Conservatory Kitchen Ideas: 20 Wonderful Styles for Your Home

A conservatory is one of the best ways to extend your kitchen. It’s cheaper than a regular brick kitchen extension and better in some ways. For instance, a conservatory kitchen is more open and better lit.

So, if you’re looking for a kitchen extension that’s flooded with natural light and connected to the outdoors, you are on the right page. We have 20 wonderful conservatory kitchen ideas that could be perfect for your home.

Create a Link between Your Kitchen and its Conservatory

This link will turn the conservatory into a true kitchen conservatory. It will show people that the two spaces, the kitchen and the conservatory, are connected. You can create this link through the building material, flooring, lighting, furniture types and colour schemes in either space.

You can even extend the link to include the garden. It will make your conservatory kitchen also feel more connected to the outdoors.

Add a Dining Area

The conservatory is going to create usable space. Therefore, here is your opportunity to add a dining area to your kitchen. This might even be why you are looking for conservatory kitchen ideas. So, let’s talk about it.

Your options depend on the amount of space available. It will determine the size and arrangement of the dining chairs and table. However, you can still have a dining area even if space is limited. Simply use your kitchen island as a dining table and accompany it with compact chairs or stools.

Build an Open-Plan Conservatory Kitchen

A regular kitchen conservatory with an external wall separating the kitchen from the conservatory is great. However, an open-plan conservatory kitchen is so much better. In fact, it is the kitchen conservatory idea to rule them all.

By knocking down the external wall to turn the kitchen and conservatory into a single space, you create a conservatory kitchen that is a true hybrid of both brick and glazed building types. Ventilation and natural lighting also improve. So do options for features, design, furniture and decoration because you are now dealing with a bigger space. 

However, there is a reason you don’t see a lot of open-plan conservatory kitchens. Their design and construction are complicated because of structural integrity and insulation issues. So, you have to hire a structural engineer and increase your budget. You also need planning permission. A kitchen conservatory no longer qualifies as permitted development once you knock down the external wall.

Add a Corner Seating Area

Corner seats optimise space and create private and intimate seating areas. They are also great for executing the conservatory kitchen idea after this one. However, let’s cross that bridge when we get there. 

You can use corner sofas or in-built seats. Both are great but the latter is much better at optimising space. Just add soft, comfy cushions. You can also use lighting to make the corner seating area more romantic and relaxing.

Add a Seating area with a View

A big part of why people build conservatories is to have an indoor space with a great view of the outdoors, usually their garden. This kitchen conservatory idea aims to achieve that. So, put the seating area in a place with a good view. Another option is to put the cooking area or worktop there. Then, you can enjoy the view while cooking or hanging out with family and guests.

Create enough seating space

Most people want their conservatory kitchen to have a dining or/and seating area. That could even be their primary reason for building it. However, whether this does or doesn’t apply to you, ensure your conservatory has enough seating space. 

You will need them soon, once you start falling in love with your conservatory kitchen and spending all your time there. In fact, it could become your go-to location for relaxing alone or with family and entertaining guests. So, include as many seats as possible.

Add a patio

We are still on the subject of “how to create enough seating space.” Only this time, the idea is to build a patio for your conservatory kitchen. This gives you another outdoor living space. The patio also acts as a link between the conservatory kitchen and the outdoors. So, use a similar flooring, furniture type and colour scheme for them (the conservatory kitchen and the patio).

Use a bi-folding door between them. It creates a wide entryway. Therefore access is easy and you can open the doors wide to make the conservatory kitchen and patio feel like one big space.

Create a Multifunctional Living Space

As stated earlier, you will spend lots of time in your conservatory. So, why don’t you turn it into a multifunctional space? Add other functions apart from normal conservatory kitchen ones, like cooking, dining and seating.

This is the benefit of large conservatory kitchens and spaces in general. However, you can still achieve this with a conservatory of almost any size. It’s all about your ability to optimise space.

So, milk your airy, bright, beautiful kitchen conservatory for every centimetre of usable space. Just ensure this doesn’t affect accessibility or make the conservatory feel cramped. You can use flooring, furniture choice and arrangement, and the next kitchen conservatory idea to mark the boundaries of each zone.

Build a Split-level Conservatory Kitchen

A split-level kitchen conservatory has its floor on more than one level. This type of flooring is used to build on slopes. It allows the builder to avoid levelling the entire site. However, you can use it for stylistic reasons. That’s the point of this kitchen conservatory idea. 

Apart from stylistic reasons, you can also use a split-level conservatory to build a multifunctional living space. Simply treat each floor level as a different zone or area.

Don’t Let Limited Building Space Stop You

There are ways to build and decorate a kitchen conservatory, even if you don’t have enough space. Start by building a lean-to conservatory. It’s the best conservatory for someone with limited outdoor space. Plus, lean-to conservatories are relatively easy and cost-efficient to build.

Follow it up with bi-folding or sliding doors. They are the best conservatory doors for a place with limited clearance space. Finally, furnish the resulting kitchen conservatory with compact and multipurpose furniture. Examples of the former include minimalistic chairs, stools and tables. Meanwhile, a kitchen island that functions as a worktop, dining table and storage unit is an example of the latter.

However, even if the space is too small for a kitchen conservatory that will include furniture, you can still build just to flood your kitchen with natural light.

Replace Your Kitchen’s Roof with a Roof Lantern

This idea allows you to achieve the conservatory kitchen effect without building an actual conservatory. However, you will need a structural engineer to achieve this. You might also need planning permission if the installation doesn’t meet the criteria for permitted developments.

As for the installation itself, that will depend on the size of the kitchen and your taste. You can choose between a flat and a pitched roof lantern. The latter is more popular and better for natural lighting. You can also install multiple small roof lanterns or a single large one. Finally, you can include vents to help with ventilation. 

Apart from roof replacement, you can also replace part of the kitchen wall(s) with glass.  

Create a System to Control the amount of light coming in

Window blinds and curtains are your best bets. However, they don’t just provide shade. They also provide privacy. However, you can also try a roof lantern with slats. Then you can open and close those slats to control the influx of natural light.

However, a regular roof lantern will also work to some extent. It will direct natural light towards or away from specific areas. Either way, consider all these when building and decorating your conservatory kitchen.

Light Strategically

Okay, we have talked about controlling natural light. So, let’s talk about artificial lighting. After all, the sun will set at some point. So, you will need to install artificial lights in your kitchen conservatory. The trick is to light it like you would any other kitchen space.

That means you must think about ambient, task and accent lighting. Ambient lighting provides general illumination, task lighting illuminates work areas (like cooking, dishwashing, dining areas etc.), while accent lighting draws attention to certain features.

Juxtapose Different Aesthetics

Contrast and juxtaposition can also lead to exciting results. Imagine a sleek modern conservatory on a traditional natural stone or minimalist metal chairs around a marble-top kitchen island. The effect can be magical if done right. So, consider using contrasting aesthetics when building or decorating your conservatory kitchen.

Use Bi-folding Doors to Optimise Space and Create Smooth Transitions

We have mentioned bi-folding doors a few times already. So, you may already be thinking about using them for your kitchen conservatory. Well, you should. Bi-folding doors won’t disappoint, whether you use them to link the conservatory to your kitchen or outdoor space.

They don’t need much clearance space. They also provide a wide doorway. Therefore, access and transition are seamless. Plus, you can open the doors to make all two (or three spaces if we include the outdoors) feel like one.

Side-return extension

Side-return and wrap-around extensions are great for creating interesting conservatory spaces. You can even use them to link different rooms in your home. For example, you can use the side return extension to build a pathway that leads from your kitchen to your dining or living room.

You could also build a wrap-around conservatory because that’s what the available space allows. Sometimes, that’s why people build T-shaped and L-shaped kitchen conservatories.

Double height conservatory

There is a certain charm to building a double-height conservatory on a regular-height kitchen. It feels like you have connected two different spaces. Because of the height difference, the double-height kitchen conservatory will feel even more open and grandiose.

You can achieve exciting effects by leaning into this idea of “connecting two different spaces.” For instance, you can use the kitchen as an intimate space and the double-height conservatory as an open gaming or seating area.

An Orangery is the perfect hybrid

Orangeries are like conservatories except with less glazing and more brickwork. They are a hybrid between conservatories and regular extensions. So, if you want the best of both worlds, build an orangery. Most people can’t tell the difference between them anyway.

Examples of times to consider building an orangery instead of a conservatory include when you want an open-plan kitchen conservatory, less natural light and more privacy, insulation, brickwork and structural integrity.  

Look beyond uPVC

No doubt, UPVC conservatory frames have improved a lot. They now have higher durability and better aesthetics. Some even mimic the look and feel of wood. However, uPVC is still a long way from rivalling the aesthetics and durability of natural wood and aluminium. 

Therefore, when choosing a building material for your conservatory kitchen, look beyond uPVC and other off-the-shelf options. Try hardwood and metal. You can even use them both to get the best of both worlds. In this case, wood will be on the interior side of the frame, while metal will be on the exterior.

Add an Extractor Fan for Ventilation

Conservatory kitchens need a good ventilation system. They need it even more than other types of conservatories. This is how you will eliminate all the moisture buildup from cooking and related activities. If not, you will start having condensation problems. Ventilation will also help with smell removal.

More often than not, opening the conservatory windows and roof slats won’t be enough to ventilate your conservatory kitchen. That’s why we recommend an extractor fan. You can also use a dehumidifier or fan. 

Conclusion

There you have it. There are 20 wonderful ideas that you can use to build the perfect conservatory kitchen for your home. Then, you can cook, dine, and entertain in a magical and charming outdoorsy kitchen space. 

Remember that some of these kitchen conservatory ideas require planning permissions and the expertise of a structural engineer. So, ensure everything is in order before building a conservatory kitchen or any other type of home extension.