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Design Dilemma: Help for City Balconies

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People with backyards have landscape designers to help them plan their outdoor space. But what happens to those of us who make do with only small city balconies? Where do we go for help?

Planning and beautifying our small spaces usually is much more haphazard. We see a good idea somewhere and steal it because, after all, designers usually prefer to work with more than just 50 square feet. So for those of us with small outdoor spaces, we’re sharing a few simple ideas that can transform your balcony from boring to beautiful:

Idea No. 1: Invest in wooden, interlocking deck tiles. These are available from a number of manufactures, most often in eucalyptus, but also in teak and other woods. Take it from our own personal experience, they can make a dramatic difference in the look of your balcony. They are super easy to install, and easy to maintain. If you should ever need to take up the tiles, that’s super easy to do as well.

Idea No. 2: Invest in appropriate planters. If you’ve got just a few square feet to work with, you probably can’t afford to waste space on large planters that will take up valuable floor space. So opt for window boxes and rail planters instead. The Greenbo modern planter, below, is especially made for tight quarters.

See how the simple balcony below has been transformed into a peaceful oasis of green, with the liberal use of windowboxes? Rail planters of this type create privacy while  providing a sense of lush tranquility

Idea No. 3 Create a banquette. Some balconies are really too tight for a proper set of tables and chairs. So what about creating a banquette that streamlines the space while providing comfy, outdoor seating?

Idea No. 4: Invest in mood lighting. This may be as simple as a candle for quiet evenings, or you might invest in a string of lamps (first picture in this post) which instantly sets a romantic, relaxed mood. Below, sexy lighting under balcony railing creates an aura of mystery.

Idea No. 5: Use  your balcony! Some people with small city balconies give up, and turn their outdoor space into a storage closet. If you resist that urge and make a truly livable outdoor space, you will begin to see what additions you can make to transform your space into something truly special, that is, a balcony with attitude!

Images: newstylehouse.com; Greenbo.co.il; via homeluxinterior.com; via Furniturearcade.com; kreatifhome.com