You've got to hand it to the Irish. No summer worth mentioning, yet many aspire to a conservatory with cushioned sun loungers and calico blinds and smart verdigris tables for al fresco dining. Cock-eyed optimists? Not really.
Conservatories have a long tradition in northern climes - a kind of buffer between inside and outside. Some of the finest examples today are the orangeries in many of Ireland's great houses and vast curvilinear glasshouses, such as those at the Dublin's Botanical Gardens in Glasnevin, perfected by Victorian craftsmen.
Conservatories were invented by the Dutch at the beginning of the 17th century to protect tender tropical plants from winter frosts. Elaborate confections of glass, wood and cast-iron filled with exotic plants from the colonies quickly became de rigueur in better-off Victorian houses.
In summer, these were used as romantic settings for entertaining and Queen Anne often referred to her orangery as a "summer supper house".
Today's house design is not always compatible with a Victorian-style conservatory. Yet, PVC structures in period style are often tacked, like carbuncles, on to the back wall of suburban houses with scant regard for compatibility of design.
Conservatories work best when they are chosen to suit the needs of the occupants. And while it is easy to choose an "off the peg" model from one of the many conservatory specialists, you can also have a conservatory custom-built to give maximum usage.
Timber, though more costly initially, is a much more adaptable material for a garden room than aluminium or plastic. A simple timber lean-to with Canadian cedar joists would look infinitely better in a modern semi than its period-style equivalent in PVC and aluminium. Slowly but surely, bespoke joiners who specialise in custom-designed conservatories are taking over from mass market designs. Timber is not cheap, at £16,000 to £18,000 for a simple 12ft x 12ft room, not including the foundations, but the design potential is greater and it is longer-lasting, according to many architects.
Plastic materials used as an alternative to glass will discolour within five years through contact with ultra-violet light, say glasshouse experts. Apart from not looking so good, PVC used in the structure is less durable than hardwood timber. Architect and environmentalist Duncan Stewart is firmly on the side of wood. "You can build a conservatory more beautiful and structurally stronger with timber than with PVC or aluminium. But use the right material - pine, cedar or oak - not iroko, which endangers the rainforests - and give it a good coating of wood stain."
Mr Stewart also suggests using the solar energy generated by a conservatory more sensibly by ducting unwanted heat into the main body of the house. There are some places where aluminium is essential. The roof, for instance, should have aluminium or steel outer frames (with timber on the inside edges) for better weather-proofing.
Flexibility is one of the strong points of using natural materials in a conservatory. Gothic arched doors and windows, pineapple-shaped finials and decorative roof edges are all possible with a timber conservatory.
Windows can now be bought with rain sensors that automatically close. These cost up to £1,000 extra. A water hose threaded through an under-floor heating system will create steam for plants.
Belfast-based North West Joinery has just been awarded the task of restoring the first of 22 19th century glasshouses at Kylemore Abbey, Co Mayo. The company's most basic conservatory, a 14ft x 14ft mahogany structure, costs £22,000 exclusive of VAT. Extras, such as decorative finials at £55 each or a rain sensor roof vent for £800, will push the price up. This doesn't include the cost of foundations and base work, which is usually carried out by a builder. North West Joinery's most expensive job to date is a first floor conservatory for The Chelsea Wine Bar, in Belfast, which cost £250,000.
A no-frills timber structure inclusive of base by Co Meath company Norman Pratt Conservatories costs from £16,000 plus VAT for a simple 12ft x 12ft timber model. In PVC, it will be about 10 to 12 per cent less, they say.
Overheating in summer and over-cooling in winter are the main problems. Glass roofs experience 20 times the heat loss of a traditional slate or tiled roof. Not scrimping on the type of glass will pay off. Double glazed `K' glass or Argon gas-filled glass will keep heat in so efficiently the problem will be how to get rid of it. Safety glass is a must to prevent nasty accidents.
