Open balcony: finishing options and design ideas

An open balcony, even a very small one, is the dream of many, many apartment and house owners. Which is quite understandable, because in the warm season (which can include both May and early autumn), a cozy place can be organized in this small area. You seem to be already on the street, but still in your house. If you already have such a balcony, the issue of its improvement may be relevant.

You can start with the minuses, since it is impossible to hide them. An open balcony without glazing is a priori not a warm area. In summer, you can drink tea on the balcony and enjoy the wonderful weather without leaving your home. But in other months, this area is no longer so good. Besides it contributes immeasurably more to the accumulation of dust, debris, precipitation than an enclosed space.

Finally, the open balcony is not protected from thieves; it is impossible to fully dry linen on it without fear of precipitation. And a closed balcony is easier to imagine as a small self-sufficient room than an open space.

What are the advantages of an open balcony:

• you can even sunbathe on the open balcony in summer;
• you can dry your laundry very quickly in sunny weather;
• for demonstrating floral decor - this is the best option;
• the balcony can be beautifully decorated, and it will become visible to all passers-by;
• this is the fastest way to get out on the street.

Finally, if you have purchased a home with an open balcony, then either you will have to invest a lot of money and effort in its glazing, or simply leave the type of balcony the same, but think over its arrangement.

A balcony is a platform that protrudes from the facade of the building for a certain distance. The site is fenced with handrails along the perimeter. The standard depth of the site is 1-1.6 m. The entire structure consists of a reinforced concrete horizontal slab, fencing, and additional fasteners.

Balconies are:

• on cantilever beams - these are used in old houses, the base plate is supported by reinforced concrete or metal cantilever beams, which are embedded in the wall to a certain depth (not less than 38 cm);
• on cantilever reinforced concrete slab - the design is similar to the first option, only the role of the base plate went to a cantilever-restrained plate, these are usually installed in brick buildings;
• with external supports - this makes it possible to make balconies of a large size, columns or brackets serve as additional supports;
• attached - they are attached to the facade of the building with side supports, and to reduce the load on the wall, front posts are used;
• attached - these structures are fastened with load-bearing consoles, this structure also keeps an emphasis on the front pillars;
• hinged - and these balconies seem to be "hung" on the facade of the house with the help of special fasteners in the wall.

Regardless of the type of construction, you can turn the balcony into the coziest corner in the house. How to do this, read on.

If the balcony is open, then the organization of the visor above it will definitely be for the good of the site. The visor organizes protection from rain, makes a balcony without a roof more laconic, helps to visually close its space. And the visor also protects those who have a rest on the balcony from harmful excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, prevents snow from accumulating on the balcony in winter, protects from debris and dirt.

The standard construction of the visor can be considered a frame plus a covering material. I must say that visor and balcony roof are not the same thing. The visor is always attached to the outer balcony side, it looks like a continuation of the structure. Roofs are fixed on the load-bearing wall or mounted on special supports.

To design a gable canopy, the following can be used:

• corrugated board;
• slate;
• glass;
• sheets of carbonate.

The gable type canopy resembles a classic roof. This design will look nice when initially small. A visor decorated with forged elements will turn out to be attractive. The arched shape of the visor is also interesting, forged is also preferable.

There can be a lot of questions about finishing. One of the first is the floor screed. The floor covering will come into contact with precipitation and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, finishing the floor is a serious task. Usually it is solved in stages: first, two types of reinforcing mesh are laid, then beacons are installed, a cement-sand mixture is diluted, a screed is pulled out.

The next question is what exactly to put on the floor. The most convenient option would be ceramic tile, which is intended for outdoor use. The tile must be safe: have a rough non-slip surface. Where the floor meets the wall, it is imperative to install ceramic border. This will prevent water from entering the space between the screed and the wall.

Some owners decide to put under a screed thermal cable. When the smart system is plugged in, the surface temperature of the site will be higher than the melting temperature of the snow, which means that no dangerous ice will remain on the surface.

Sheathing / wall cladding can imply the use of:

• ceramic tiles with a glossy surface, which will save time for cleaning the walls, because dirt and dust are poorly retained on the gloss;
• imitation of natural stone - it is not easy to lay it, but the appearance is beyond praise;
• decorative plaster - if the facade of the house is also covered with it, this is a completely logical decision.

And also the walls can be sheathed with siding, it is more wear-resistant than, for example, plastic, but less expensive than wood.

You can also decorate the balcony with a terrace board. Decking is actually a universal finish, because it can be laid both outdoors and indoors.... And even in its versatility, it is able to become a topcoat for walls, floors, and fences. Plus, this weather-resistant material looks very modern.

What you definitely can't do is clutter the balcony with furniture. For example, if you put a bulky wardrobe on it, you won't even have to talk about a slender interior composition. A table and two or three chairs are the best option. If a full-fledged table does not fit on the balcony, you will most likely be able to place something like a mini-sofa on it. And the table can be, by the way, folding.

Pallets, small cabinets, summer wicker furniture, coffee tables, benches with cushions for seating comfort - all this can be adapted for an inexpensive but beautiful balcony arrangement. Shelves and racks can be permanent outdoor or seasonal. Very often, the owners of balconies revive old, small-sized furniture, which turns out to be very useful on the territory of the balcony.

The decor of the balcony is far from the last thing that you need to pay attention to when arranging this site. For example, gardening: the perception of the balcony or loggia as a whole depends on its persuasiveness, relevance, aesthetics. In an apartment, in a house, in the city, in the country, you can arrange a balcony with vegetation in completely different ways.

Decorating a balcony with flowers suggests a number of nuances.

• Use of plants according to the side on which the site is located... If direct sunlight is constantly on the balcony, it can harm a certain group of plants.
• Convenient landscaping option - climbing vines, they peculiarly protect the balcony from street dust and noise, from the sun's rays in the heat. Such a green corner is beautiful among asphalt and concrete.
• A flower garden on the balcony is already a voluminous decor. Therefore, if it is adjacent to large furniture, you get a visual overload. Forged, transparent, through furniture goes well with greenery. If you have a plastic table and chairs, this is an option for the warmer months.

Don't be afraid of hand-made decor or interesting, fun ideas... For example, cotton and other garlands on the balcony look so that this place cannot be a priori associated with something economic and depressing. You can decorate the walls of the balcony with posters, panels, boards on a string, on which you can write with chalk, and so on. In the evenings, the balcony can be decorated with candles in large candlestick vases. Evening tea in such a place will be especially tasty.

The following selection contains the most beautiful open balconies, examples of which can inspire your own "Everest" designs.

See 10 cozy outdoor balconies.

• It is beautiful in its simplicity and elegance. The table and two chairs do not look cumbersome, flowers reflect the author's idea better than any store decoration, bulbs and lanterns add coziness.

• A small balcony with not the smallest possibilities. Just imagine how great it is to be on such a site after work, take off your shoes, climb into a chair and drink a particularly aromatic coffee in the fresh air. Everything is beautiful, appropriate, green, and does not require large expenditures.

• Pallets, inexpensive rugs, do-it-yourself flowers - who can't do it... And if you also sew "funny" pillow covers, then the place for morning magazines and invigorating drinks will be just perfect. The most budgetary option.

• This type of arrangement of an open balcony shows that even gatherings "more than two" can be arranged in such a place. In good weather, all meals can be safely transferred to this cozy territory.

• Unconditional beauty, where every centimeter is furnished with love. Both candles and garlands make evenings on such a balcony incredibly sentimental. And after all, if you look closely, there is nothing complicated here.

• What a cozy light version - it seems that here you can even arrange a dream for yourself on a summer night. Beautiful and laconic, and again there is nothing complicated, very expensive and impracticable.

• A beautiful place under the roof. And here, indeed, you can sleep, during the day - so for sure. An excellent choice of plants and a wonderful color scheme.

• A balcony can be beautiful not only in summer... If you love color, brightness, natural variegation, then be sure to embody this on your open balcony.

• Those who boast of the size of the balcony should be inspired by these options. The question of where to receive guests during the warm season is closed.

• And the sofa, and the table, and the lighting, and the decor, and the floral design - everything here is good, cozy, environmentally friendly... You will want to go into the apartment less and less.