Flooring Choices for a Conservatory or Garden Room

Garden room looking out onto a decorative pond area

When flooring a garden room or conservatory there are different considerations to any other space in your house. The flooring you choose needs to be practical but, at the same time, you will probably want to give your room its own distinctive style.

Relaxation Room

The first consideration will be how you plan to use the space. Is this going to be a garden room or conservatory that will have a particular use?

Some people use these sorts of extensions as extra sitting rooms while others choose to make them dedicated dining spaces. If the idea is to use the room as a comfortable relaxation space, you may want to consider a flooring that is soft and cosy.

Think carefully, however, before finally opting for carpet if the room leads into the garden and you are expecting some foot traffic. In this situation a Solid Wood Floor could look spectacular within the light airy space – then bring in a touch of warmth and texture with a rug or two that can be rolled up when you throw open your French windows.

Dining Space

If you plan to use the room as a formal dining space – and there is no access to the garden – then carpet might be a possibility.

Consider your other furnishings, however. If you plan to go for typical summery garden room furniture in glass, rattan, wood or wrought iron, your furniture is likely to stand better and have a cleaner sharper look if you go for a hard wood, Stone or Tile Floor.

Those who favour a more traditional, darker style could team up a Victorian dining table and chairs with carpet, especially if they have opted for a period style conservatory extension.

Greenery and Gardens

Your new room will undoubtedly look over your garden, terrace or other outdoor space. The room will have been designed to maximise both this view and the light. Many conservatories and garden rooms are also designed to flow easily into the outdoors, with at least one set of French windows or sliding doors.

A natural stone, such as travertine, limestone or Slate, could therefore look wonderful against the backdrop of your garden. Some of these natural stones could even be continued out on to the patio, giving a seamless look.

Rain or Shine

If you do have garden doors in your conservatory, then the likelihood is that the room will become almost like an extension of the garden during the warmer months – and it will therefore have heavy foot traffic.

Take great care therefore – especially if you have children – to choose a flooring that can be easily swept and washed down. Once again, a natural stone would be ideal – or a vinyl product.

Be wary of wood, however, while it can be swept, it won’t stand up to endless muddy footprints and water trails as well as stone will – and carpet should definitely be avoided.

Living Furniture

One of the beauties of a garden room is that it can be used all year round. If well heated and cosy, it can be great in autumn and winter – hence the need, perhaps, to bring out a few rugs to add some softness to your summery floor. But this means you may well also want to furnish your room with plenty of plants.

Orangeries in particular look stunning with lots of tropical plants in them – and you may even find you can grow some quite unusual varieties. But if you do plan to have “living furniture” then once again consider your flooring carefully.

A hard floor will probably allow your plants a steadier surface and will be far more practical in the case of accidental leakages.

If you plan to grow a vine or passion flower creeper upside the roof space – which can look stunning – you will also need to be able to sweep up dead leaves and wipe up dropped fruit easily.

See Also
Green painted summerhouse
Flooring for a Summer House
A conservatory full of plants
Great Ways to Improve Your Conservatory