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Last updated: 30 July 2023

Conservatory Lighting Ideas: Top 9 Ideas to Brighten Your Conservatory

During the day, you’ll not have to think too much about turning a lot on in your sunlit conservatory. But as the night draws in it doesn’t mean you should venture back into the main part of your home.

Instead, you will find lots of light options available that will transform your conservatory into a cosy space for evening relaxation too.

Conservatory lighting ideas.

Things to consider when choosing conservatory lighting

You should choose conservatory lighting as you would any other type of lights. The only thing different you might want to bear in mind is not to block too much glass with large light shades so that your lights don’t get in the way during the day.

An obvious choice are wall lights and ceiling lights but you also should look into table or floor lamps as these will distribute light gently through the conservatory, making a warm and cosy atmosphere for an evening reading or chatting with family and friends.

If you want to have the best of both worlds and cool your conservatory down after a long hot day in the summer sun, you could just a stylish conservatory light fan.

Conservatory positioning and natural light

Before choosing your lights, bear in mind your conservatory’s positioning. The location of your conservatory will affect how much natural light it has during the day. If you have a south-facing garden, you likely won’t need any additional daytime lights, but a north-facing conservatory might need a little help to be brighter on dull days.

What are the best lights for a conservatory?

What is the best lighting solution for one person’s conservatory might not be the best for another. Just as every conservatory is individual, so is every lighting solution.

Top 9 conservatory lighting ideas

1. Make your lighting a focal point

Just as you might in a dining room or lounge, you can make your conservatory lighting a focal point. Pendant lights or chandeliers are popular as a focal point. With a statement light, you’ll have a great focal point.

2. Use walls for lights

Wall lighting is a practical solution as it is easy to run electric cables from the main property, which could even be a DIY job with no need for an electrician.

There is a wide range of wall light options, including sconce lights and down lights, which increase the light in your room while avoiding reflections on the glazing.

3. Make a bold statement

Conservatory lighting can be used to make a statement in your room. A large, central light overhead will illuminate the floor to create a statement. You could also add to this lighting scheme by putting wall lights on the outside walls supporting the conservatory. This helps large room that need more lighting.

4. Distribute conservatory lighting evenly throughout

If you want an even distribution in your space, spotlights are a great way of having even light throughout the structure. They’re a way of providing ambient lighting that will highlight features in the conservatory.

As well as spotlights, you should also add other light sources to make it easing to read, for instance.

5. Create a cosy corner with floor lamps and table lamps

Directional lamps are a fantastic way of creating a cosy space where you can relax with a glass of wine and a good book. A table lamp and floor lamp are ideal for such evenings.

6. Add low-level lights

All light choices are personal preference but if you like to create different moods, low-lights are the perfect way to set the scene in your conservatory. With conservatories, there is often a problem of lights reflecting on the glass when it’s dark but with low-level lighting, you get fewer problems.

7. Create balance

No matter the type of lighting you use in your conservatory, you need to balance it with your surroundings. Take inspiration from your garden – the colours, the plants etc.

Having an atmospheric space with great lighting solutions with complement both your house and garden. Whilst opting for your lighting of choice, why not bring the outside in with potted plants or an indoor water feature.

8. Create zones

If you’re lucky enough to have an open-plan space that leads into your conservatory, you’ll want to consider your lighting options differently.

With well-chosen lighting, you can create zones in your house. For example, have a pendant light directly above your dining table and add low-level lighting and lamps to make your conservatory have a better ambiance.

9. Use directional lighting for a desk

With so many people now working from home, it’s inevitable that some of us are having to use conservatory space as an office. Conservatories and garden rooms are well-suited as offices and can double up in functionality.

Having lots of natural light is a real benefit to a workspace but if you’re working on dull days, in the early morning or in the evenings, you’ll need some directional lighting like a desk lamp too.

Conservatory lighting – wall options

If you’ve decided on wall lights, you’ll need to use the wall that links your house with the conservatory, i.e. the former external wall.

LED and wire lighting are the best choice for both exterior walls and interior walls as they are easy to install and are relatively inexpensive. This type of lighting can also highlight areas of focus in your conservatory. Picture lights, for example, really suit conservatory spaces.

Conservatory lights in the roof

As previously mentioned, a large pendant light is great as conservatory lighting as it creates a focal point in the room. Pendant lighting is unlikely to be the only lighting solution you’ll have in your conservatory.

Spotlights and lamps will also help to diffuse light in the space, creating a cosy room for everyone to enjoy.

If you have a glass roof, it might be tricky to have any sort of lighting on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a ceiling light in a conservatory?

You conservatory roof design will determine whether or not a ceiling light or pendant light is possible. If, for example, your conservatory has an irregular ceiling shape, you might have to stick to wall lights, picture lights or freestanding lights like lamps.

If you haven’t yet designed your conservatory or are in the process of doing do, you should definitely factor lighting in and don’t consider it an after-thought. You should also consider plug sockets and light switches too.

Can you use LED strip lights as conservatory lighting?

Yes. Due to a conservatory’s construction, it’s really easy to fit an LED light strip seamlessly along the straight edges of the structure. You could position them around the roof, under the windows (or sill, if you have a dwarf wall), across skirting boards, or anywhere else you can think of.

LED light strips are an exciting way to add light to your conservatory.

Final thoughts on conservatory lighting ideas

When it comes to choosing orangery or conservatory lighting, you have a range of factors up for consideration. Do you go for smart lighting? Lighting that is easily installed? Have picture lighting? Rely on table lamps?

In summary, you need to make the most of your conservatory’s natural light available while complementing it with additional lighting options for evenings and night entertainment.

Though completely down to personal preference and how you intend to use the space after dark, you won’t be able to enjoy it at all unless you find lighting solutions that work for you.