How to make the most of your apartment balcony

Particularly over the last twelve months, many apartment owners have been thanking their lucky stars that they have a balcony to rely on. In some countries at least, this may have been one of their few means of escape to the great outdoors.

Of course, even in non-pandemic times, a balcony is seen as a major benefit of an apartment. These residences don’t have gardens, at least not private ones, so the balcony is a great outlet in those warmer months.

Unless you reside in a penthouse-style property, there’s a good chance that your own balcony falls into the small category though. Ultimately, your options for styling it are limited, which is going to be the focus of today’s article.

Privacy screens will be your best friend

What’s one of the major downsides to a balcony? The privacy.

Again, all apartment blocks are going to be different, but you will usually find that balconies are stacked side-by-side. It means that you can hear next door’s conversation and unfortunately, vice versa.

The easiest way to combat this is with a privacy screen. They come in all shapes and sizes, with a simple bamboo option being very common (they happen to be the easiest to make).

However, you can go further. For example, you can use plants to create a “thicker” screen, which might be able to prevent private conversations from wandering between balconies.

Treat your balcony like a room

Nobody likes to stand up for hours upon end, so a good use of seating is key for your balcony. Something like this 3 seater rattan sofa is always going to transform a space; as well as looking stylish, it happens to be really comfortable.

The comfort-factor is something that should never be underestimated. This is a space that needs to drag you from the indoors and as such, your styling choices need to be considered. You need a reason to venture out onto your balcony and make the most of your “add-on space”.

Make your balcony a space for entertaining

Consider taking advantage of your balcony and turning it into a space where you can entertain guests and make food that you could not make indoors. You can consider getting an outdoor grill or a smoker from Traeger along with a table for food prep and you will have made yourself a practical outdoor kitchen to use during the warmer months.

Can you incorporate a planter wall?

One of the big points that a lot of people struggle with is the lack of greenery on a balcony. After all, space is limited, and this isn’t the type of area which is going to house a traditional garden lawn.

One way to get around this is to take advantage of a planter wall. This can be a terrific way to hang plants around your balcony and if you are thinking particularly shrewdly, you could even incorporate it into the first point we spoke about to create a divider between you and next door.

Try and accommodate for all weather

Many people see a balcony as the perfect space for summer – but it doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, with apartments tending to be small anyway, you should perhaps try and stretch out and make this space compatible for all seasons.

There are all sorts of ways to achieve this. For some, the mere heat of a BBQ will suffice. Others will want to push the boat out a little more, with awnings, canopies and outdoor heaters all possibilities as they bid to make their balcony a more prominent space of their home.