Solarlux wintergarden creates year-round living with uninterrupted mountain views

At a home in an exposed Welsh valley, the kitchen looked out towards a dramatic mountain landscape, but the existing layout prevented the homeowners from making the most of it. They asked Peninsula Home Improvements to open up the rear elevation and create a glazed living space that could be used throughout the year, Rather than only on mild, dry days.

The brief combined three priorities: maximise the views, maintain a comfortable internal environment in every season and deliver lasting performance in a location exposed to strong winds, driving rain and salt-laden coastal air. Peninsula specified a thermally insulated Solarlux SDL Akzent Plus aluminium glazed extension, measuring 5 metres wide by 3.5 metres deep. Extensive fixedglazing and opening elevations would connect the room with the garden without compromising its ability to perform as an integral part of the home.

Creating the new footprint required more than adding a glazed structure. A substantial stone wall stood around three metres from the rear of the property and restricted the available space. Following Peninsula’s advice on what could be achieved, the wall was carefully dismantled and rebuilt approximately five metres further back in the garden.

Peninsula then excavated the site, constructed and insulated the base, and formed a concrete slab before installing the glazed extension and removing the original patio doors. The new opening between the house and extension was deliberately left without an internal door, Allowing the glazed space to function as a genuine continuation of the home rather than a seasonally separated conservatory.

Floor levels were coordinated with the wider landscaping scheme. The internal floor continues through the open aperture and meets the natural-stone paving outside without steps or abrupt level changes, creating a calm visual line from the existing house, across the wintergarden and into the garden.

The homeowners valued the practical guidance as much as the finished design. “They advised us in terms of what could be possible within the space,” one explains. “We had never had anything done like this before, but they made it really easy for us. It was slick; it was painless.” Seeing full-size examples in Peninsula’s showroom also brought the choices to life helping the clients picture the finished room and understand the differences between the three specifications.

The SDL Akzent plus system provided the combination of lightness, thermal performance and structural capability needed for the exposed setting. More than a standard glazed addition, the glazed extension was engineered as a bespoke structure for this coastal site, with Solarlux’s technicians and structural engineers working closely with Peninsula’s design to deliver a solution
that met the homeowners’ demanding brief.

Its thermally insulated aluminium roof uses slim rafters, with the structural members positioned externally to leave a flat internal roof plane and make efficient use of the available room height. Project-specific calculations allowed for a snow load of 85 kg/m². The coastal wind-load assessment also led the engineering team to incorporate appropriate steel reinforcement to accommodate the high loads expected in the exposed valley. The system accommodates roof pitches from 5° to 45°
and glazing thicknesses from 28 mm to 44 mm, giving designers to accommodate the high loads the build-up to the property and performance requirements. Here, the glazed roof and slender framing draw daylight deep into the new room, while the large vertical panes preserve long views towards the mountains.

The opening configuration was designed to preserve the views while giving the clients genuine seasonal flexibility. Two sets of opening Highline bi-folding doors span the front and side elevations, while a set of Highline fixed lights completes one end elevation. In colder or stormy weather, the wintergarden remains enclosed as part of the living accommodation; in warmer conditions, the doors fold aside and an automated rooflight opens to provide ventilation, allowing the room to connect naturally with the terrace and garden.

Durability was also important because the property is only a short drive from the coast. Peninsula specified aluminium that was pre-anodised before powder coating to provide extra corrosion protection in the salty environment, with the framing finished in RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey. Solarlux also offers specialist coating options for demanding coastal conditions. The Akzent plus system’s design flexibility allowed the teams to coordinate dedicated wiring runs and brackets for the automated rooflight and LED lighting, keeping cables and fixtures neatly routed and securely fixed without compromising the clean internal roof line.

Peninsula did not ask the homeowners to make the decision on appearance alone. It prepared three proposals that met the broad brief: a PVCu conservatory, a traditional aluminium conservatory and the Solarlux glazed extension. At the showroom, the clients could handle the systems and compare their framing, insulation, structural capability and build quality side by side.

For this project, the Solarlux proposal was around twice the price of the PVCu option and approximately 50% more than the conventional aluminium alternative. As the clients were investing in their forever home, they assessed that premium against expected service life, weather resistance, appearance and the cost per year of ownership. The Akzent plus solution was selected as the better long-term fit for the site and the way they wanted to live.

The installation also demonstrated the value of coordinated support. When a large glass panel was found to have been damaged in transit, Peninsula arranged a replacement from Germany quickly enough to keep the project moving. After completion, minor settlement made one bi-folding door stiff; two technicians attended the day after the homeowners called, adjusted the fixings and restored smooth operation.

That response reinforced the clients’ original reason for choosing Peninsula. “The products they sell are very good quality, their service is outstanding and their after-sales is really good,” says one homeowner. “I don’t think you can ask for much more in a conservatory company.”

The completed glazed extension has changed how the homeowners experience both the house and its setting. The open internal aperture makes it a natural extension of the kitchen, while the glass roof, fixed panes and folding doors frame the landscape from multiple angles. Instead of waiting for calm weather, the clients can now enjoy the room in the bright summer heat, winter cold and storms that sweep across the valley.

“I didn’t think we’d be able to use it when it’s really hot or very cold or stormy, but the times I like spending here most are when there’s a real hoolie blowing,” one homeowner says. “You feel cocooned in this sort of inside-outside structure. When it’s very hot, we can just open the doors and it becomes part of the outside rather than part of the house.”

For more information, explore the Solarlux SDL Akzent plus wintergarden and download the wintergarden brochure. You can also speak to the Solarlux team or an approved installation partner about a bespoke glazed extension for your project.

Partner: Peninsula Home Improvements

Products: SDL Akzent Plus Wintergarden