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Modern lean-to conservatory ideas and styles
Lifestyle
When it comes to home extensions that truly add light and value to a property, it’s hard to go wrong with a well-laid-out and planned conservatory. Capable of bringing copious amounts of light into your home, as well as extending its interior with a wide and open space, there’s a lot to love about this sort of property addition.
But what if you don’t have much room in your home and garden to accommodate such an extension?
Well, that’s where lean-to conservatories come in. Ideal for modern and traditional homes alike, small enough to be added to any sized property, and yet still capable of providing great value for money, there’s a reason this sort of conservatory extension is so sought after.
So, to help you decide if a traditional or contemporary lean-to conservatory is right for your home, we’re going to break down what a lean-to conservatory is, its pros and cons, and a few different lean-to conservatory ideas you might want to consider before you settle your extension’s designs.
What is a lean-to conservatory?
As the name implies, a lean-to conservatory is a very specific type of conservatory, one with a slanted roof that’s angled against the side of your home to allow as much light in as possible. Essentially, it resembles a glass and brick lean-to addition on the side of your property.
Lean-to conservatories are one of the simplest forms of conservatory and tend to be wider than they are longer. However, this in no way stops them from being fitted with plenty of additional home features, which is what makes them so well-suited for a variety of different spaces.
What are the benefits of a lean-to conservatory?
When it comes to the sorts of advantages you might expect to get from a conservatory, a lean-to style is no exception. In fact, thanks to its simple nature, a conservatory of this setup actually comes with a few extras over its traditionally sized counterparts:
- Minimal infringement – due to its narrower construction, lean-to conservatories are less likely to infringe on your garden space, meaning you get all the benefits of a conservatory without needing to pull up your patio or lawn.
- Added value – as with any home extension, a conservatory of this type will add value to your home in the form of both property value and additional internal space.
- Insulative – despite their reputation, a conservatory constructed with the right materials can quickly become one of the warmest areas in your home, meaning you can use it all year round without fear of cold feet.
- Easy maintenance – thanks to its slanted design, a lean-to conservatory allows water and dirt to easily run off the side, instead of pooling on your roof windows, meaning you’ll spend less time in the year cleaning moss and mould off your roof.
- Low cost – as we’ve already mentioned, this sort of extension is much cheaper than larger conservatory types, making it a smaller investment overall.
- Open – regardless of the type of roof you choose to go with for your conservatory extension, the amount of glass used in the construction of lean-tos means that your new space will always be filled with light.
What are the drawbacks of a lean-to conservatory?
Naturally, while traditional and contemporary lean-to conservatories are packed full of great advantages, the nature of their construction also means that they come with a few disadvantages as well:
- Awkwardly shaped – while stylish, the slanted nature of a lean-to’s roof does provide an awkward shape for those wanting to hang lighting fixtures from their ceiling or place particularly tall objects on the outward-facing side of the room.
- Noisy – as with all conservatories, the materials used in their construction mean that they can get rather noisy in bad weather, especially if there are high winds and heavy rain.
- Limited size – although handy for smaller garden spaces, if you want a conservatory for a larger outdoor area, then a lean-to conservatory is going to severely limit you on how far out your conservatory can extend.
Do I need planning permission for a lean-to conservatory?
No, in most cases, you will not need to seek planning permission for this sort of home extension. This is thanks to the lean-to’s small size, which makes it very easy to stay within regulations.
However, we strongly recommend familiarising yourself with said regulations before you start your project, so you can be sure that you don’t break any laws with your new property addition.
Different lean-to-conservatory ideas
So, now that we’ve got the basics on traditional and contemporary lean-to conservatories out of the way, let’s now look at some of the styles and ideas on offer that you can think about experimenting with when designing your new space. We’ve listed our favourites below, but you can also download our free brochure for even more inspiration.
1. A garden and greenhouse room
The first of our lean-to contemporary styles looks at how you can use your new conservatory as an extension of your garden, and given the amount of light this space can let in, making it into a greenhouse is an obvious choice.
This sort of space will let you grow plenty of essential herbs and vegetables without having to dedicate an area of your garden to the task. Naturally, access to your new space can be made easier by designing your lean-to conservatory with bi-fold doors for easy access, creating a smooth transition between your indoor and outdoor gardens.
2. A reading and relaxation nook
After a more private space? This sort of conservatory is ideal for conversion into a reading room or mindful relaxation space that you can retreat to when you need a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
For this sort of room, you want to make sure you let in enough light to brighten the space without it being too overwhelming, which is why a brick or stone roof with plenty of aluminium windows or a glass roofing system is an absolute must. Equipped with blinds, these windows will let you precisely control just how much light you’re letting in.
3. A kitchen extension
This sort of room addition is an absolute must for anyone who wants to open up their kitchen further. The wall-to-wall glass panes will give you an expansive view of your garden while incorporating bi-folding or sliding doors will let you step right outside to use your patio as an eating space.
And for a greater volume of light from above, we’d highly recommend combining a long skylight, together with roof windows, to ensure you catch the sun’s rays throughout the day.
With that out of the way, you should now have all the information you need to know about adding a lean-to conservatory to your home. Of course, if you want more information on the types of fittings you could add to this space, such as our bi-folding and sliding doors or our aluminium windows, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
At Express, we have over a decade of experience creating bespoke windows and doors for people’s homes. Visit one of our showrooms to see our entire product range in person, and you can browse the rest of our blog for more helpful articles like this one.
