How to equip a small balcony in an apartment: Stylish, Beautiful, Practical? 190+ (Photos) Interiors with finishing
Apartments with a small balcony in our country are not common. And there's nothing to be done about this - the houses of the old foundation with small balconies are no less than new buildings with chic loggias. And people live in them too. If you enter this “too”, instead of regretting and killing, you can show imagination and turn an ordinary balcony, littered with junk and not useful, into an interesting and very useful place.
Content of this article:
Where do we start?
The first step in this is to bring the balcony into proper condition:
- Cleaning. Before you take on the feats of design, you need to throw away all unnecessary things from the balcony, and put everything you need somewhere else. Brush the cobwebs off the ceiling, scrub the floor, and brush the dust on the wall with a brush.
- Evaluation. Leaving the balcony empty and clean, you need to inspect it. What is the condition of the floor and the concrete slab under it? Are there cracks, is it crumbling? What is the condition of the wall? Are the coatings normal on them, are there any cracks, holes and similar defects? What about the ceiling? Does not flow, does not threaten to fall on your head? And of course, what about the windows? Is there a balcony at all? If so, how do they cope with insulation?
- Repairs. If the ceiling is flowing, it must be sealed. If the slab cracks, they need to caulk. If the windows are wooden and blowing out of them, they need to be replaced.
Design of a small balcony
When the immediate problems are solved, you can stop and look at the balcony with a critical eye. How do you want to see it next? There are two solutions.
Balcony can be:
- Open. If you live in a warm climate (for example, somewhere in Krasnodar) and you have natural disasters such as snowfall rarely occur, then you can not spend money on glazing. Then it will be possible to arrange something like an observation platform on the balcony, where you can drink coffee, look at the stars or read in the fresh air. In this case, you no longer need to do anything - clean, put in a conditional order, and you can think about style.
- Closed. If you live in Siberia and your winter comes in October, an open balcony will not suit you, of course. Because you need one more step - to warm it. You can invite specialists for this, you can cope on your own, as long as it is warm and comfortable even in winter.
Closed option
It depends on what you like best, what result you can get and why to use it.
return to menu ↑Use of open balconies
In the open balconies there is a peculiar charm that reminds of the streets of Paris and Rome. You can use them in three main areas.
return to menu ↑Garden
A small garden on your own small balcony is a great soothing hobby for people of all ages. Children in it can clearly show how the life cycle of plants looks, adults can relax after work, older people can start growing, for example, tomatoes.
Excellent solution for a pleasant stay
Garden decoration on the open balcony implies the presence of the following elements:
- Pots. There are three varieties. These are either oblong artificial beds, in which seedlings can be planted, or classical pots, the design of which can be chosen to taste, or wall pots, which can be hung on either side of the entrance.
- Pot holder. Mounted on the balcony, from the outside - if in the rest of the places you can plant any plants, then flowers look best here. They will be visible from below, from the street, and they will look great.
- Shelf under tools. It is better to do it right on the balcony - it will be inconvenient every time to go to the apartment for them. You can attach to the wall, but you can put on the floor to taste.
- Plants themselves. As a rule, these are flowers or vegetables that tolerate the Russian climate well and can easily live a full season outside. Do not forget that in the winter on the balcony they will not be left, unless they are specifically designed for wintering outside. Consequently, the house must be found under them a place in advance.
Beautiful when a lot of flowering plants
This balcony does not require any stylistic delights. It is enough to refresh the paint on the walls, on the floor and on the railing, carefully arrange the boxes with flowers and, perhaps, put a folding chair on an empty seat. No more is needed - the greenery itself looks very beautiful, you don’t need to decorate it in addition.
return to menu ↑Resting place
It is always pleasant to have a cup of tea in the open air, eat breakfast or just sit and look at the passers-by below. And no one will prevent you from doing it all on the open balcony with chic and comfort.
A place to rest and a cup of coffee
It will take not so much for this:
You can put on the floor mat, hang a pot on the railing on the brackets and plant flowers in it. Stylistic delights are also not particularly needed - the only thing you need is to bring furniture into the house for the winter.
Carpet for comfort
The main advantage of an open balcony is that it is not a separate room. It does not need to furnish in accordance with some style, because, thanks to the location, it looks good.
We use pots on mounts
Closed balconies are another matter.
return to menu ↑Use of closed balconies
An enclosed balcony, even the smallest one, is a separate room that needs a stylistic design, design solutions, and a creative approach.
The first thing to do to ensure all this is to choose the right style. You can apply one of those that are used most often, but you can, pushing off from them, find or come up with something more original.
Closed balcony type
Loft
The ideal solution for a small balcony, which decided to turn into something like a living room where you can eat or receive guests. It allows you to organize a narrow space, to make it comfortable, beautiful, interesting.
Loft decoration requires the following items:
- Materials. Given that the loft originated in America, in the factory premises given for the life of people, the materials should be appropriate. Ceiling light, with beams. Walls of decorative bricks (if your house is originally brick, all the better), you can partially plaster it. Leave a concrete screed on the floor or cover the linoleum under the concrete.
- Colors. Loft - this is gray concrete, red bricks, white plaster. Among its main colors there are no bright colors, but they blend well.
- Furniture. Regardless of what role the resulting room will play, the furniture should be made of leather and metal, resemble the office one. Looks good bar countermade from a window sill, with bar stools. No worse - a leather chair in which you can relax comfortably.
- Accessories. The accessories are open communications (keep this in mind and when you conduct electricity, leave a few wires in sight), intricate graffiti on the wall, small trinkets showing the taste of the owner. You can add fresh flowers.
- Shine. Fully open if natural. The artificial must be made with small spotlights.
Loft style
Of course, what happens as a result will be far from the “canonical” loft, which implies open space, high ceilings, large rooms. But it will still be spectacular and beautiful.
Pay attention to the style of the apartment when you make a balcony
Minimalism
Minimalism perfect for a small balcony, because it allows you to use the space wisely, and because of the bright colors, it seems more spacious. The basic principle of minimalism is moderation. If something can not be put on the balcony, it is not necessary to put it.
In the style of minimalism
The minimalist design is as follows:
- Materials. Any. Well suited light wood, thin plastic under the tree or light colors. But you can enter glass, metal, natural a rockeven reed.
- Colors. Minimalistic colors are light - white, cream, milky, can be the color of light wood or light gray. Sometimes you can use light shades of brighter colors - yellow, redblue
- Furniture. Whatever you want to get as a result, the furniture should be light, not too bulky. If the chair is thin, from metal or wood. If the sofa, then with light upholstery, without armrests. Simplicity, moderation - the less furniture, the better, you can simply put a mattress on the floor.
- Accessories. In minimalism almost never used. No photos, figurines or anything else. You can put on the window sill a live flower in a pot.
- Shine. Natural - close roll curtains or blindsthey fit best. Artificial - built, small point light fixtures.
For the balcony well suited roller blinds or blinds
Made in the correct minimalism, a small balcony looks bigger than it actually is. And due to the fact that the windows in it occupy most of the walls, this feeling only increases.
Lockers for the most necessary things
Arab
The arrogant, bright Arabic style for the balcony is perfect because it doesn’t clutter up with objects.Even in a small room, it can look good. His attributes are as follows:
- Materials. It is desirable natural - plastic will not look exactly. But the dark or light wood, and the more bright tile mosaic will look great.
- Colour. Arabic style loves bright colors - not flashy, but still eye-catching. It is scarlet, golden, azure, snow white, emerald. Traditional Arab designs look good.
- Furniture. At the minimum. Ideally, a thick carpet and pillows with tassels on the floor, on which dear guests are invited to rest. In the corner you can put a low table, on which you can put dainties or hookah, when guests come.
- Accessories. Music of the wind on the ceiling, a colorful carpet on the floor, small lamp with wax candle - frilly, from metal. You can put a pair of vases, a statuette. The main thing is to make the space look cozy, not cluttered.
- Shine. Lamps that mimic candles, and light curtains on the windows. For beauty, they can be decorated with tassels - like on pillows.
With notes of Arabic style
The incense burner fits well in the interior, and their smell is sweet, pleasant.
Eco
This is also a minimalist style, but with a reference to wildlife. If you want to make a greenhouse on the balcony, it will fit better than ever - but you can also make a resting place in it.
Eco - minimalistic style with a spirit of nature
His attributes are as follows:
- Materials. Natural. You can take a light tree, you can more original reed or rattan. Dilute with paint so that the result does not work like a sauna - or plaster.
- Colour. Natural colors. Different shades of wood, green of different shades, soft shades of yellow, red closer to brown.
- Furniture. Preferably, from natural materials, and not from wood, but from those that can be woven. Sun beds, chairs. Ideal to fit into an eco rattan hanging chair - you can hang it in the corner and read it. Tables preferably also wicker.
- Accessories. Wicker mats instead of textiles, various statuettes imitating primitive art, and painting in the form of simple plant patterns look good.
- Shine. On the windows - reed curtains. Artificial light - preferably a small desktop lamp yellow color. You can use candlesticks and wax candles, as long as they do not have a chance to tip over.
We supplement with necessary accessories
Well fit into eco variety of charms in the spirits of primitive art. Dream catcher, wooden wind music, clay beads suspended from the ceiling, pottery. It looks all interesting and natural.
The main thing is not to overdo it
Little tricks
Of course, there are many more styles and many of them are suitable for small balconies. But for the four examples given, you can get some idea of how design ideas are moving when it comes to small spaces, and start working on your own.
To know, you need only a few small secrets:
- The smaller the room - the more it should be light. Light shades of colors, constantly open windows give a feeling of spaciousness, even if the balcony itself is small and it doesn’t really turn around.
- Mirror. Allows you to visually expand the space. It is usually placed on the end wall, it should be as tall as a man. Or you can decorate the ceiling with mirror tiles - it will look original, interesting.
- Wall mural. They allow you to create the feeling that the windows at the balcony are not along one wall, or even three, but in general. You can take any picture, from intricate abstraction to the continuation of the landscape, which can be seen in the windows.
- Accents. Properly placed accents allow you to shift attention from the size of the room to how it is decorated. In a bright minimalist interior, place a bright pot with a flower, hang a picture or a photo. Let them cause interest.
- Colors. Light, as already mentioned, they must also be combined with each other. To do this, use either the hue of the same color or contrasting colors. Contrast is more interesting and dynamic, with a touch of the same color is more difficult to make a mistake.
Unsurpassed Classics
In addition to general tips, there are also tips on the design of a specific room.
On the closed balcony you can arrange a garden:
- The best style is eco and others like it, they will allow you to create the feeling that you did not go out to the balcony, but to a real greenhouse.
- Pots must be the same color, made from the same material. If there is a drawing on them, it should fit the general theme.
- Pots can be put on the floor, hung on the walls and put on the windowsill. The main thing is that all colors have enough color.
- Among the pots, you can place an attribute of this garden - a flashlight or, for example, a small garden figurine made of ceramics.
Creative ideas for the design of the working area
It is better to lay something on the floors that will be easy to clean. Bulbs to buy suitable for heating plants and set so that they do not interfere with pass. It is better to refuse carpets, to take washable curtains.
On the closed balcony you can arrange a study:
- The best style is loft or classic, like English. More light, more natural materials. Space needs to be optimized.
- The desktop is usually placed at the end wall, where it is convenient to approach it.
- Shelves with the necessary books, papers, accessories are located either above the table or on the opposite wall, where they are easily accessible.
- Lighting focuses on the desktop - it is both beautiful and functional, because working with good lighting is healthier.
- A good solution would be to put double-glazed windows on both internal and external windows. As a result, in the course of work you will be provided with an adequate level of noise - that is, its almost complete absence.
Cabinet in a modern apartment
The cabinet allows the presence of textiles (especially curtains, if you live on the first floor), nice knick-knacks and usual attributes of the workplace.
Overload it is not worth it, but do not be afraid to put too many things. Balance is usually intuitive.
On the closed balcony you can arrange the continuation of the kitchen - a kind of living room:
- Of the styles, again, the best loft and the like. They leave enough space for those who wish to eat outdoors.
- Instead of a table, a sill is usually used, but if it is important for you to have a table, you can make it folding or folding. Such constructions do not take places, but in terms of comfort they are in no way inferior to a real large table.
- Chairs look good, if they are bar - besides, these take up less space.
- Be sure to come in handy wall cabinet - it can be removed cutlery, spices, which are used during meals and other useful things.
Beautiful interior of a small room
A rug, fresh flowers, plenty of free space - and here, the living room, which is nowhere else to stick, looks good and allows you to have a quiet dinner, admiring the view.
On the closed balcony you can arrange a recreation area:
- In any style, although in Arabic it is especially convenient to lie on embroidered pillows.
- Furniture can be any - from the mattress on the floor to the rattan hanging chair.
- Textiles can also be any.
- A good solution would be to make a small bookcase for books or other attributes of a pleasant pastime.
Recreation area can be decorated in different styles.
Making an extra room from a balcony is a great idea, even if you have to make an effort, spend time and money. After all, it is better to have a separate office or a special seating area than a standard small balcony, which is used simply to store all unnecessary and does not bring any joy.
VIDEO: We make a small balcony cozy and comfortable.
Small balcony
Interesting ideas for design
