Balconies are the bridesmaids of interior design. (Can you tell someone has been binging Bridgerton?) Too often they are neglected in favour of more popular ladies, er, spaces such as the kitchen or the bedroom. And yet, gentle reader, they have so much potential! Big or small, the balcony has the chops to turn into the cutest cocktail joint in town. Or simply a stylish spot to sit with a book or take a breather. Here are our top ideas to transform your own balcony while the warm weather is here.
1. Add a Profusion of Plants
Greenery is the gateway to a gorgeous balcony. This is when you should befriend your local plant person to suss out what makes sense on your balcony. Monstera, AKA the Swiss-cheese plant, is trendy but fries in direct sun. If they’re suitable on your balcony, suspended ferns are lovely because of their freakishly springy fronds. We love the oasis in the balcony above. So nice set against the wood slats near the sturdy modern bistro table from Structube.
2. Create a Dedicated Dining Zone
You can drink plonk. You can eat mediocre takeout. And if you do it alfresco, somehow it’s a pleasant experience. That’s our anecdotal two shekels. This is to say that you should set up a dining table on your balcony. Make sure to measure it before hauling a table and chairs up several flights of stairs. None of that could happen in this striking vignette by Toronto’s CAB Architects until the team took care of the balcony itself. In addition to removing the paint from the bricks, the team designed a new deck made of rot-resistant wood and installed sexy screen railings. Let’s eat.
3. Settle on a Solid Lighting Scheme
With the plethora of lights at different price points on the market, there is no excuse not to have lighting on a balcony. They add ambience and extend the time you can spend out there, since no one likes hanging out in the dark. There are solar-powered lanterns, string lights, glowing balls like these cool orbs from Wayfair and much more. Want to do a tiki theme? Check out these scary illuminated novelty heads from Etsy.
4. Take a Unique Approach
A small balcony can have big attitude. It’s all in how you accessorize. Take this balcony by Toronto’s Terra Firma Design. Apart from the obviously gorgeous built-in kitchen and woodwork, the festooning game is strong: a baroque banana-yellow frame and Buddhist statue adds a certain whimsy. (Note to self: schedule a flea-market trip stat.)
5. Tackle the Wall
Toronto’s Jennifer Graham of Jennifer Graham Design brought this sliver of a balcony to life with some easy and effective pieces. She covered the dreary wall with laser-cut nylon, making it feel very Miami. The material is hanging on a piece of wire rope through the pocket at the top. And she took a counterintuitive approach by facing the sofa towards the building instead of the railings. This extends the interior space, and it’s ideal if you have an unappealing sightline. We also love the trendy smattering of patterns, from the pink and white checks to the polka-dots!
6. Opt for a Cushy Seating Situation
This paradisiacal terrace by Terra Firma Design is centred around an L-shape couch. If you’ve got the space, it’s ideal for lounging. We also love the other stunning details, starting with the ipe decking: the planks run in an unexpected way. And shout out to the supporting cast members for this star of a deck: the cherubic garden statue, soft green butterfly chairs, tall hurricane candles and the containers brimming with trees, perennials and annuals, down to the table. Just perfect!
