ConservatoriesAugust 2026
When it comes to choosing a conservatory style, Victorian and Edwardian are consistently the two most popular choices for UK homeowners. Both are beautiful, both add real value and usable space to your home — but they suit different properties and different needs.
The Victorian conservatory is defined by its multi-faceted bay front — typically three or five facets — and its steeply pitched, ornate roof. It's the most traditional and recognisable conservatory style, and it suits period properties particularly well.
The curved, angled front creates a sense of elegance and space, and the ornate ridge and finial details add a classic finishing touch. Victorian conservatories are especially popular on terraced and semi-detached Victorian and Edwardian properties across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where they complement the architectural style of the house.
The trade-off is floor space. Because of the angled bay, a Victorian conservatory loses some usable square footage in the corners compared to a square or rectangular design.
The Edwardian conservatory has a square or rectangular footprint with a hipped roof, giving it clean, simple lines. This design maximises usable floor space — you get full use of every corner — making it ideal if you want to use the conservatory as a dining room, home office or playroom.
Edwardian conservatories suit both traditional and more contemporary properties. Their simple geometry makes them versatile, and the straightforward roofline can make them slightly more economical to install than a Victorian equivalent of the same size.
As a general rule: if your property is a period home and aesthetics are a priority, the Victorian style is hard to beat. If maximising usable space is more important, or if your home has a more modern character, go Edwardian.
That said, there's no hard rule — we've installed Victorian conservatories on modern estates in Milton Keynes and Edwardian ones on traditional cottage-style properties in rural Cambridgeshire, and both looked fantastic. The best thing to do is talk to us — we'll visit your home, look at the space and the property, and give you an honest recommendation.
We design and install conservatories across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire. Call us or fill in the form for a free, no-obligation design visit.