It’s just around the corner – that time of year when the birds are more active, the sun is brighter and hotter and green shoots are appearing everywhere. It’s spring, and that means it’s time to gear up for the warmer months. So, throw open the conservatory doors and get ready for the summer sunshine. Nothing beats sitting in your favourite chair, reading the Sunday papers in the warmth of the conservatory, or just closing your eyes and having an undisturbed catnap. Let’s take a look at some great tips to help you get your conservatory ready for summer, so you can enjoy it to the fullest.
- Spring clean
Over the winter months you’ve probably used the conservatory to store all sorts of stuff in. Start by clearing out all these items. At the same time, remove all soft furnishings so you can clean the floor, the roof and the sides with a brush and vacuum cleaner. When this is done, move onto the important job of the windows – they need to be gleaming to let in as much sunlight as possible. For the outside, you may need to call in a professional cleaning company – spring cleaning the conservatory roof, in particular, is a rather difficult and arduous task. Projects 4 roofing have a great article on potential problems that can occur with conservatory roofs which will be helpful in knowing where to start with solving any issues. If you are looking to replace your roof, you can replace it with a solid conservatory roof to help maintain and regulate the temperature.
If your blinds are dirty, speak to the company that fitted them to find out how you should best clean conservatory blinds. They may suggest removing these to do this. If there’s some discolouration of the white UPVC frames, use a frame cleaner to brighten it all up. Once you’ve cleaned and freshened up the space, you should have a conservatory that’s bright, airy and welcoming. But there’s still lots more to do.
- Conservatory furniture
If some of your conservatory furniture is looking a bit dowdy and scruffy, you might like to replace it with stylish, modern pieces. Adding a brightly coloured two-seater couch, an armchair and a glass- or mosaic-topped coffee table, will rejuvenate and revitalise the space, while letting the outside in. Or you may want to go with a contemporary L-shaped sofa and even an eye-catching wood burner. Other popular items of furniture include natural products like wicker or bamboo, which has the effect of making the entire space feel like an extension of your garden.
- Soft furnishings
If you can’t afford new furniture, then why not buy a few colourful washable throws to place over the chairs that are looking a little tired. Throws and blankets are very versatile and can be used as a wraparound if you’re having a party outside and the weather turns cold. Just a thought. Cushions are a great way to accessorise – you can scatter these around the room onto sofas and chairs, or buy floor cushions for lounging around. Colour stimulates the senses and will transform your conservatory into a warm, inviting space, so be bold and choose vibrant colours like bright greens, pinks, yellows and blues. You could even buy a brightly coloured beanbag and place this in one corner.
Whether the floor is carpeted or tiled, you could always introduce a couple of colourful rugs. Your choice of rugs is vast, but it would make sense to go with the type of rug that’s washable – in summer there’ll be plenty of people trudging in and out of the garden, leaving a trail of dirty marks and stains on these.
- Window dressings
You want your conservatory to be an oasis of calm and relaxation all through the year. During the summer, make sure you can control the light and temperature in your ‘garden room’. Curtains often look cluttered or just plain wrong in a conservatory – why not choose made-to-measure window blinds or shutters instead? There’s a vast range to choose from, including Venetian Blinds, Roller Blinds and Pleated Blinds in an array of styles, materials and fabric choices. Did you know that you can have Conservatory Blinds made to fit awkwardly shaped windows and roof panels? And if you’re worried about the glare and heat from the sun, then buy some blackout vertical blind slats and position these in the problems areas.
Existing blinds should be carefully cleaned and mended in preparation for summer. If they need replacing altogether, you can buy replacement slats, at very affordable prices, in the colours of your choice complete with new hangers and chains. It’s another great way to brighten up your conservatory.
- Inviting the outside in
Your conservatory is a transitional space from your house to the garden, so why not encourage nature to come in by strategically positioning some pot plants in the conservatory? It’s a quick and easy way to introduce colour and texture that doesn’t cost a fortune. Indoor flower pots, shrubs and climbers all work to add character and charm while making the conservatory a pleasure to spend time in all year round.
This is a guest post contributed by Dakota.