design 101
Using a Conservatory in February
Most conservatories are unusable for half the year, too hot in July and too cold in January, so they end up storing the bicycles. Both problems can be solved without rebuilding anything. It starts with treating the space as a room rather than a glass box or a porch.
For summer, shade the roof as well as the windows, because the roof takes the most sun. Roof blinds or a solar control film will do it. For winter, make it feel like a room: a rug, lined curtains or blinds, proper seating and a warm lamp.
Warmth is as much about what the eye sees as what the thermostat says. A conservatory that looks inviting gets used, and that is the real test.
