Janet Butler
If space is at a premium in your place — but you have a balcony or terrace at your disposal — you may well have an extra mini “room” that you can use to enhance the total feel of your home. One or the other of these design ideas may be exactly what your “decorator” (yes, she’s YOU!) can pick, adapt, and put your unique stamp on to create something special. Witness the ultimate minimalist deck feel of a city balcony holding only tall lamps that play off the lights all around it. Or, set up a handy al fresco table and chairs, uplight a couple of plants and some shrubbery, and give yourself an impromptu “garden.” Even a long, narrow balcony can be a coffee bar, “tropical lounge,” or spare summertime “bedroom”!
Have a wall with distinctive color? Chairs in a harmonizing tone will “pop” against it. You don’t need a yard to relax in Adirondack chairs or loungers beyond those sliding doors. For corner niches, think light: candlelight, hanging lights, or some special colored light can set a chic mood. Is the bistro down the street a little pricey? Set a pair of red chairs and a round café table up on your terrace and you can have all the ambience for no cover charge. Even a tiny square out the back door can turn into an outdoor “room” with a couple of benches, a potted palm, and some flowering plants. So…no matter how tiny your space is, take a second or third look at it; good things, including great outdoor spaces, can come in small packages.
