The new-age apartment culture has changed the way we live. We don’t have huge gardens or balconies now-a-days. Our outdoor home extension is largely limited to tiny balconies. At the same time, it is enough to add charismatic effect to our homes with some creative ideas. Plants are one of the best ways to decorate your balcony, but there is always a space crunch. Below are a few amazing and easy ideas of balcony decoration:
1. Add greenery to your balcony
The best way to treat balconies is to add as much greenery as possible. Plants like Frangipani are not only inviting but also sturdy. Tall palms and hanging pots make you feel closer to nature. For the floor, artificial grass is a good option. Flowering climbers on the railings add a dash of colour. For vertical gardens, if possible, rather than lining up a bunch of planters on the floor of your balcony, try hanging them from your railing! You can save precious floor space this way, and avoid tripping over anything.
2. Lighting
Turn any old balcony into a calm or romantic outdoor space by adding a bit of candle-lit nostalgia. No décor is complete without appropriate lighting. Balconies can be adorned with brass lanterns, coloured glasses, moroccan lanterns, fairy lights, up and down lighters. Bamboo lights can add an eccentric and natural touch too.
3. Furniture
Outdoor furniture like wicker and cane not only looks good but is easy to maintain.
If the space permits, a swing can certainly become your most favourite place in the house or you can find a small enough foldable patio set or table that doesn’t make a balcony look too cramped, When you’re not using it, it folds down flat to maximise space.
4. Decoration
You can add interesting knick-knacks like wind chimes, outdoor speakers for streaming music and waterfalls in a corner to create magic. You can place wind chimes or add other accessories such as hanging plants and lamps.
5. Keep it clean
Add a few outdoor tasks to your list, every time you run through your indoor cleaning checklist. Sweeping your patio once a week will keep it mostly-free of dirt, debris, dead bugs and anything else that can take away from its aesthetics.
6. Invest in shade
Whether it’s an afternoon of light rain or a particularly clear and bright day, a little shade goes a long way. An umbrella table or a covered sunshade may be all you need to enjoy your patio without discomfort.
7. Stones & pebbles
If you feel like you want your balcony to look more natural, don’t hesitate to pile up smooth stones and pebbles that can also serve as your outdoor doormat on the balcony.
— The writer is a principal designer in a interior firm
