The choice to extend your home with a conservatory is often driven by the desire for more light – that is natural light. But as we all know, living in the UK means winters with short days and long nights of darkness. For many people, it is not until their first winter living with a new conservatory that they realise how dark and cold a conservatory can feel at night. This article will briefly explore the options available for brightening your conservatory when the sun isn't shining.

The most obvious solution is electric lighting, but this can often be an afterthought in the design process. The choice of what kind of lighting should be discussed with your conservatory builder at an early stage, because it will require specific wiring locations. As a general rule, you should add an extra electrical socket to what you think you'll need and this will give you greater flexibility for changing your lighting choices at a later date. A reputable firm should be able to advise you on all your options according to your specific choice of conservatory or orangery.

Types of Artificial Lights

There are four basic types of electric lighting to choose from: traditional tungsten and florescent, and the more modern halogen and LED. Tungsten and florescent are used less and less nowadays, although cheap to install they provide a harsher lighting with high energy consumption. Halogen and LED are favoured now for their energy saving possibilities and the diverse potential they offer in colour and design. Coloured LED lights can be used for mood lighting and if added at an early design stage can be installed in many different locations. Dimmer sockets are also worth considering, particularly for the winter months when you may not use your conservatory at night, but would still like to enjoy looking at it.

Lighting Direction

It is important to consider how you want to use your conservatory before deciding on the direction of the lighting. If you want to read, study or work then you will need lighting to serve this end, if you only intend to use the conservatory in the daytime then more relaxed, mood lighting might be a good choice.

Down lighting: this is a traditional way to light a room, with a light hanging from above. Cheap and practical to install it will provide light suitable for flexible use. However, the lighting will be somewhat harsh, particularly in a conservatory built from white uPVC.

Up Lighting: there are many ways to achieve this more gentle form of lighting. Lamps that face upward, powered from an electrical socket, or lights attached to the existing wall of your home where the conservatory is to be added (this would be wired into your current lighting circuit). LED lighting can also be installed on the side of your conservatory. Floor lighting can also give an interesting effect, particularly when installed in a tiled floor.

Reflecting Light

Again, this is an issue that usually occurs to people after they have had a new conservatory built. Conservatories are notoriously difficult to light because there are few reflective surfaces off which the light can bounce. This is an important consideration in the type of lighting you choose and how it will work against the large areas of glass darkened from the outside – in the roof and windows. Blinds are one solution here, as they will reflect the light back into the room. Along the same lines is the option of frosted glass. This can be used in the roofing glass on one section or throughout – it will enhance lighting by reflecting it and offer the added advantage of obscuring dirt. Frosted film is a relatively new way to achieve this on both the roof and windows. It allows any glass surface to be frosted, and in a huge variety of design patterns. Even a single pane of glass can be frosted on just one part to allow for privacy, design interest and reflected light. Frosted glass will always have the appearance of some light compared to a dark window, and colours can also be used to match the décor of your home. If this interests you ask your conservatory builder about 'frosted window film' and where best to include it in your conservatory design.