PROJECT PLANNING

have to be checked by your local authority for building regulations approval. Similarly, conservatories that are more than one storey high or are larger than 30 square metres in floor area will also need to comply with building regulations.

CONSERVATORY HEATING

Maintaining an even temperature in a conservatory can be tricky. At the height of summer, they may be overly hot because of the direct sunlight and the rest of the time, they can feel very cold. Thermally efficient glass can help with loss of heat and is worth looking into if you haven’t yet had your structure built.

Consider the aspect of your conservatory; a south-facing extension may be too hot and too bright for comfort. You can, however, reduce glare and control temperature with blinds. Some manufacturers offer blinds with coatings that help reflect heat and glare in summer and retain warmth in winter.

Ventilation is also important. Do consider automatic opening roof lights, so that your room never gets too warm, even on a hot summer’s day.

It’s important to bear in mind that heating in a traditional conservatory should not be connected to the main central heating in your house, due to building regulations. So a separate system, such as underfloor heating, or fan and electric heaters, is necessary. One of the most effective methods of heating a glass-walled room is by installing underfloor heating.

THINK ABOUT SIZE AND SCALE

A grand house with a large garden requires an orangery with solid plastered walls and several sets of doors opening out onto gracious lawns.

ADD A USEFUL EXTRA ROOM

On a smaller scale, a flat-roofed garden room will increase useable space in the house as well as making garden access easier all year round.

IDEAL HOME’S RESIDENT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER CHARLIE LUXTON SHARES HIS DESIGN KNOW-HOW

owcanIren mystaircase

can and should be one of the main es in your home. From Georgian and ian beauties to the refined efficiency of mid-century modern, they come in all shapes and sizes and offer an opportunity to flex design ambition, create space and flow, and function as a clever daylight improving device.

However in some homes they are an anti-climax, a let-down and too often, when a home has been refreshed and refurbished, the stairs are left untouched, seen as too expensive or difficult to alter. Don’t fall into this trap! There are clever ways to re-imagine or tweak a staircase without the cost, hassle and dust of tearing it out and starting again. Imagination is the limit, with the areas I focus on first being light, colour, arrangement, spindles and handrails.

Stairs are all about connection, not only enabling people to move between floors but providing a vertical void through a building which allows daylight from one level to another. Often located in the darker parts of a home it means that even a small window or roof light, correctly

ABOVE A runner with contrasting paintwork and wood create a smart focal point

LEFT Open treads and a glass balustrade ensure an airy feel in this modern home

placed, can flood a dark stair and accentuate height and space. Cu and creating a light shaft throug transformative to a home. Many light, and roof joists oflight can be n daylight in

main rooms, however bright, natu

tion spaces are just as uplifting. This approach ha onus of creating a very effective way to get rid of unwanted heat in summer. Tall spaces create excellent ventilation as the hot air rising has enough height to set up a ‘stack effect’ with escaping hot air sucking in fresh cooler air.

If you’re stuck with an outdated unappealing staircase or just want a change, think colour. Pedestrian pastiche handrails and spindles can be transformed by a lovely glossy yellow or vibrant green. Painting treads can lift a flight of stairs and help bounce light, or paint the whole thing a moody dark colour to create drama. Finally, try and get landings, treads and stringers (the side bits that connect the treads) to match – it helps with flow. There is sometimes the opportunity to adapt the first few treads of a stair to change its dynamic without having to change the entire flight. Think about adapting the first step or two into larger-shaped treads (sort of mini landings) that change direction and play with the way you approach the staircase. These new treads made of a contrasting material – concrete, brick or appearing like huge chunks of wood – can be transformative to your space. Finally, if tinkering at the edges is not enough, before you pull out the entire stair, think about changing your handrail and spindles. Moving from painted wood to slender metal or fine hardwood can make a real difference. A lovely simple oval-shaped hardwood handrail is one of my favourite things. While not necessarily cheap, it is worth focusing your budget on where you touch a building: good-quality door handles, light switches and handrails will bring you joy for years to come. Balustrades are an area that can be incredibly creative, emphasising height with floor-toceiling slats or rods, creating sculpture with flowing twisting solid balustrades or taut fine metal mesh and wire can all be notes in the design composition of your home.

Roll up your sleeves, sharpen your pencil, take a good long look at your staircase and let your imagination fly. n