In the words of the hilarious John Mulaney, “How’d you like to be indoors and outdoors all at once?”
Though his bit was referring to the hilarity of building a gazebo during the American Civil War, we can draw a little inspiration from this thought. The ongoing pandemic has made it so that many of us are still spending most of our time indoors in the safety of our homes.
If you have a balcony in your house or condo units, why not enjoy being indoors and outdoors all at once? Liven up your balcony and it could be your next favorite hangout spot!
Don’t overwhelm yourself and your space
First, make sure you know how big your balcony is before you start getting ideas and buying furniture! We all want the comfy nook of our dreams but the wrong pieces like a bulky sofa or oversized planter can overwhelm a tiny balcony.
It’ll be easier to fix up your balcony if you already have an idea of how you want it to look or what you plan on doing there. Thinking of spending hours lounging away with a book and snacks? Maybe design your balcony with comfort in mind and pick out a soft lounge chair, or add a hammock if it can fit.
Planning to burn away the working hours with your trusty laptop while enjoying the sun? Try incorporating pieces that will help you stay productive like a sturdy table and comfortable chairs.
Plant plants
With the plantito and plantita craze showing no signs of slowing down, it’s safe to say that no modern balcony would be complete without at least one plant baby to keep you company. The nice-smelling ones are a bonus!
Not only do they make your space look better, they can go a long way especially when you live in a city and haven’t been able to visit a park for months now. Sturdy plants like bamboo look beautiful and calming beside a nice wood table.
Recently, we fixed up our balcony to incorporate more plants and have a sort of mini garden since we don’t have a backyard and there aren’t any nearby parks. Cut bamboo stems offer an interesting contrast against the wall—the different textures playing well together and tying the whole thing together.
Hanging plants provide more decoration and keep the bamboo from looking too uniform. And the potted plants lining the bottom together with the decorative rocks keep the lower half interesting.
Privacy settings also apply
Total privacy is still very doable especially for those who live in apartments or have neighbors who live very close by. You can use privacy screens to get more personal space for a small balcony.
If privacy screens aren’t your thing, you can add plants or use fabrics. Make sure to balance out the openness of your space so you don’t end up overdoing it and making your balcony feel more inside than it should be.
Remember, if space is limited then think vertically.
Light it up!
Finally, think of the light. The sun won’t be there all the time and you’ll need a good source of light if you plan to spend time on your balcony after the sun sets.
You can incorporate a strong hanging light to keep things centered and make that the focal point of your design. Or let your balcony exude a more whimsical air by hanging fairy lights around and a small lamp at the center of your table.
Make sure to pick pieces that you love and will end up enjoying. Mold your space into something truly yours.