Different Uses for an Orangery: Kitchens and More

An orangery can be used as a garden room, dining room, kitchen, snug, home office, playroom or entertaining space, and many do two of these at once. Because a hardwood orangery extension has an insulated roof and solid piers, it works as a proper year-round room rather than a summer-only space. Here are the most popular uses, with a layout tip for each.

1. The garden room orangery

One of the most timeless uses is a garden room orangery. This design often includes tall French doors, timber-framed windows, and a central roof lantern. It’s ideal for relaxed living, reading, or entertaining, with soft natural light and views over the lawn or patio.

With the right glazing and heating, it can be used comfortably all year round. Layout tip: place seating to face the garden doors, and keep the lantern over the main seating area so the brightest light falls where you sit.

2. Orangery dining room

A dining orangery creates a special place for meals with family and friends. We’ve designed hardwood dining orangeries with large tables centred under roof lanterns, surrounded by windows that open onto garden terraces. These rooms feel bright during the day and cosy at night.

For period properties, we match the roof pitch and detailing to the existing structure so it feels cohesive. Layout tip: size the lantern to the table rather than the room, and plan a pendant light point at its centre before the roof goes on.

3. Side return and compact orangeries

For homes with limited space, especially in cities, a side return orangery is a clever way to make use of unused garden space. These orangeries are narrow but still full of charm. They can house a dining nook, garden snug, or even a small home office.

Even small homes can enjoy a compact orangery with just enough room for a table and chairs or a two-seater sofa, often used as a morning room or garden studio. We keep the footprint modest, but never compromise on materials or proportions.

On planning, a side extension in England can be permitted development if it is single storey, no more than 4m high and no wider than half the width of the original house. Side extensions are not permitted development on designated land such as conservation areas, so check our guide to orangery planning permission first. Layout tip: in a narrow space, run built-in seating or storage along the solid wall and keep the glazed side clear.

4. Kitchen orangery extension

Many of our clients want a larger kitchen but don’t want to lose the character of their home. A kitchen orangery is the perfect answer. We design them to flow naturally from the main house, using timber windows and solid roof sections to match the original style.

This type of orangery often includes roof vents, bi-folding doors, and underfloor heating. It brings light and space into your kitchen while maintaining the solid feel of a traditional extension. Our guide to orangery kitchen extensions covers layouts in more depth. Layout tip: put tall units and appliances against the house wall and piers, and keep the island under the lantern.

5. Snug or formal sitting room

An orangery also makes a quieter second living room, away from the kitchen and television. A formal sitting room, drawing room or music room suits orangeries with more solid wall and a classical ceiling around the lantern, because the room feels enclosed and warm in the evening.

Layout tip: plan wall lights and a few floor sockets for lamps, so the room doesn’t rely on bright downlights after dark.

6. Home office

A home office in an orangery gives you daylight and a garden view without a separate outbuilding. The main challenge is glare on screens and heat on sunny afternoons.

Layout tip: place the desk side-on to the main glazing rather than facing it or with your back to it, add blinds to the lantern and the sunniest windows, and plan data and power points into the build.

7. Playroom or family room

For families, an orangery next to the kitchen makes a bright playroom that can be watched from the kitchen and opened straight onto the garden. As children grow, the same room becomes a family lounge or teenage den.

Layout tip: choose a hard-wearing floor with underfloor heating, and plan built-in storage along one wall so toys can disappear at the end of the day.

8. Entertaining space

With wide doors opening onto a terrace, an orangery links indoor and outdoor entertaining. Guests can move between the two, and the room still works when the weather turns.

Layout tip: plan lighting in zones so you can dim the dining or seating area separately, and put the doors where they open onto the terrace rather than the lawn.

9. Dual-use orangery (lounge and workspace)

Multi-purpose orangeries are increasingly popular. We’ve helped clients design spaces that combine a lounge area with a reading nook or home office. This works particularly well in wide, shallow layouts with good lighting throughout.

If you’re not sure how you’ll use the space long term, we can help you plan a flexible layout. Storage, lighting, and heating can all be tailored for dual use.

To explore your own ideas, browse our completed orangeries or talk to our design team.