Set the scene: conservatories

Rooms with bountiful natural light, such as a conservatory or sun-room, blur the boundary between inside and out, with the freedom to design something that has the best of both worlds: elegant furniture in natural materials such as rattan, lanterns that can be easily moved into the garden and an abundance of houseplants. Fabrics and wallpapers with a bold botanical theme can work particularly well, such as Sanderson’s The Glasshouse collection, which according to head of design Rebecca Craig “pays homage to the intrepid explorers of yesteryear, who journeyed to far off lands in search of new and exciting additions to the gardens of Victorian England.”

Interiors flooded with sunshine are beneficial to our wellbeing – they’ve been linked to improved mood, less fatigue and better concentration – but it used to be a challenge to find products that wouldn’t fade in high levels of light. Now, however, the huge growth in performance fabrics in every colour and pattern, as well as a raft of furniture that looks equally good indoors or out, means that conservatories can now be supremely stylish as well as durable.