What To Do With Balcony Space - Designing A Small Balcony Outdoor Space

Balcony Space With Furniture And Potted Plant
(Image credit: in4mal)

You don't need a large space to create a beautiful outdoor living area. Designing a cozy balcony is a great way of utilizing tiny spaces and enjoying the outdoors. What to do with balcony space? The only limit is size. You can still have plants in vertical arrangements, and develop a balcony outdoor seating area. Keep reading for some ideas on making a small balcony outdoor space your own. 

Balcony living space can contribute to a relaxing home life. Envisioning your space starts with outlining your goals. Do you simply want a quiet balcony outdoor seating area, or do your aims include growing your own food, or decorating with plants? Once you realize what objectives your space can attain, it's time to start planning. 

What to Do With Balcony Space

By all means, utilize your outdoor areas. If all you have is a postage stamp sized step out, you can still decorate with lighting, hanging plants, and maybe even some fold up chairs to use when viewing the sunset. Putting your style on display, think about the things you like and make you feel at home. Even if the space is only large enough to store your bike, you can still pretty it up with over the rail containers filled to the brim with colorful flowers, edible greens, or freshly grown herbs. If you get good sunlight, consider adding solar touches such as bubbler fountains. You can also enjoy wildlife on a cozy balcony. Attract wild birds with feeders and hang a hummingbird feeder. 

Ideas on a Balcony Outdoor Seating Area

There are tons of items available for purchase to make a living space on a balcony. You can even DIY small benches with storage, tables, and other furniture. Hammocks or ceiling hung swings can leave room for side tables, plants, and other decor. Give yourself some privacy with vines, wicker screens, or curtains. They will give some shade while preventing prying eyes investigating your small balcony living space. Hang colorful prints, masks, garden art, and plants to bring your personality into the area. Bring the cozy in with seating cushions, outdoor rugs, and throw pillows. 

Other Balcony Living Space Touches

If you just want to grow, the sky's the limit, literally. Use vertical planters to maximize space. Grow vines up trellises or lines affixed to the ceiling. Make a wall planter with landscape planter fabric pockets, chicken wire forms, hanging pots, painted or natural wood, or hanging wooden crates. You can even get funky by painting metal cans (just remember to drill drainage holes in the bottom). Choose plants that do well in containers such as succulents, herbs, and annuals. 

Move your houseplants outside in warm weather to add an exotic touch. Vertical trellises can help you grow things like tomato vines, peas and beans, cucumbers, and more. Enjoy your home grown food on the balcony with a little table and chair set up. 

Bonnie L. Grant
Writer

Bonnie Grant is a professional landscaper with a Certification in Urban Gardening. She has been gardening and writing for 15 years. A former professional chef, she has a passion for edible landscaping.