We bought the apartment partially because it had a big balcony surrounded by silver birch trees giving the effect of a treehouse. The balcony was like an extra room and can be a restful place to read and relax. It was also great for cocktails! The main balcony needed major work as it was fifteen years old with wooden boards that were rotten. We were unable to paint the wrought iron as it was a whole building process so we did the best we could. We also had two small balconies which we didn’t really used but still decorated.
Renovation Thoughts
Permission – if you live in an apartment/condo and even sometimes with a house, you may need permission to change the balcony. It may be that there are specific regulations around outdoor patios and balconies. Also check what hours work can be done. Berlin was different to the US and Australia, where many DIY stores are open on Sundays specifically for people renovations, you can’t do major work on the weekends in Berlin!
Budget – keep in mind both product and labour costs, there is always a couple of thousand that is needed so have a stretch budget. Key items may include flooring, painting, lighting, furniture and decorations. Don’t forget, you may need to hire a skip and get rid of the old balcony floors and furniture, this is a key cost and may need coordinating with local councils to remove and dump items. Our builder hired a skip and organised a permit on our street for the use of a parking space.
Weather – this is key to understand what to buy to protect floors, furniture and lighting. Also consider where or how you will store furniture during wet and cold weather. We faced the sun which is fantastic but we also faced wind, rain and snow. The boards needed protecting and we bought a car cover to cover the main furniture.
Privacy and Space
In summer, the balcony was surrounded by lovely trees but in other months, we needed to create some privacy. Big flower boxes were selected with plastic topiary balls – not ideal but they looked good! A friend had an old-fashioned cement balcony she is unable to change. She used bamboo fencing inside the cement wall and placed hanging plant pots in bright colours. For space, we had two smaller balconies and placed a table and chairs on one and a single chair on the guest bedroom balcony. Small balconies often limit furniture, use an outdoor rug and place cushions you can sit on.
Flooring
We used wood decking and sealed with a marine varnish to weather the wetter months. The apartment being designed by Baller meant there were no straight walls and that included the floors. We had to have wooden boards to fit the style and also hand cut to fit the shape. There are some great interlocking square wood tiles which are easy to replace but they need a regular area. Some balconies can be tiled, just check with building regulations if you live in an apartment.
Furniture
We didn’t want a classic outdoor setting and found a wonderful love seat on Wayfair. Navy and white were contrasted with lemon cushions and accessories. Two Chinese stools were added for seating and to balance a book and drink on. On the smaller balcony, we placed a French table and chairs we repainted to match the wrought iron. They are easily foldable for furniture if needed. If you are lucky enough to have a more enclosed balcony, wooden boxes are great for cheap and easy to use seating with colourful cushions on top.
Lighting
I love fairy lights around a balcony. There are some great versions these days. Simple white small lights were chosen to be used throughout the year and garden black ties were used to secure them to the balcony. Make sure outdoor lights are chosen and consider the electric outlet carefully. There are also some great battery operated lights these days that can be put up with Commander strip hooks or even placed in big glass vases to add a sense of magic.
Plants
A lovely mini flower or herb garden can be planted on a balcony. Our main balcony faced the sun and we got fed up with constantly watering and protecting plants. We had bulbs in the late winter to bloom in the spring and eventually after winter, we were surrounded by beautiful silver birch trees that housed birds and squirrels. Those balconies with more weather protection are ideal for small trees such as cumquats, ficus and lovely shrubs. For renters, this is a cheap way to create a temporary garden.
Candles and Flowers
I had a lovely glass shallow bowl that I filled with water and floated small glass candles that filled the air with soft fragrance, add flower petals and it is a perfect decoration.
