Spring (and possibly we skipped that and moved right to summer…) has FINALLY arrived here in New England…and it’s ABOUT TIME…. so, it is time to get your outdoor space ready to enjoy the season! Even the smallest balcony should be outfitted comfortably to enjoy every precious moment of beautiful weather.

This week I worked on a small balcony project for a friend on the second floor of a new apartment building. Every apartment in the complex has either a balcony or a patio, and our project involved a balcony that, fortuitously, looked out over the lawn and woods instead of another building or a parking lot. The balcony also was on the second floor of one of the only buildings that has two stories rather than 3, so she has only a large eave for shelter (like the top floor balconies in the photo below) rather than a full roof. As we do with all projects, we started with the givens and the goals for the space.

Balcony Design Goals

Measuring 6’ x 10’ it is large enough to accommodate all the things on her wish list:

• A loveseat to lay on to read the Sunday paper

• Some pots to grow plants, flowers, and herbs

• A pair of chairs to entertain a guest or two for cocktails or wine and cheese

• Convenient tables to hold morning coffee and happy hour refreshments

Balcony Project Existing Considerations

• A 4’ x 6’ beige and green indoor/outdoor rug

• A pair of moss green pillows

• A trio of pretty beige glazed ceramic plant pots in varying sizes

• A weather pattern of wind on this side of the building  - meaning selections needed to be heavy enough to not become projectile weapons!

• A building exterior in varying shades of brown with green accents (how lucky we already had some green going on!) with balconies with black iron railings and lighter brown flooring and posts.

• A nice view to grass, woods, playground, and dog park rather than other buildings and parking lots

Balcony Design Plan

As with all projects planning before shopping is key. So we began by measuring the space and drawing a scaled plan to be sure we knew what sizes would work best and how the colors would be dispersed..

Our first stop was researching the big furniture pieces.  We had a few choices, but ultimately selected a dark brown, almost black all-weather wicker loveseat and 2 stackable dining chairs that we happened upon on a great sale.  The stackable feature means easier storage in the winter months when it all will need to live in the garage or be dispersed around the apartment somewhere.

In a stroke of unbelievable luck, the salesperson appeared with a seat cushion for the loveseat left over from last season that was the shade of green we needed to go with the rug.  When we got it home, we found that not only did it go perfectly, it was the EXACT same fabric as the existing pillows she purchased a couple of years ago! It was meant to be!

Next we selected a patterned accent pillow for the loveseat that had a touch of the green but brought in some yellows, blues, and beiges as well.  If I can talk her into it, I’d like to see a couple of solid textured pillows in blue and in yellow to add to the loveseat for comfortable lounging. We’ll use the green ones on the chairs to carry the main color over to that side of the balcony.

Our purchase qualified for a couple of free umbrellas which we didn’t want for the balcony lest they take flight in the wind, but which I could use for my own deck…win-win!

Finally, we are on the hunt for a ceramic garden stool with a flat enough top to work as a table between the chairs – I’d like to see this in one of the accent colors like yellow or blue. And we need either a second garden stool or small table to serve the loveseat.

 Stay tuned for final pictures when we have gathered everything, but we’ve at least assembled the main ingredients in time for her to enjoy the spectacular weather on her balcony this weekend!

Need some inspiration for YOUR balcony design? Check out these products! Many are on sale at GREAT prices right now! (click on links below image for more details)

1 All-weather wicker loveseat (other colors available) | 2 Outdoor striped rug | 3 All-weather wicker stackable chair (other colors available) | 4 Ceramic garden stool (other colors available) | 5 Outdoor pillow with button accents (assorted colors available) | 6 All weather wicker loveseat (other colors available) | 7 Turquoise outdoor pillow (other colors available) | 8 Striped outdoor pillow (other colors available) | 9 Stackable dining chair (other colors available) | 10 Metal tray table (other colors available) | 11 Multicolored floral outdoor rug

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

XO,

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