Decorating an open balcony for comfort and beauty.

Options for finishing a balcony without glazing

The main feature of this room is that it is constantly exposed to external influences: sun, rain, wind, dust, snow, frost. Therefore, for the decoration of a loggia without glazing, choose the most wear-resistant materials: it is best to use facade finishing.

Floor

The following are definitely not suitable as a floor covering:

• carpet;
• laminate;
• linoleum.

It is best to decorate the surface with tiles, porcelain stoneware or make a self-leveling floor. Another way to ennoble the floor is a deck board. It can be made of solid wood or wood-polymer composite. The first requires careful regular maintenance, but it is 100% natural. The second does not require processing, serves up to 50 years, but it contains special polymers that allow it not to react to heat in summer and frost in winter.

Important! The underfloor heating system cannot be installed on an open surface! Firstly, it is ineffective. Secondly, it will not last long.

The photo shows the floor being finished with ceramic tiles

Walls

Usually, when building houses, balcony walls are designed to match the rest of the facade and most often these are smooth-painted concrete slabs, less often – painted with texture.

If the appearance of the existing finish is not satisfactory, the interior can always be simply repainted. Choose facade paints that do not wash off when exposed to water, do not fade in the sun, and do not crack from subzero temperatures.

Important! Paints for brick and concrete bases are distinguished primarily by their elasticity. Brick contracts and expands with temperature changes, high-quality paint will not crack from such minor fluctuations. There will be no such problems with concrete – choose any that is suitable for climatic conditions.

In addition to paint, the following is suitable for the design of an open balcony:

• Plaster. Special decorative compounds for outdoor work are available in various textures: bark beetle, fur coat, lamb. Silicone mixtures have proven themselves best in the open air, but high-quality acrylic ones can also be used.
• Siding. Metal, wooden or plastic panels of different colors are a simple and quick option for decorating walls. Metal structures are the most practical, wood requires processing – preliminary and regular, only frost-resistant plastic will do.
• Tiles. Tiles are laid not only on the floor – they are also appropriate on the walls! The tiles are easy to clean, they are not afraid of temperature and humidity fluctuations, water, snow and sun.

You are lucky if the walls of the house are brick – even in a “bare” form, such surfaces look amazing, do not require additional finishing.

Ceiling

The ceiling is least exposed to precipitation, scorching sun, mechanical influence. For its repair, outdoor paint or inexpensive facade plaster will do, but you can also use siding or clapboard.

Important! Before starting any work, make sure that the balcony roof does not leak. If there is a leak, first of all you should fix it, only then proceed to decorating the open balcony.

Fencing

The parapet on the balcony can be blind or “transparent” – in the first case, you can hide objects in the lower part of the loggia, making the atmosphere more closed, intimate. But forged railings or gratings make it possible to enjoy the views from the window even lying down or sitting in a low chair.

Important! Be sure to consider the composition of the family: if there are small children or animals in the house, it is necessary to arrange the railings of the open balcony so as to exclude the possibility of falling out.

By the way, it is not necessary to change the lattice fences: to make a blank wall, it is enough to stretch a thick awning over them.

Options for fences:

• metal (forged or welded);
• wooden;
• glass;
• brick or block;
• combined (example: metal + glass).

Important! The parapet is installed within 1-1.1 m. Lower is unsafe, higher is inconvenient.

When choosing a blank wall made of brick or foam blocks, remember: it is necessary to leave a gap at the bottom so that excess water flows down to the street during rain, and does not flood the apartment.

In the photo, an awning for fencing

Canopy

If the open balcony is without a roof, a canopy will help protect it from the scorching sun, raindrops, snow, and hail. To create a cozy place to relax, be sure to attach a small canopy:

• the dimensions exceed the dimensions of the lower part by 10-20 cm from the front side, 20-30 cm from the sides;
• the slope of the ledge should not be less than 30 and more than 35 degrees;
• canopies are made of polycarbonate, tinted glass, slate, special fabrics.

How to arrange?

Choosing furniture for an open balcony is a very controversial issue. On the one hand, you want coziness, which can only be achieved with upholstered furniture. On the other hand, practicality – and a soft chair in the rain and snow will not last even a year.

But there are still alternatives:

• metal, wooden, wicker tables and chairs – for drinking coffee in the fresh air;

The photo shows a rest area in the fresh air

• folding sun loungers or chairs – create a corner for sunbathing or relaxing in the shade of trees;

• frameless furniture (bean bags, armchairs, poufs, sun loungers) in waterproof fabric – items can be easily brought into the apartment and taken out again.

Folding furniture is convenient to store in the off-season – it will not take up much space in the apartment or garage. Frameless models can be used inside the apartment in autumn or winter – interior and outdoor fabrics do not exclude this possibility.

The options are not mutually exclusive: if the area of the balcony allows, install a coffee table on one side, and a chaise longue or sun lounger on the other.

How to decorate?

To make the balcony truly cozy, only furniture and decoration is not enough: here, as in other rooms, the decor is decisive.

Decorations can be useful – for example, decorative pillows on chairs or edible kitchen plants in hanging pots.

And there are simply beautiful ones – fresh flowers in pots, paintings on the walls, figurines, candles, compositions. There shouldn’t be many of these things, but they will help to decorate the balcony in the desired style.

The photo shows the decoration of the balcony with garlands around the perimeter and candles

What to put on the floor?

Photo ideas for open balconies are not teeming with options with rugs, because ordinary models are, at the very least, impractical. At the most, they are dangerous: mold can form under them in high humidity.

But at the same time, a carpet is an important element of coziness and comfort: there is a big difference between stepping on cold tiles or soft pile. For open loggias, we recommend:

• Artificial lawns. They do not mold, are pleasant to the touch, and resemble grass in appearance and feel.
• Bamboo or wooden mats. Provide excellent air circulation and look stylish.
• Homespun rugs. The vulnerability to water is compensated by the ease of care: they dry quickly and are machine washable.

The photo shows artificial grass on the floor

Beautiful ideas for decoration

Let’s start with the arrangement of furniture: who said that the seats should be located exclusively opposite the railings? Seats along the railings will help save more free space: the view from them is no less beautiful than if you sit opposite.

Don’t be afraid to use fresh flowers outside: since you can only relax on an open area during the warm season, plants will also feel comfortable here during the season. Install one large plant or many small ones.

Why not hang curtains on the loggia? Attach a crossbar with bright curtains between the walls: both decor and protection from ultraviolet radiation. By the way, you don’t have to cover the entire roof with a canopy — use a compact umbrella to create spot shade.

If regular potted flowers seem insufficient, create a natural green canopy: fix an arch on the floor and wall, and grow climbing plants along it. With fast-growing species, such as hops or ivy, a dense green cover can be created by mid-summer.

The lack of glazing is not a reason to store unnecessary junk on the balcony! Even on a simple loggia, you can create a cozy space for relaxing on summer evenings.