Is your tiny balcony big enough to hang washing? Great! Then it’s big enough to turn into an outdoor living space.

Relaxing on the balcony

Whether you want to put your feet up after work, or stretch out in the noonday sun, both laid-back ‘activities’ require the same two pieces of furniture – a comfy chair and an ottoman for your feet. Together these two take up less space than a full length chaise, and your ottoman can double as a handy table or a second seat when required.

Naturally, on a tiny balcony your outdoor furniture needs to be streamline, and that makes metal your best choice, in particular galvanised steel. Metal is strong and attractive without requiring bulk. And galvanised metal won’t rust, and will keep its colour and shape long term. For decades! This means your outdoor easy chair will look inviting, year after year, even when you move to your next apartment and install it on your next, much bigger balcony. And don’t forget the comfy cushions, which we’ll deal with in a moment.

Dining on the balcony

If you prefer to use your pocket-sized balcony for dining rather than sunbaking, then a small, stone-topped table on a dainty metal base takes up very little room. Add a few delicate, metal chairs and you’re all set to host an alfresco luncheon for friends, or a candle-lit dinner for that very special someone. And next morning, whether you’re breakfasting alone or in company, there’s no better start to the day than coffee and croissants in the open air.

Cushioned comfort that lasts

Odds are if you’ve got a small balcony, you’ve got a small apartment. So your outdoor cushions – which you’ll definitely need for comfort’s sake – have to stay outdoors too. Hence they need to be 100% durable. Quality, UV-resistant, fade resistant outdoor seat cushions are worth every cent. They guarantee your outdoor leisure zone is always attractive and inviting, and therefore always used.

The finishing touch

Any outdoor space should have a garden, and with small balconies this is where tall, slender planter pots come into their own. Press one or two into a corner and fill them with greenery as tall and willowy as themselves, such as miniature pencil pines or breezy bamboo. No matter how small your balcony, a spot of greenery makes it part of the great ‘outdoors’, and that’s the whole point of relaxing on your balcony. It’s where you can get away from the hubbub of life, and be one with nature for a little while.

Two or three well-chosen pieces turn your balcony into an inviting living space, one that will entice you out of doors whenever the sun shines. Or when the romantic mood takes you.

Image Credit: ID 25035259 © Axel Drosta | Dreamstime.com