When you live in a house with a huge backyard, you can use it all year long, barbecuing, throwing parties, relaxing in your swimming pool or just hanging out with your friends and family. This is something you can’t do when you live in an apartment, but what you can do is make the most of your balcony. This way, you’ll be able to compensate for the lack of outdoor living space and give yourself a chance to spend some time in the open. If you too want to turn your balcony into the perfect outdoor escape, here are a few ways to do so.
Add some furniture
This is the simplest thing in the world – if you want to spend time on your balcony, you need some furniture there. And since this space is so tiny, you’ll have to think outside the box in order to find the pieces that will work for you.
Start with a space-saving table that will help you serve your coffee and your meals on the balcony, and then just add a couple of folding chairs, and you’re good to go. Alternatively, you could use a small sitting bench as well, or even a two-seater sofa, and make the time you spend on the balcony really special and cozy.
Repaint the walls
If you’re looking for a way to introduce a ton of joy into your balcony at once, look no further – the easiest and the most affordable way to do so is by repainting the walls.
Since this is such a small space, this project shouldn’t take too long, and you can complete it in just a couple of hours. All you have to do is find the color that suits you the most – stick to bright colors, though, since these react to direct sunlight the best – and ask a friend or two to give you a hand, and you’ll be done before you know it.
Turn it into a living space
Yes, spending time on your balcony is amazing, and everything from drinking morning coffee to eating your dinner is better if you’re doing it in the open, but there’s an even better idea – connecting this space to your interior and adding more living space to your home.
You can easily do this by spicing up your balcony and adding some visually attractive timber sliding doors that will help you get in and out of your home in a matter of seconds. These come with some noise and heat insulation, which means you’ll be able to regulate your indoor temperature more easily. But the best thing about them is that you’ll get more al fresco space where you can spend your free time with your family and friends.
Find the right rug
If you really want to turn your balcony into a living space and make it a part of your home, you can’t do it without a cool rug. This piece won’t just make the entire space more welcoming and beautiful, but it will also give you a chance to walk barefoot and really feel like you’re at home.
Of course, finding the right rug for your balcony is never easy, and you have to take color, pattern, shape and size into consideration, but if you color-coordinate it with your walls and your furniture, you’ll surely pick the rug that will take your balcony to a whole new level. In the end, learn how to clean your rug as well, because the chances are it’s going to get dirty real soon, but if you manage to do that, you’re going to be able to enjoy it in the years to come as well!
Plants some flowers and herbs
While most people living in houses just love planting flowers and herbs in their gardens, those who are confined to an apartment don’t know how to do that. But, if you put your mind to it, you’ll find a way to add some greenery to your balcony as well.
Anything from railing planters and small flowers pots to a full-size vertical garden is going to be quite enough to bring a dose of nature into your balcony. You can also plant some herbs as well, thus giving yourself a constant supply of ingredients such as oregano, rosemary, parsley, sage and basil – and these are something you can use in cooking every day of the week, which is quite amazing and healthy.
Making your balcony extra special and inviting isn’t as difficult as most people think, and all you have to do is find a couple of ideas that will do the trick. Don’t be afraid to invest time, effort and money into this project – if you do it right, you’ll be able to use your balcony all year long and truly maximize every inch of living space your apartment has to offer.
