How to Arrange a Multi-Functional Balcony: 3 Best Ideas

It has long been known that it's great to have tea and lie in a hammock on the balcony, but mostly there are old shelves and equally old bags with things that are too precious to throw away. While we dream of turning a dusty storage room into a cozy boudoir with a view to a quiet courtyard, designers present projects where the balcony accommodates storage, chill-out area, wardrobe, winter garden, and a space for creativity... how many possibilities there can be! We've collected the three most interesting 3D projects for careful study right here and now. It's time to take these ideas into battle.

1. Study Room and Cozy Dining Area

Who, where and for whom: designers from Mango Studio demonstrated an interesting way to organize a working study and dining area on the balcony in a small flat in Novosibirsk. What's important, according to the project authors, the renovation will take about a month.

What needs to be changed: a wedge-shaped elongated balcony with an area of 9 square meters, which opens into two rooms, is proposed to be insulated, new energy-saving glass units installed, a radiator placed, heated floor laid, and sliding doors to the living room made.

Functional content: as a result, a quite spacious additional room is obtained, in the end wall of which a computer desk, comfortable chair, and shelf are arranged. Right next to the working station is an eating table. At the narrow end of the balcony, there's a small area for a tall cabinet where textbooks and stationery can be stored.

Style and decoration: the finishing material for the balcony study is chosen in a style that combines outdoor surfaces with interior finishes. The outer wall of the balcony is suggested to be laid with decorative brick, and the window covered with dark linen Roman curtains. Laminate on the floor and a fabric suspended ceiling will quickly give the study an elegant look, while wallpaper with drawings on the margins will set the owner of the interior in a working mood. The wallpapers are planned to be illuminated with LED strips, and recessed lights installed in the ceiling.

2. Study, Library and Home Bar

Who, where and for whom: the St. Petersburg bureau Artmore, led by designers Tatyana Polyakova and Karyna Klementyeva, executed a project for a client from Ufa. The girls proposed to remove all partitions in the single-room flat and connect it with the volume of the loggia (6.8 square meters) to create a maximally airy space and load it with multiple functions.

What needs to be changed: the walls need to be painted (magnetic chalk paint is used for the end wall), laminate laid. A shelf-bar needs to be attached to the outer wall. For the library, a cube made of plywood with a cutout in the center is proposed to be built. The upper space will serve for shelves and lighting, and the lower one - for seating, which can be transformed into a storage system using a drawer. A table with shelves at the other end of the loggia is also suggested to be made from plywood.

Functional content: according to the project, the loggia can change its purpose - here one can host parties at the bar counter (in fact, it's a regular pine shelf placed at the right height). Time can be spent reading, dreaming, and reflecting: in one end of the narrow long volume, there's a seat-podium with shelves for the library above it. The wall opposite is equipped as a workspace - a table, chair, and shelves will make a quite comfortable space for creativity.

Style and decoration: the interior colors are white and a light straw-colored wood tone (pine wood and smooth plywood). The main color accents are green plants and a graphite-gray wall. For stylish support, wooden blinds, planters, and lights on long rails are mentioned in the project.

3. Reading Room and Lounging Zone

Who, where and for whom: designer Evgenia Mikhaylova designed a studio for newlyweds in Krasnogorsk so that each spouse had their own relaxation corner. The wife got an elegantly decorated bathroom, and the husband - a vibrant balcony. However, it's also great to spend time there together or in larger groups.

What needs to be changed: the most complex part of the design is for the ceiling - a suspended structure made of particle board with a cutout for lights will be covered with wood-grain film. The most creative part of the finishing will be a wall painting with images of Totoro, the hero of Japanese animation Hayao Miyazaki. Part of the wall is planned to be covered with plaster with a rustic stone look - similar finish but made from ceramic tile, will also be on the heated floor. A thick curtain from ceiling to floor will close off the balcony entrance from the kitchen.

Functional content: glazing sets the main role for the room - it's a viewing platform, a space for contemplation. Comfort and relaxation are provided above all by the view from the window - as well as comfortable chairs on pivot legs. Reading at a table is also comfortable in the chairs. For storing books, there's a tall shelf in the far end of the loggia.

Style and decoration:

a cocktail of bright blue walls and wood tones on the ceiling refreshes emotions; a spotlight-style lamp, wall painting, and lemon-yellow table create a creative atmosphere.