If your apartment has a loggia or balcony, rejoice, you are very lucky! What an unforgivable sin - to turn a balcony into a warehouse, to clutter this most valuable space with skis, unnecessary toys, pots of ficus and other rubbish that is simply a pity to throw away. Let's dare to take everything unnecessary to the landfill, free up the balcony space and turn it into a magnificent living space!
A set of furniture for a balcony can be represented by different items depending on the dimensions of the room and its functional purpose
Of course, you need to choose furniture for the balcony wisely; the laws that apply here are not at all the same as those that apply to the bedroom, living room and other rooms. But with the right choice, even this place can be turned into a luxurious study, a cozy lounge area and even a bedroom, if you place an easy chair or even a folding bed on a loggia or balcony, while choosing the right furniture.
Basic rules when choosing furniture for balconies and loggias
So, you have freed up space on the balcony, thrown away everything unnecessary, and are standing, like an artist in front of a blank canvas, in slight confusion. Should I put a folding chair on the balcony, or is it better to have a table with chairs? Should I hang a hammock or is it better to place racks for storing things? You want everything at once, but you have to choose one option.
An important factor in choosing balcony furniture is color – some people like calm neutral shades, others prefer bright, cheerful accents
Here are the basic rules that you should follow when choosing furniture and interior items for your balcony and loggia:
- The most important and primary thing: decide what this space will serve you for. And no uncertainties, only clear specifics! If you think something like this: “Well, we will sometimes have breakfast here, but mostly relax, and I will sometimes draw here, but we will also store the bicycle here...” - nothing will come of it, your idea is doomed to failure. Only one task: either it will be a comfortable pantry, or a creative workshop, or a mini-dining room, or a relaxation area. Choose strictly and concretely, once and for all.
- Once you have decided on the goals of the space, decide what the main piece of furniture should be. If this is a workshop, then perhaps an easel or a comfortable work table. If there is an office, then a table and a chair or an armchair. Both of these options require shelves and racks. If there is a relaxation area, then a folding chair-bed or a hammock.
- When choosing the main piece of furniture, consider the size of your balcony and, ideally, draw a clear plan of the space with all the dimensions.
- Choose ergonomic furniture: narrow shelves and racks oriented vertically, chairs without armrests or a sofa in which the armrests will act as tables. With a minimum footage, it shouldn’t be crowded.
- Everything is foldable, mobile and lightweight - ideal. Furniture for a loggia should not be monumental and oak, this is not the place.
Focus on lightness and mobility, choose high-quality balcony furniture and correctly calculate the dimensions in advance. That's all the secrets!
Types of chairs: pros and cons of models
When choosing a chair, it is necessary not only to take into account the features of the balcony, loggia, interior design, but also the features of the model itself: appearance, requirements for maintenance and care.
Option 1 - soft chairs
Such models are massive and bulky, so you can choose them in the case where the balcony is large or you plan to install chairs at the ends of the loggia so that they do not interfere with free movement.
It is also necessary to take into account the fact that soft chairs can only be installed on glazed loggias in order to protect the furniture from precipitation and dust, which can spoil the appearance of the product.
Of particular note among these models are chairs on metal supports, which look quite elegant and do not burden the overall appearance.
In order to organize a good rest, you can give preference to chair-beds. Such sliding structures will allow you to relax while lying down, organize sleep in the open air, and will also become indispensable assistants if you plan to visit a large number of guests.
Option 2 – rocking chairs
Modern versions of these models simply amaze the imagination with their elegance and originality. Such chairs will help you organize a good rest as comfortably as possible, and thanks to their small size, moving around the balcony will be easy and simple. These chairs are also suitable for impromptu winter gardens on the balcony. You can sit comfortably in them, enjoying the fresh air and the smell of flowers at any time.
Option 3 - wicker furniture
Wicker chair models will help make any room more comfortable. An important factor when choosing such models is the fact that they are made from natural, environmentally friendly materials.
Many people associate wicker furniture with summer holidays at the seaside, so thanks to them, you can create an excellent atmosphere for relaxation on the balcony.
For those who prefer original ideas, manufacturers offer rattan wicker chairs, which are the best combination of comfort and originality.
If you want to relax reclining, then the choice can be made in favor of wicker lounge chairs that have a special leg support that can be easily pulled out if necessary.
If you have a pet: a cat or a dog, then you can choose models with a specially equipped place below for your pet to rest.
Option 4 - suspended structures
A hanging chair on a balcony is a model that appeared relatively recently, but has already gained enormous popularity. With its help, you can make your balcony an interesting, attractive place to relax.
Ergonomics of furniture in the interior of balconies and loggias
And a few more words about the comfort of space. If it’s crowded on the balcony and you have to squeeze between a chair and a table, then very soon you won’t want to go there at all. Coziness plus comfort and space – this is the formula for the ideal room.
The photo shows an example of saving balcony space - a cabinet, the upper surface of which can be used as a tabletop
Therefore, you should choose ergonomic furniture: one that fits perfectly in shape and dimensions, compact, folding or designer furniture. For example, this could be a chair bed for your loggia: during the day you can sit and read here, and at night you can lay out the chair and sleep or put guests to bed.
Correct arrangement of furniture
Saving space means that all furniture needs to be “pressed” against the walls, freeing up maximum space in the center. If this is a table and chairs for breakfast, then a round table will take up too much space - it is better to choose a rectangular and rather narrow one, put it next to the partition, and generally take folding chairs and place them only as needed.
The main task of placing furniture on the balcony is to save space without losing functionality
It is better to hang shelves and racks higher - this way they will not take up space, and things and flowers in pots can be placed in their places, and there will be order. You can use multifunctional modular furniture - for example, a small cabinet-rack, narrow and not taking up space, and it can have both storage space and a work table.
Options for choosing furniture for the balcony interior
But before you arrange the furniture, you need to select it. You need to do this in advance and select all the components at once, so that later there are no surprises and it does not turn out, for example, that no chairs fit under the purchased table, or that there is no room left for them at all.
In limited balcony space it is very convenient to use folding furniture
So decide what will be the main thing on the balcony - seats or sleeping furniture, a work area or something else. And start choosing the main pieces of furniture.
Closet
If you need to store something on the balcony, or just finally put things in order, then you can’t do without a closet. It should be quite shallow, but at the same time it can reach the very ceiling: this way you will save space, and everything you need will fit without difficulty. Add shelves to the closet or choose a rack, it will be much more ergonomic.
When choosing a cabinet, first of all you need to focus on the area of the room
A well-chosen closet will not only serve as a place for convenient storage of things, but will also decorate the balcony space
The cabinet can be either open or closed, or combined. Modern modular walls allow you to realize any fantasy: a light wooden shelving unit combined with open shelves and closed compartments of different sizes. Very convenient and beautiful, and most importantly compact and ergonomic.
Shelves
Shelves for the balcony can be made with your own hands or bought ready-made. In general, you can’t do without shelves here: firstly, they will allow you to restore order in the house and compactly store everything you need: winter preparations, indoor plants, boxes with seasonal things. Just make sure that trash doesn’t accumulate: keep only those things that are really needed, and get rid of the rest in a timely manner.
When choosing material for shelves, it is important to consider their purpose - this will determine the requirements for strength and appearance
The design of the shelves should be selected in accordance with the style of the balcony interior
Here you can place books and magazines on the shelves, and if this is a work office, then all the necessary folders and papers. don’t forget the decor, lighting, garlands, candles to make it cozy and beautiful. Shelves can be very laconic and simple, made of wood or chipboard, or metal.
Armchair
If you dream of setting up a lounge area in your apartment with a soft, cozy chair to watch a movie, read, or even smoke a hookah, the space of a loggia or balcony is perfect for this. In this case, the chair will be the center of the composition and the main piece of furniture.
Wicker upholstered furniture looks great in the interior of the balcony
Cozy hanging chair on balcony with artificial grass
You can place a hanging cozy chair right on the balcony, but keep in mind that it will take up quite a lot of space. This is a good option for a spacious balcony or large loggia. If there is not a lot of space, the ideal option is a bean bag chair. It’s lightweight, you can put it in another room if you want, it costs a penny, and even on a small balcony you can fit two of these bags so you can relax with someone. Lay down a soft rug, throw a couple of these bags on the floor, and your lounge area is ready with minimal effort!
The photo shows a bean bag chair on a balcony with panoramic glazing based on an aluminum profile
And others
From the balcony you can make a charming small dining room, where you will happily have breakfast, lunch and even have a romantic dinner with your loved one. To do this, you need to place a small square or rectangular table and chairs here. By the way, it is better to choose folding chairs for a loggia or balcony to save space.
The photo shows a panoramic balcony with comfortable furniture, suitable for both relaxation and a light breakfast
If you dream of a creative workshop, then create at your own discretion: you can hang shelves on the walls, and occupy the main space with an easel or work table, or put a sewing machine if you are going to create fashionable masterpieces here.
The photo shows a cozy balcony equipped as an artist’s studio
For the work area you will need a compact work table - the smallest one to fit only a laptop. A comfortable chair, a table lamp and shelves for everything you need – compact and convenient!
You can hang a small cabinet above the cabinet or build in open shelves
How to choose furniture, taking into account the specifics of the space
There are different balconies: open, cold closed, as well as glazed and insulated, and even heated, and accordingly the furniture should be chosen, taking into account all the specifics of the premises.
Furniture should be made from materials that are not afraid of difficult operating conditions
Options for open and cold balconies
For such a site, lightweight structures made of durable materials are most suitable: tables and chairs made of metal, wood treated with special impregnations, as well as plastic. Small products with artificial stone inserts (decorative tables) are suitable for furnishing this room.
On such sites you can use folding items and wicker furniture. You just need to take care of special covers that can protect such products from rain and cold in winter and late autumn.
If you want to make an unglazed balcony cozy, you can use colored pillows, blankets, and bedspreads to decorate it. To ensure they serve you for a long time, try not to leave them in the sun or rain for a long time. To store them, it is advisable to make a small plastic box: you can put all the decorative elements in it in case of bad weather.
If you want to create a summer interior for your balcony, use pallet furniture made from pallets. With the help of colored blankets and pillows, you can easily turn such products into cozy armchairs and even sofas. With the arrival of cold weather, such a structure can be disassembled in half a day and hidden in a secluded place.
What furniture is suitable for glazed but cold balconies
Most often, when trying to arrange a balcony, owners glaze it with cold aluminum systems. Of course, they do not retain heat in winter, but they reliably protect the room from rain and snow, from noise and dust, so choosing furniture for such a balcony is much easier.
Built-in wardrobe for the balcony with hinged doors
Here you can place both garden furniture: wicker or folding, and wooden interior items. Shelves, chests of drawers, cabinets, cabinets made of chipboard on cold balconies will last no more than 3 years, since this material consists of pressed sawdust, changes in temperature and humidity will not spare the aesthetics of the furniture.
An example of how to make a folding chair with your own hands
It should be noted that on balconies, near the end wall, a built-in wardrobe is often installed; its frame is recommended to be made of wood or plywood, but the facades of the cabinet can be made of either wooden hinged or lifting roller blinds or sliding compartments, made of plastic or glass.
Built-in wardrobe on the balcony, photo of ergonomic furniture with different types of facades
Furnishings for warm balconies
In order to have a few extra meters of not just useful, but also living space, the balcony is insulated, windows are installed, and heating is provided. But when arranging a small space, the question arises: how to choose the right furniture so that it is not only comfortable, but also does not take up much space.
Mensolas and brackets are the easiest way to attach shelves on the balcony with your own hands
It is necessary to make maximum use of the entire area; for this it is better to order the manufacture of custom-made cabinets, tables, cabinets, and beds. A competent designer will think through the ergonomics of objects, and also select the right materials for manufacturing, and craftsmen will adjust and install the furniture in place.
A folding table on the balcony will significantly save space
Of course, the price for such products is higher than for finished products, but if the goal is to save money, it is quite possible to make a cabinet, cabinet or table with your own hands.
Individually designed furniture takes into account all the features of the space
Tip: To make the balcony comfortable, try to choose furniture with smooth corners, and to save space, use the plane of the walls, so narrow hanging shelves and cabinets will help you place a lot of household items.
Built-in cabinet for the balcony made of lining
If you are determined to choose ready-made cabinet furniture for your balcony, then cabinets with a width of 600 mm (preferably single-leaf) or 800 mm (double-leaf) are quite suitable in size. It is recommended to install a sliding wardrobe on a balcony with a width of at least 1 m, so that there is convenient access to the internal space, since one part always remains closed.
When buying ready-made furniture, think through all the little details, the main thing is that nothing interferes with the opening of the cabinets
Materials for making furniture for the balcony
What can balcony furniture be made from? In fact, from any material. But still, do not forget that choosing furniture for a loggia and balcony must follow different laws than for other rooms in the apartment.
Balcony furniture is exposed to humidity and ultraviolet radiation, especially if the room is unheated
Tree
Wooden furniture is ideal for any purpose - be it a table for creativity or a work desk, shelves or a rack, a small dining table and stools. Wood is durable, furniture made from it is durable, environmentally friendly and of excellent quality. And she is always beautiful and stylish, it’s a no-brainer.
The surfaces of wooden furniture will have to be periodically renewed, dried parts will have to be sorted out and repaired.
But there is a nuance: when choosing wooden furniture for the balcony, it is very important to ensure that it is as light and compact as possible. Often wooden furniture is distinguished by its monumentality and is quite bulky. But you need to find the lightest and most compact options, then everything will be fine.
Aluminum
Metal furniture looks great on the balcony. Imagine: a sunny day, a beautiful view from the balcony, a forged metal table with a kettle and cups of steaming tea on it... beauty!
The photo shows forged furniture in the interior of a small balcony with glazing
The photo shows an open balcony with folding chairs and a hanging table made of aluminum
Aluminum furniture is light, beautiful and compact; it can be safely placed on the balcony, especially if it is a dining area.
Other options
Furniture made from chipboard and other “wood substitutes” is quite suitable - such items will cost much less, but are not inferior in quality and beauty. Racks, shelves, a work table or a desk - may well be made of wood boards. The same can be said about a bedside table or coffee table.
Most often, furniture made of chipboard or MDF with a protective layer of plastic is used on the balcony.
A chair-bed or other chair can also have a frame made of wood board, since if it is natural wood, the furniture will be bulky, heavy and quite expensive. It’s even better to choose open-frame furniture – a bean bag chair, as we described above, or a hammock.
The photo shows an option for arranging a sleeping place on a narrow balcony
Racks, a dining table and shelves, as well as a hanging chair can be made of metal: steel, cast iron, and other durable metals. It is not recommended to use glass and plastic on the balcony - these materials are more suitable for interior living rooms or kitchens.
Features of furnishing a closed balcony
An enclosed balcony provides great opportunities for realizing design ideas. It can become a full-fledged additional room: a bedroom, a dining room, a study, a nursery, a kitchen, a small gym, a play area for children. A wide window sill can easily be turned into a bar counter and equipped with a seating area. Plant lovers will be able to arrange a small winter garden.
When choosing furniture for a loggia and closed balcony, they give preference to built-in furniture, which is attached to the structural parts of the room and does not have back or side walls, which saves space and money. It is advisable to equip a closed balcony with only the most necessary furnishings and not clutter it with unnecessary accessories. Otherwise, you can use any cabinet and modular furnishing options, upholstered furniture.
On an old glazed balcony you can experiment with a fashionable loft style. The classics of this trend are brick walls, old beams and beams, open pipe laying, as well as a combination of seemingly incompatible things. This direction in design allows you to make the interior unusual and unique.
In such an interior, an old chair and a fashionable ottoman, highly functional and seemingly unnecessary items, will coexist well. Any scratch or roughness will not be a defect, but an interesting addition to the overall picture. When choosing furniture in the loft style, you can completely rely on your imagination. Wood, plastic, leather, and textiles are used to make interior items in this style.
DIY folding table and sofa box for the balcony:
Photos of interior design of a balcony with furniture
When you are already “at a low start” and are ready to go shopping, look at the furniture options for a balcony or loggia in numerous photo examples. They will inspire you: you will see how originally and simply you can furnish a loggia or balcony, both spacious and very miniature in size.
The photo shows a simple bench on a light balcony with bright decoration
In the photo there is a table-window sill combined with a cabinet for storing a variety of things and objects
The photo shows a minimum of furniture on the balcony, decorated in a modern style.
The photo shows a cozy seating area on the balcony with indoor flowers
Pay attention to the use of color, lighting, decor and additional elements, to the design of the floor and walls, to various little things and details. Your imagination will certainly tell you which option to choose for your particular space, and the result will be flawless!
Types of chairs for the balcony
Among the many models of chairs on the market, we can highlight those that are most suitable for placement on balconies and loggias. Of course, each type of chair is suitable for certain purposes and room conditions, so it’s worth studying their characteristics.
Upholstered armchair
Maximum comfort and a cozy appearance are distinguished by upholstered chairs.
As a rule, most models turn out to be bulky and not very minimalistic, but in large chains of furniture stores you can also find options that are suitable for a small balcony.
Quilted leather chair with table
Features of these chairs:
The most successful option is a soft chair without armrests, installed at the end of a balcony or loggia.
Chair-bed
Another option that stands out from the previous option is a chair that transforms into a bed. This is a great option for those cases when you often have guests spend the night in your apartment or you like to take a nap in the fresh air without leaving the house.
