking your mental health. With a bespoke conservatory office from Outside Interests, you can customise your environment to optimise your productivity, giving it a personal touch and making it comfortable and creatively stimulating. Not only will this help you get more work done, but it will also help you to establish better boundaries when it comes to work, creating a healthier work-life balance and reducing your overall stress.

Visit Outside Interests to Help Your Productivity Soar

At this point, it’s pretty much a no-brainer. With our excellent customer service and affordable prices, there’s really no reason not to invest in your productivity and mental health. For more information on our stunning structures, contact our expert team or come visit our Barnham showroom today. You’ll thank yourself for it later!

Traditionally, conservatories were built for gardening purposes, intended to grow tropical fruits back in the 1700s. Their ability to trap heat and moisture whilst protecting plants from rain, wind and snow made them an ideal environment for certain plants to thrive. Nowadays, the possibilities for your conservatory are endless. Outside Interests offers an extensive range of bespoke conservatories equipped with innovative glazing technology and venting systems that keep them comfortable all year round, no matter the weather. We’ve got your back, whatever you have in mind for your conservatory.

If you’re a little unsure as to how best to use the new space, here are a few of our favourite suggestions that we frequently build for our customers:

Gardening

In some cases, it’s best to strip it back to basics. Why not use your new conservatory for its original purpose? After all, there’s a reason why this use was so widespread back in the day – because it works! Living in Britain means that you can never be sure what the weather will throw at you, and it’s certainly not unusual for plants to struggle due to the unpredictable climate. Conservatories offer a reliable, optimal environment for your plants to flourish, ensuring quicker results.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is highly beneficial in a number of ways. Firstly, it negates the need for plastic packaging, making it a much more environmentally-friendly alternative to buying from the supermarket. Your own fruit and veg will likely be much more nutritious than those you buy, as they haven’t lost any nutrients during travel. Lastly, it’s a lot more cost-effective in the long run.

Living / Dining Room Extension

This use is probably the most common one we see here at Outside Interests. A very popular choice among our customers is to extend their living space, bringing in an abundance of natural light and warmth and reducing the overall stuffiness of the house. This will help you save on electricity bills and will help improve your mood through the benefits of extra vitamin D. The extra space opens up plenty of opportunities for guests, parties and gatherings. 

Alternatively, it might be that your kitchen or dining area is feeling a little cramped and humid. Why not open up that space, bringing in natural light and making your dinner guests much more comfortable. Imagine a summer barbecue suddenly interrupted by a rain shower (we’ve all been there.) With a stylish kitchen conservatory, you can still pretend you’re outside enjoying the sun whilst remaining safe and protected from the rain and cold. 

Office

Over the past two years, the world has seen a huge increase in people working from home, no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has become the new norm in many cases, meaning people need a more permanent workspace set up in their houses. Having an office conservatory allows you to escape the noisiness of the house, enjoy the natural sunlight and get your work done in an environment conducive to productivity. 

Contact Outside Interests Today

There are countless uses for conservatories we haven’t mentioned here. They are some of the most versatile structures and can significantly impact your house’s style, functionality, and space. From a games room to a kid’s play area, the opportunities are pretty much limitless. Is your interest piqued? Why not get in touch with the expert team at Outside Interests to discuss how a conservatory would best suit your home and needs? We are always more than happy to offer advice, answer questions, and give you a tour around our Barnham showroom, where you can see plenty of the styles we offer. Your new home awaits!