When Is an Interior Not an Interior? When It’s a Conservatory

English summers are perfect. Truly. But they seldom play nicely! The Brits, therefore, are happily obsessed with their conservatories or garden rooms which are added to homes in great numbers, be the domicile grand or humble.

They are solely for pleasure, to enjoy the warmth of the sun on a chilly spring day or to stay outdoors way beyond sunset, bug-free yet not trapped inside. They bring Nature inside, add value to the home, are perfect for entertaining friends, or for reading the Sunday papers in solitary bliss. Plants can also be successfully over-wintered here with the help of a small heater.

For décor, I prefer to work with leaves, twirls, ivy and floral motifs for a sympathetic resonance with the garden view. Choose a color palette to offset the green exterior shades. The room shown here complements the background using tranquil earth tones of rust and gold then displays a more stark, black and cream contemporary rug to provide an uplifting yet elegant contrast. The wood tones of the wicker furniture are also in harmony with the garden setting and the dogwood tree behind.

An unusual burnt orange eggshell paint serves to brighten and warm the room year round, while grounding the interior walls below the mahogany stained shelf running round the room. Trim and baseboard paint is brilliant white to work with the white struts and window frames.

This Memorial Day Weekend, enjoy our extraordinary Hamptons garden centers and nurseries, and check out the conservatories on show. An excellent investment in your home, your health and your happiness.

Helen Lind is an interior decorator, organizer and home stager working in Long Island and Manhattan. You can contact her at (516) 922-3518 for a proposal or consultation, or visit her www.englishivyinteriors.com.