Sunrooms, Conservatories, & Solariums History

A domain of gardeners, the first sunrooms, conservatories, and solariums were little more than greenhouses or glass outbuildings to country houses. By the eighteenth century their popularity increased as glass became more affordable and intrepid explorers returned home with exotic botanical specimens from the far corners of the world. Often conservatories and sunrooms were used to shelter and nurture citrus trees and for that reason a sunroom was sometimes referred to as an "orangery".

It wasn't long before people began to discover all the fascinating characteristics of owning a sunroom, solarium, or conservatory. Soon people found conservatories and sunrooms, to be a serene spot for a garden room. So the sun room blossomed from a mere garden room where one could enjoy outdoor views while being sheltered from outdoor elements to a room addition that one could decorate for nearly any purpose.

Sunroom, conservatory, and solarium building techniques greatly improved in the early nineteenth century. Mass production also helped to make the key material of sunrooms, glass, even more affordable and widely available. Grander conservatories began to spring up all over the world; the greatest of them all was a public conservatory, the Crystal Palace. This massive glass conservatory was built in London's Hyde Park to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace met a tragic end in 1936 when this historical conservatory was destroyed by fire. On a smaller scale, the improved building techniques also meant that smaller houses could now add a domestic a sunroom, solarium or conservatory for added living space.

By the Edwardian period glass room additions fell out of favor. Affluent people lost interest in the conservatory and sunroom as a status symbol as they became less expensive for the middle class. But even the middle class lost interest as they found that sunrooms, solariums, and conservatories did not provide the comfort and energy‑efficiency they began to demand in their homes.

The sunroom found new popularity in the 1970s. Ironically, it took an energy crisis to revive the glass room additions. At this time, people discovered the power of using sunlight to heat homes. Sunrooms, conservatories, and solariums were revived as passive conductors of solar energy heating.

Today glass room additions can be built using energy‑efficient materials to help keep homeowners' expenses low and customized to suit virtually home and lifestyle. Now more than 100,000 homeowners nationwide have realized the dream of maximizing the benefits of the outdoors with a beautiful, functional and affordable recreational gathering space. For more information about sunrooms, solariums, and conservatories, Contact Sunshine Sunrooms and Patios Co.