Help me sort our conservatory/kitchen problem (pics included)

[FffrostySnowman]

We bought a house last summer when the weather was nice and didn't think through the fact that the kitchen opens straight out onto the conservatory. (I know we're stupid.)

Conservatory has a glass roof and the whole room has been arctic this winter. If it were straightforward, we'd just put in some double-glazed bifold doors to close it off during the winter, but there's also a big window shaped whole where the kitchen work top extends into the conservatory to make a breakfast bar. Also the only natural light the kitchen gets is through the conservatory so I don't really want to wall it off. Any ideas?

We've thought of doors and a thermal blind for the window gap to pull down when it's dark so no natural light anyway, or a bifold window, but the man who came to quote for doors today said that wasn't possible. We've also thought of trying to insulate the conservatory better, with blinds or something.
Has anyone any idea what would work?

I bought a house with a conservatory thinking I'd hit gold. Then winter came... followed by a bit summer... it was awful all year round Either freezing cold or boiling hot.

To the PP suggesting underfloor heating, do not do this! My conservatory had it and it was useless. The heat went straight out the roof and weirdly caused horrendous condensation on the floor! Making a wet slip hazard.

I looked into putting in a proper roof but the construction of the conservatory wasn't strong enough to support it. In the end I knocked it down and built a proper room. I made it open plan and it looks fabulous but it wasn't cheap. I would NEVER EVER buy a house with a conservatory again.

The conservatory you have looks like it breaks lots of regulations. And the oven pillar looks very odd. Sorry you've found yourself in this mess but my recommendation would be to get a builder to look at it and make suggestions on how best to resolve it.

I had a similar setup. I had French doors installed between the kitchen and conservatory. For the window/hole, I bought a sheet of perspex and got a local carpenter to make a frame for it.

Our previous house was like this from previous owners where the dining and lounge were open to the conservatory. We, like you, also viewed on a lovely mild spring day and it was great. It was a lovely space. I had to have it.

A few years later we replaced the glass roof with that reflective glass roof and insulated half the roof it as we were worried about losing the light to the adjoining rooms. The roof needed doing anyway as it was leaky and needed work to it. However, we then determined that we could have got a proper tiled roof installed with a couple veluxes in and the light wouldn't have been affected. The windows were light enough.

I remember it was a Building regulation faux pas and there was indemnity insurance paid for it to cover us. However, when we sold it, our buyers solicitor didn't ask about it. We even shared the indemnity certificate with other documents that were asked for but still no issue was raised. We did have the very hot days in there but it had so many doors and windows that we opened all of them at the same time and it wasn't too bad. Whilst we were warm enough with the heating on, I did worry in the winter though; the heat going out through the glass. Our energy bills weren't high, lower than my in laws home which was a smaller place a very little glass. The previous owners had insulated the loft, cavity wall insulation so looks like they compensated elsewhere.

What way does it face? I.e are you getting any solar gain from it even in winter?

How was it in summer? Too hot or useful/nice space?

This would influence how much of an investment I'd want to make.

If it's a problem November to February predominantly but a good space apart from that I'd go with doors and some sort of window. If it's hopeless all year round I'd think about roof options.

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn
Same here! I'd never buy a house with a conservatory again for the same reasons!