Conservatories For All

Once your conservatory is built, you will have the very enjoyable task of selecting furniture and conservatory blinds to put in it as part of the overall plan of decorating your conservatory.  The type of furniture you select will depend on several factors.  Your conservatory style will greatly affect the type and style of furniture that you would like to place in it.  If you are trying to extend a theme throughout your Victorian conservatory for instance, then you will want period furniture or Victorian style furniture in evidence. Traditional conservatories will require furniture that is not contemporary in order to look in place.  We have seen conservatories furnished with every piece of conceivable furniture from period Queen Anne pieces to retro chairs.  It depends on your taste and the ambiance you wish to achieve

The use you want to make of your conservatory will obviously have to be considered.  Whether you plan on using your conservatory as an office space or as a dining area for example, will alter the choices of pieces you will want to have on display.

Last but not least, you may have to keep in mind the amount of money that you can spend on furniture when decorating conservatories.  There are many different types of furniture and prices vary enormously.  Be sure to shop around and take into account the fact that whichever furniture you select will be exposed to sunlight and temperature variations.  Temperature variations can, with the use of modern portable electric heaters and conservatory blinds be  properly controlled which does give you more choices.  The following are some of the more popular types of furniture for conservatories.

Dining Furniture for Conservatories. Image courtesy of www.alfresia.co.uk

Metal Furniture For Conservatories
Metal is a very popular material for conservatory furniture as it is very strong, capable of withstanding all weather and temperature extremes and can be made into any shape or type of furniture. Other advantages of metal furniture are that is can be brought outside and left there when required without fear of damage, can easily be re-painted and needs very little maintenance.

Disadvantages with regard to metal furniture would be the fact that it is so hard, needing cushions or throws to be comfortable and also that it can be very cold or hot depending on the weather.

Cane Furniture For Conservatories
Cane is a natural material that is very suited to conservatory furniture, as it is very strong and yet is not a heavy dense timber.  This makes for furniture that is easy to move around and yet will last a long time.  There are also many types and designs of cane furniture available on the market.

People find that they move furniture around more in their conservatory, to get closer to the garden in the summer or to make the living space cosy in the winter months.  Cane furniture is ideal for ease of movement and can be brightened up with colourful cushions and throws. Cane most often only needs a wipe down with a damp cloth to stay looking good for many years.

Mango Chair suitable for Conservatories. Image courtesy of www.netfurniture.co.uk

Wooden Furniture For Conservatories
One of the most appealing features of wooden furniture is that individual pieces have an appeal that metal and plastic furniture cannot compete with. Wooden furniture has natural colours that blend in with the natural colours of your garden. Wood furniture does give a character to a conservatory that can be much harder to achieve with other types of furniture.

However wooden furniture will need more care, attention and maintenance than other types of conservatory furniture.  Teak is the most popular hardwood for conservatory furniture as it is resistant to rot, mould and other damage. Softwood furniture in particular is susceptible to the extremes of weather and can crack and warp due to temperature changes or humidity.  Hardwood furniture is a better bet but will be more expensive and heavier.

Rattan Furniture For Conservatories
Rattan is similar to cane and bamboo or and is a palm plant, which is mostly grown in Asia and Africa.  Quality rattan furniture is again lightweight and strong and will last a long time.  Similar to cane it is easy to move around and is tolerant of temperature changes.

Rattan is resistant to humid conditions and strong sunlight.  It is comfortable to use and is available in many colour choices. One of the best features about rattan furniture is that you can give it a wash with soapy water, leave it outside to dry and it is ready to go again.

Indoor And Outdoor Furniture for Conservatories. Image courtesy of www.lauraashley.com

Wicker Furniture For Conservatories
Wicker is not a certain type of plant, like cane or rattan, but a process of making furniture from some sort of plant based material.  Rattan can be used in wicker furniture and Willow is also a popular choice of material for wicker furniture.  Wicker furniture is made in a finer style than cane or rattan, and so it can look better, but may not be as strong, or as capable at with standing extreme sunlight and humidity.

Resin Furniture for Conservatories
Resin Furniture looks like wicker furniture, but in fact is a man-made product, which is much stronger than wicker.

Lloyd Loom Furniture For Conservatories
This furniture comprises wire wrapped around by a strong paper material, which is then shaped into furniture.  It may not sound like much, but is in fact very strong and long lasting.

The advantages of Lloyd Loom furniture is that is can be made in a large variety of colours and shapes. It is however a heavier type of furniture conservatories than some of the other types mentioned here.

Plastic Furniture for Conservatories
The main advantage of plastic furniture is that it is relatively cheap compared to most other types of furniture.  It can come in many colors and styles such as faux bamboo furniture for example, and is lightweight and easily moved.It is pretty durable and can be left outside if you wish.

However the disadvantages are probably fairly obvious also.  As it is light it is not very strong and can buckle or break quite easily.  Colour can fade also with prolonged exposure to sunlight. There are different qualities of plastic furniture available and it does depend on how much you are willing to spend, as to how much the disadvantages stated will become evident over time.

These are just some of the types of furniture that you can put in a conservatory.  Many people mix and match their furniture, perhaps putting something like a pine kitchen table or even a  pine dresser into their conservatory as a centrepiece and working from there.  At the end of the day, it is all a matter of personal choice.