7 mistakes when decorating a small balcony

What mistakes in the design of a small balcony are easy to make? Listed in video

one Trying to fit everything in at once

At first glance, everything is obvious: if the balcony is small, then there is not much to fit in it. But when it comes to decoration, I want to implement all the ideas: allocate a storage area, arrange a cozy corner for relaxation, arrange several plants. But in the end, the space becomes too cramped, and you don’t want to go into it at all, because you have to think about every movement so as not to hurt anything.

How to be

First of all, come to terms with the fact that you do not have a spacious loggia, where there is enough space for several functional areas. Decide what the main role will be played by a small balcony. It can be neatly supplemented with something else, but not to combine the functions of several rooms on 3-4 squares. For example, you can put pillows on a large storage box so that at the same time there is a place to sit. Or hang a horizontal bar under the ceiling for sports on a heated balcony, which was originally decided to take under the winter garden

2 afraid of bright colors

Light colors visually expand the space. From here it seems logical that a small balcony must be visually enlarged — just as they do with rooms. But in fact, in such a tiny space, this technique is not so important, because it will not add real square meters.

How to be

On the balcony, a bright palette is appropriate for two reasons: the space is non-residential, and there is a lot of natural light in it. You will definitely not get tired of saturated colors, and the interior will not seem gloomy or overloaded in any case. If you love bright colors, but are afraid to use them in the living room or bedroom, the loggia is the perfect place for such experiments.

3 Forget about ergonomics

When planning the arrangement of furniture on a small balcony, people often forget about ergonomics and simple logistics. The design project may look aesthetically pleasing, but in practice problems will be revealed. For example, it is inconvenient to approach the closet and get something from the upper shelves. The door to the balcony stopped opening all the way because of the new shelves on the wall. Or a beautiful rack with flowers blocked access to the window.

How to be

At the planning stage, make a drawing of the loggia. Mark on it with a dotted line the lines along which the door, windows, cabinet doors will open. So it will be clearer where and how much free space you need to leave.

four Make a no use zone

For many, the balcony seems too small to seriously consider it as a whole functional area in the apartment. As a result, a template table and a couple of chairs are placed there, which in the end are not used, because there are already places to relax at home.

How to be

Analyze your apartment: no matter how spacious it may be, there probably was no place in it for the implementation of some idea. For example, a yoga corner, a second study, or a place where you can draw in silence, away from everyone in the household.

5 Think only about dimensions

It is quite logical to choose compact furniture for a miniature balcony. The problem is that in the pursuit of small dimensions, many forget about comfort. This is how tiny tables appear, on which you can not put anything but a cup, and chairs, on which you cannot sit for more than half an hour.

How to be

Look for solutions that will combine the right size and comfort. For example, instead of a small round table, you can make a wide window sill and complement it with folding chairs. It will take even less space, and it will be more convenient to relax or dine in the fresh air.

6 Don’t think over the light

Often lamps are not brought out to small loggias, believing that if their width is 1-1.5 meters, then the light from the chandelier in the room will be enough. As a result, the balcony looks gloomy and uncomfortable in the evenings, because the light from the chandelier will be too diffused due to the fact that it passes through the entire room and window.

How to be

The best way out is to make a couple of wall or ceiling lamps during the repair. If you do not want to bring wiring to the loggia, use battery-powered lamps. It can be a garland, which at the same time will add atmosphere, or small solar-powered bulbs.

7 Don’t use walls

Making out a small loggia, many concentrate only on the horizontal plane, worrying about the lack of square meters. As a result, the walls remain empty, although this is twice as many possibilities — which is especially important for limited footage.

How to be

Place perforated boards on the balcony — you can attach decor, storage containers and even plant pots to them. Hang garlands, bookshelves, wall bars, hooks to store a bike or other sports items.

On the cover is a design project by Ekaterina Kamynina. Photo: Natalia Gorbunova