In such a sunny climate, a conservatory seems a bit of a strange idea but apparently not. MARIA SOCRATOUS asks the experts
ORANGERIES, or conservatories as they are now more commonly known, have a distinguished history dating from as far back as the days of the Roman Empire. For centuries, people have delighted in the use of the conservatories. In the 16th and 17th centuries they were the domain of the owners of manor homes who wanted to ‘conserve’ delicate plants. The stunning orangeries at Versailles were commissioned to house rare and treasured spices from the colonies. During Queen Anne’s reign the orangery became the place to entertain on summer evenings with the plants moved out and the chairs and tables moved in. At the time, an Orangery was usually a masonry building with large windows. It was later, during the Victorian times, that the conservatory evolved to today’s glass style.
Using modern materials, technology has recaptured the glamour and splendour of a bygone era. One of the great advantages of installing a conservatory is that you extend your living space. But what are the benefits of a room made completely out of glass in a country where the sun never stops shining?
According to BSW Complete Home Improvements, a conservatory is a room for all seasons. “The Cyprus climate is changeable, however, a conservatory climate is maintained at constant levels. You will soon find that your new addition is the most used room in the house. You can have cool summer days and cosy winter nights,” Chris Nicholson, Conservatory Manager of BSW said. “Conservatories have all year round use. With solar reflective glass and built in ventilation systems, plus the option of using air-conditioning you can use it in the summer too. With the added benefit of low emissivity glass and in combination with the honeycombed roof system, the conservatory keeps warm in the winter. For those balmy summer evenings the conservatory is ideal, especially if you don’t want to be bitten by insects and during the day you can open it all up and sit in a cool shaded area under the UV protected roof”.
The company is now in its second year of trading and was set up to meet the demand for EU regulated products in the home improvement market. With three outlets and a fourth planned as a conservatory village, it looks as if the local market is warming up to glass houses.
PVC-u is by far the most popular material used for conservatories today as it guarantees an almost maintenance free structure. “It means that no painting is involved, only cleaning, giving you more time to relax and enjoy your new room. BSW’s PVC-u frames are fully reinforced and toughened safety glass is standard.
Nicholson said Balcony Infills and Garden Rooms are very popular. They come in different colours and sizes according to each property and needs of the owner. “However our range extends to nine other designs, so there is the option of finding one which will suit every property. Each conservatory price differs from the next because of size, style, plumbing, heating and accessories used. No two are the same,” he said. The company manufactures the conservatory frames in a factory in Limassol but imports the roofs from the UK. “Building glass roofs to withstand such extreme weather conditions is a highly specialised field. Our supplier is known to send roofs to Arizona too”.
It takes about four to five working days, working on site to finish a conservatory depending on the size, design and where the property is. The company installs conservatories all over the island.
The diversity of conservatory styles also means they put to a variety of uses. Whether you want to create a garden room, a dining room, a study or a playroom for the children, it gives you the freedom to extend your living space. “The most common use for a conservatory is to lounge in it, however it can also be used as an extension to your kitchen, a hot tub enclosure, swimming pool cover and many more domestic uses. But it can also be a very efficient way of extending a commercial premise, like a pub, restaurant or reception area. Obviously such an extension will add value to your home or establishment,” Nicholson said. The company is looking for a number of showhomes throughout the island to use in promotional material. “We will subsidise the cost on a limited number of properties in return for photographs of your new conservatory. Our designers can give full details of this promotion,” Chris added.
