Panoramic balcony design

Design Recommendations

Panoramic glazing can be installed on almost any balcony. But the main task is to arrange it correctly:

• Don’t turn the interior of a balcony with panoramic glazing into a warehouse: any disorder will be clearly visible both from the inside and from the outside.
• Use a minimum of things to decorate your balcony or loggia – it is much easier to maintain order this way.
• If necessary, tint or cover the lower part of the glass with colored opaque film.
• Be sure to hang curtains if you live on the 1st-4th floors – everything happening in the apartment is clearly visible through the panoramic windows.
• Consider the main disadvantage of panoramic glazing: the more windows, the more heat is lost. The problem can be solved by good double-glazed windows and additional heating (warm floor or radiator).

Pros and cons

Before we look at ideas for a panoramic balcony, we suggest considering its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of panoramic glazing:

1. If used on the upper floors, it offers a beautiful view of the city or any adjacent territory: an ideal place to place a recreation area.
2. The rooms adjacent to the loggia are usually dark due to the lack of direct sunlight, but panoramic glass solves this problem.
3. Due to the fact that one or three walls are completely glazed, the financial and labor costs for finishing are reduced.
4. The cost of a house or apartment with such a balcony is higher than with a regular one: you will appreciate this when selling the property.

The photo shows a spacious loggia in a minimalist style

Disadvantages of balconies or loggias with panoramic windows:

1. As we have already said, this space cannot be called warm: especially if you have double-glazed windows from the developer. They will have to be replaced with more airtight and expensive ones, and this is a considerable financial investment.
2. If you are going to remodel an ordinary balcony, you will need permission for redevelopment from the BTI or another service.
3. Installing artificial heating in the form of a split system, radiator or underfloor heating is also not a cheap pleasure.
4. When arranging a balcony with panoramic glazing, it is imperative to take into account the presence of viewing points: for the first floors, as well as houses located next to each other, it is imperative to hang curtains or blinds.

What kind of glazing to use?

The most important thing in the design of a balcony with panoramic windows is the double-glazed windows themselves. There is a so-called cold and warm option.

In the first case, frameless glazing or framed glazing assembled on metal profiles is used. A balcony or loggia with frameless panoramic glass looks very weightless, reliably protected from rain and dirt. But they can be blown through and are definitely not suitable for use in winter.

Important! Non-hermetic double-glazed windows are much cheaper to install than warm insulated ones.

For warm or winter panoramic glazing, fiberglass or plastic frames are used – they are hermetically sealed, help maintain a comfortable temperature. But one way or another, insulating the floor and ceiling (as well as the walls, if only one is decorated with glass) is a prerequisite for the loggia to remain cozy even in the cold season.

The glass itself can be transparent or colored. The first solution is standard. It will be appropriate everywhere, but in the case of lower floors you will have to close yourself off from curious neighbors with curtains.

If you do not want to use curtains, take a closer look at mirror film: it creates an impenetrable coating from the outside, and the view from the inside remains the same as it was.

The last option is tinting. Its advantage is simultaneous protection from both prying eyes and sunlight. That is why tinting is a popular option for southern balconies.

What to consider when finishing?

The design of a loggia with panoramic glazing requires minimal labor costs during repairs: you will have to decorate the floor, ceiling and one wide wall (in rare cases, also 2 small ones).

Floor

The most practical and durable material is ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware. The only disadvantage of these floor coverings is the cold surface, but this problem can be solved by laying underfloor heating. But you get a wear-resistant, durable floor that is not afraid of temperature and humidity changes.

In some cases, it is permissible to replace tiles with wood – it is warmer, but needs to be treated against mold, rot, pests.

The photo shows a loggia combined with a kitchen

Ceiling

Loggias are usually small, so to achieve the effect of visual expansion, decorate it in white. Standard materials for finishing the ceiling are water-based paint, clapboard (do not forget about the treatment and waterproofing of the surface before installation).

Important! If cold-type panoramic glazing is used, materials for outdoor work are used in the finishing.

Walls

Decorative design of the walls largely depends on the chosen style. Warm natural wood in the form of clapboard suits Scandinavian, brutal brick, stone or concrete – loft. Less extravagant look paint, wallpaper, PVC panels, decorative plaster.

In the photo the floor and walls are finished with laminate

How to arrange a balcony?

We continue the design of the balcony with panoramic glazing: now you need to choose the furniture. The internal filling of the loggia is based on the functional purpose of the space in the future:

• A winter garden requires a lot of green plants and a minimum of furniture: a table and a couple of folding chairs or a bean bag chair are enough.
• The office must have a desk, an ergonomic chair, a socket for charging a laptop or working with a computer, as well as thoughtful lighting.
• A modern lounge area relies on coziness created with the help of comfortable armchairs, sun loungers, bean bags. In the niche, you can equip a sofa with a storage box under the mattress.

Important! The abundance of light allows you to grow many heat-loving plants on the balcony: they will also become a wonderful decoration for your loggia.

Decor makes the overall look of any room more interesting, and a balcony is no exception. Use paintings, garlands, candles as decorations.

It is imperative to use textiles: fabrics add a special charm to panoramic glazing. Light tulle is suitable for northern windows, thick curtains, roller blinds or blinds – for southern ones. Cushions on the sofa or armchairs and a soft carpet under your feet will also add comfort to your stay on the loggia.

Important! On the sunny side, the colors of fabrics and paintings quickly fade, so you should approach the choice of decor especially carefully.

What style is best to decorate?

The most popular style for decorating a loggia is loft. Firstly, it does not require large investments, and secondly, on a small balcony you can implement what you did not dare to do in a large room. Exposed brick walls, concrete ceiling and more.

The photo shows the design of a large balcony in black

The Scandinavian style is no less popular: it is based on a combination of cool white with warm wood. Complete the picture with live plants and cozy decor.

Minimalism is indispensable for panoramic windows: the absence of unnecessary details will allow you to create a neat, but at the same time cozy interior, which will be easy to maintain cleanliness.

The photo shows a frameless glazing option