The essentials for creating a cosy balcony
- Before buying furniture, define your actual needs, the available space and any fixed elements already in place (floor planters, railings).
- The balcony’s location matters: exposure to sunlight, urban pollution, rain, and whether it is possible to shelter or bring the furniture indoors.
- The amount of time you are prepared to devote to maintenance will guide your choice of material.
- Materials to compare for a balcony: teak, rattan, woven resin, bamboo, pine, acacia, aluminium, metal.
- The style follows the furniture: metal for an urban, designer balcony, rattan for a bohemian balcony, teak for entertaining, bamboo for an exotic feel, privacy screens to shield yourself from overlooking neighbours.
How do you create a well-designed balcony?
Creating a cosy balcony starts with three questions: what are your actual needs in terms of outdoor furniture, how much space can you devote to it, and how is your balcony exposed to sunlight and rain? The answers directly guide your choice of material and style.
Gardens aren't the only spaces entitled to designer décor—our balconies are too! When it comes to arranging them, both small and large balconies can present a challenge: sometimes cramped spaces, too much length and not enough width to work with, overlooking neighbours to conceal… Creating a well-designed balcony is an art in itself, and choosing the right furniture, best suited both to the space and to your lifestyle, is not always as simple as a beautiful photo on Pinterest or Instagram. That said, solutions do exist to create the cosy balcony you have always dreamed of. Follow our décor and design experts' advice to create the balcony of your dreams!
A balcony located in the city centre, with overlooking neighbours and no attention paid to it: that's anything but encouraging when it comes to enjoying a space that can quickly become THE trendy room of spring and summer! Who hasn't dreamed of getting up on a Sunday morning and sipping a freshly squeezed orange juice on their sunny balcony? But with a well-decorated, well-furnished and welcoming balcony, everything is immediately better...
Here are some simple and effective tips for designing your balcony properly and, above all, choosing the right furniture.
What are the right questions to ask when designing a balcony?
Seven questions frame a cosy balcony project: your furniture needs, the available space, existing fixed elements, the balcony's exposure, the material to prioritise, the maintenance time you are willing to commit and the style you are looking for. Answering them before buying helps avoid sizing mistakes.
Before frantically setting out to look for one tempting mood photo after another, ask yourself a few simple questions:
- What are your actual needs when it comes to outdoor furniture for your balcony / small terrace?
- How much space will you be able to devote to your outdoor furniture?
- Do you already have elements that cannot be moved such as floor planters or railings that are already in place?
- What is the location of your balcony? How is your furniture exposed to sunlight, city pollution and rain? Do you have somewhere to shelter it, or will you have to bring it indoors?
- Which material should you prioritise for outdoor furniture on a balcony / terrace?
- Are you prepared to spend some time maintaining your balcony and its furniture?
- What style do you want to give your balcony with this outdoor furniture : an urban, designer balcony with metal garden furniture? A bohemian balcony with rattan furniture? A festive balcony for entertaining with highly durable teak furniture? An exotic-feel balcony with bamboo furniture? A balcony that shields you from the rest of the world with privacy screens...
Which material should you choose for balcony furniture?
The material should be chosen by weighing up two criteria: resistance to sunlight and rain, and the amount of time you are prepared to devote to maintenance. Eight materials are commonly used for outdoor balcony furniture, from teak to aluminium.
Depending on your answers, you can already naturally gravitate towards certain materials that require more or less maintenance or that are more or less resistant to sunlight, rain...
To help you, our complete article on garden lounges and furniture details, material by material, the advantages of the different materials used in outdoor furniture intended for gardens and balconies:
- teak,
- rattan,
- woven resin,
- bamboo
- pine, acacia,
- aluminium,
- -metal...
Which furniture should you prioritise when designing a balcony according to its size?
Furniture should be chosen based on the previous checklist: available space, fixed elements already present and the desired style. On a small balcony, compact seating and furniture placed against the railing free up the walkway.
You are now completely ready to design your balcony using your checklist, and perhaps some elements now appear to you
FAQ: creating a cosy balcony
How do you make a small balcony cosy?
On a small balcony, the available space determines the choice of furniture. Start by measuring the space that is actually available once the floor planters and railings have been taken into account, then choose furniture suited to this space and your lifestyle.
What décor works for a cosy balcony with overlooking neighbours?
Overlooking neighbours can be dealt with using privacy screens, which isolate the balcony from the rest of the world. This is one of five possible style approaches, alongside an urban metal balcony, a bohemian rattan balcony, a festive teak balcony or an exotic-feel bamboo balcony.
What furniture is suitable for a balcony exposed to rain and sunlight?
The choice depends on exposure to sunlight, urban pollution and rain, as well as your ability to shelter or bring the furniture indoors. Some materials require more maintenance than others, and they do not all withstand the elements in the same way.
Should balcony furniture be brought indoors in winter?
This depends on the material and whether it is possible to shelter the balcony. The question to ask when purchasing is: do you have somewhere to shelter your furniture, or will you have to bring it indoors?
