Apartment Balcony Concept - Australia
Budget: $30 – $250 AUD
We have an apartment balcony that is desperate for some design. We are struggling with ideas, or finding the right pieces to bring it to life. It is currently uninviting and it is an odd shape. Also, it is possible we are expecting too much from the balcony. Also, I think some things we are interested in furniture-wise is not available to purchase.
I would love for this to be an inviting, relaxing and welcoming space - cleverly using furniture and the space/angles available - and featuring modern looks.
Things we would like by category:
Non-negotiable:
- storage. There is currently a thin, vertical storage cupboard in the corner which meets our needs. My concern with this is that it's possibly taking up the 'best spot' of the balcony, but it can't really go anywhere else. Would be open to other storage options if they suited the space better.
- nothing against the balustrade. We have a cat who is allowed to go onto the balcony. She has never attempted to jump up onto the balustrade however if we put furniture too close to it I'm afraid she might attempt to get up onto the railing. Other cats in the building have made it to the other side of the balustrade and walked around the building on the 15cm ledge!
Highly desirable:
- seating. We remain unsure whether we would prefer an outdoor lounge set up or an outdoor dining set up. We keep tying this back to intended use: our primary use of this space is to entertain as the sun goes down with nibbles and wine. However, I would also like to take my laptop out here from time-to-time when working remotely. This makes a lounge set less practical. I would also like to be able to eat my breakfast out here - especially on weekends. This also makes a lounge set less practical. Also, because we are on the 17th floor, we have a slight preference to be seated low(ish) - we originally had a tall bar setting and it made us feel uncomfortable sitting so high relative to the balustrade.
- plants. We certainly want some greenery, and we'd like it to feel modern and clean. One option we are thinking of is 2 or 3 large pot plants with outdoor plants. Not sure where to place them in relation to other things. Another option we are thinking of is a wide rectangle pot (we love rust-colour) to sit in front of the barrier between us and our neighbours.
Desirable: (we still want all of these things!)
- room for a barbecue. Currently have a mid-size Weber-Q. Would be open to downsizing to a smaller barbecue.
- some shade for Summer. We face directly west which is not a problem for most of the year but in summer the sun is direct and aggressive into the balcony. We are hoping that some outdoor plants will assist. Because we are high up, we can get strong winds - which rules out things like umbrellas or other shade structures. Not sure if there's any other ideas.
- low maintenance. We would prefer to use material like aluminium rather than wood due to lower maintenance.
- eco. Wherever eco-friendly things can be incorporated that remain practical/fashionable.
I would love for this to be an inviting, relaxing and welcoming space - cleverly using furniture and the space/angles available - and featuring modern looks.
Things we would like by category:
Non-negotiable:
- storage. There is currently a thin, vertical storage cupboard in the corner which meets our needs. My concern with this is that it's possibly taking up the 'best spot' of the balcony, but it can't really go anywhere else. Would be open to other storage options if they suited the space better.
- nothing against the balustrade. We have a cat who is allowed to go onto the balcony. She has never attempted to jump up onto the balustrade however if we put furniture too close to it I'm afraid she might attempt to get up onto the railing. Other cats in the building have made it to the other side of the balustrade and walked around the building on the 15cm ledge!
Highly desirable:
- seating. We remain unsure whether we would prefer an outdoor lounge set up or an outdoor dining set up. We keep tying this back to intended use: our primary use of this space is to entertain as the sun goes down with nibbles and wine. However, I would also like to take my laptop out here from time-to-time when working remotely. This makes a lounge set less practical. I would also like to be able to eat my breakfast out here - especially on weekends. This also makes a lounge set less practical. Also, because we are on the 17th floor, we have a slight preference to be seated low(ish) - we originally had a tall bar setting and it made us feel uncomfortable sitting so high relative to the balustrade.
- plants. We certainly want some greenery, and we'd like it to feel modern and clean. One option we are thinking of is 2 or 3 large pot plants with outdoor plants. Not sure where to place them in relation to other things. Another option we are thinking of is a wide rectangle pot (we love rust-colour) to sit in front of the barrier between us and our neighbours.
Desirable: (we still want all of these things!)
- room for a barbecue. Currently have a mid-size Weber-Q. Would be open to downsizing to a smaller barbecue.
- some shade for Summer. We face directly west which is not a problem for most of the year but in summer the sun is direct and aggressive into the balcony. We are hoping that some outdoor plants will assist. Because we are high up, we can get strong winds - which rules out things like umbrellas or other shade structures. Not sure if there's any other ideas.
- low maintenance. We would prefer to use material like aluminium rather than wood due to lower maintenance.
- eco. Wherever eco-friendly things can be incorporated that remain practical/fashionable.