12

Creating casual, comfortable conservatories & snazzy, sophisticated sunrooms

After all the snow we have had recently, it probably seems as though summer and sitting in the sunshine are a long

way off, but it is never too early to start planning the decoration (or redecoration) of your conservatory or sunroom. Many people include a sunroom in their new build and it can take some time before it is fully furnished and decorated, yet it is one of the rooms in the home that people can derive the most enjoyment from - it can be used as a second living room, a playroom, a dining room or just somewhere to chill out and relax with a glass of wine and a book.

The windows of a sunroom can be very large which means they need quite a lot of window dressing. The whole idea of adding this room to your home is to have a place where you can enjoy the sunlight, yet there will be times when you also want some shade or to keep the room at a comfortable temperature.

Conservatories and sunrooms should be comfortably warm but not too hot. Ideally they should be cool in summer and warm in winter with a relaxed ambience. One of the ways of achieving this is by choosing the correct blinds and furnishing fabrics. There are some points you should keep in mind when deciding on window dressings for this area. These include:

Size, colour, pattern and type of fabricCurtains or horizontal / vertical blindsIf blinds, what type; wooden, venetian, shutters, roman or roller and whether you want to raise and lower them manually, by remote control or have them on a timer.

You will need your window dressings to control the amount of heat that enters the room during the summer by either creating a barrier or reflecting the heat. They will also need to prevent glare if you are using the room for watching television or using a PC use. During the winter they will be required to insulate against the cold.

There are new types of blinds being introduced each year, for example, the Graber Lightweaves Solar Shades can minimise the glare on televisions and computers, protect furniture by blocking harmful UV rays, reduce heat transmittance to ensure the room is kept at a comfortable temperature and yet still allow you to keep your view outside. They are available in 55 different colourways, so it should be easy enough to find one to co-ordinate with your other furnishings.

When choosing fabrics for your conservatory, bear in mind it will be subject to much more sunlight than any other room in your house. This will cause some fabrics to fade at a much faster rate and it is therefore a good idea to invest in light and sun-resistant fabrics. These fabrics do not need to be plain, for example, Designers Guild’s Ruzzini fabrics are sun and light resistant and come in sophisticated floral and damask designs on ‘glazed linens.’

Simple furniture teamed with elegant floral fabrics add a classic, relaxed look to a sunroom. Sanderson’s Lucia Fabric.

Florals teamed with plains, checks and stripes create a calm and cheery ambience. Jab’s Four Seasons Volume.

13

Style of FabricFlorals are huge this year and using them within your conservatory or sunroom brings the garden indoors, emphasising the link between nature and your inside space. There is such an array of choice on offer you can choose between big blowsy roses to large scale irises to bright cottage garden flowers - all available on linens, crisp cottons and voiles.

Co-ordinated with plain fabrics, soft checks and stripes, they can create a striking yet calm and welcoming interior.Furniture Choices

The furniture in your conservatory or sunroom is likely to be quite different to the furniture in the other rooms in your home. You wonít be using dark wooden furniture such as mahogany or elaborate window treatments or heavily upholstered sofas and armchairs. The levels of natural light and humidity will be higher than other rooms in the house and the seating more casual for relaxing and comfortable dining. The most popular and practical choices for furniture, therefore, are rattan, willow or Lloyd Loom. Casual upholstered armchairs or dining chairs with loose covers bring texture and comfort to this part of the home.

Glorious bright florals to bring the outside indoors. Jab’s Four Seasons Volume.

14

Checklist - when sourcing blinds for your conservatory

Do the blinds provide insulation during winter months?

Do they reflect the sun’s rays during the summer?

Are they resistant to condensation?

Ensure they are light resistant so they won’t fade.

Do they prevent glare from the sun?

Are they translucent in that they filter the sun’s rays?

Some blinds will allow you to control the amount of

light and glare - do yours?

Do you need them to act as a sound barrier against

outside noise?

By Lorna Sixsmith of Garrendenny Lane Interiors 086 1051007, www.garrendennylane.ie

Designers Guild’s Ruzzini fabric is elegant, sophisticated, vibrant and does not fade at all.

Window Coverings

In days of old, if you wanted to have blinds in your home, your choices were limited, to say the least. You could either have large, dusty aluminium venetian blinds; that were dangerous to clean, or settle for roller or vertical blinds that came in cream or

white only with a spring that had a mind of its own! You probably had to fit them yourself too. However, the Celtic Tiger (remember him) saw a dramatic development in interior design, giving us far greater choices, styles, colours and service.

Today’s window coverings are almost a different product and where the ubiquitous roller blind used to come with ‘lovely’ bells and fringes, the demand now is for a smoother, crisper finish. For the last number of years, the most popular design has been, undoubtedly, a straight, plain finish, although timber bars and subtle shapes with delicate braiding are making a comeback. Nowadays, blackout blinds come with stripes, modern prints and multiple colours and woven materials have changed beyond recognition. Translucent roller blinds give a soft, fine look, replacing the old net curtain and hessian weave materials allow you to modernise and tie in with the design style of a conservatory. Finished with a straight wooden pole, the results can be stunning. Vertical blinds are no longer the preserve of the office and can protect your privacy while still letting in natural light.

Timber blinds became one of the biggest sellers of the last decade due to their affordability, large choice of colours and increased size range. It is a material that gives ambience, light control and privacy to any room and the wide range in slat width means they now suit almost any size of window. Distantly related to the wooden blind are plantation shutters, which are relatively new to the Irish market, but have been the most popular type of blind in the USA for decades. They are a premium product and not just a form of

window covering but a piece of furniture. Available in three louvre sizes, multiple colours, both painted and stained and customised to suit each window. They are more carpentry than a straightforward window covering and it is therefore important to use an experienced retailer and installer.

Due to the slimness of its slats (0.22mm), the aluminium venetian blind’s light reduction is minimized and is a good choice if you wish to diffuse light during the day and ‘shut out’ the world after dark. This product has come a long way and is now available in wood effect as well as multiple colours, textures and slat widths.

The pleated blind is becoming increasingly popular in Irish homes and not only as a conservatory blind, though it is superior where roof shading is required. It has the ability to be made to particular shapes and matched to the same material in roller blinds if required. Its unique texture gives this product an incomparable look.

Roman blinds are always the best choice if you want to combine the ease of a roller blind with the softness of a curtain, and the methods of opening and closing have come a long way as they now are easily raised and lowered. No more wrapping cords around multiple cleats. Modern technology has seen the advent of motorised blinds which work independently from a wall switch or remote control. They can even operate automatically when you’re away and give a real wow factor at the flick of a switch.

Window coverings have evolved to suit every household and budget from freshening up the front of the home before selling or renting, to the latest in elegance, style and hi-tech gadgetry. Whatever your requirements, speak to your local supplier and with their experience and expertise they can advise you on the best options to suit your individual needs and purse. Use a company that you can trust with a reputation for quality, service and workmanship.