How to furnish a small balcony ideas

How to make the most of every square metre.

When you start hearing about record temperatures in the news, you know balcony season is getting closer. But as a balcony owner, have you put off – or quite simply forgotten – to furnish that extra space? If so, it's time to roll up your sleeves. Here are our top tips for exploiting those extra few square metres in the best possible way!

1. Soft underfoot

To make your balcony really cosy, you want to be able to go out there with bare feet. But if your balcony has a concrete floor, that can be rather chilly. The easiest and most comfortable solution is to find an attractive balcony carpet. It can be difficult to find one that fits perfectly, but the carpet doesn’t have to be exactly the same size as the balcony. And of course you can always buy a made to measure balcony carpet, but they’re often a bit more expensive. My favourites are carpets in natural colours and materials. Or if you've a talent for DIY, you might find outdoor flooring a good option. It’s a bit fiddly to put together, but it looks great once it’s done!

2. Be space conscious

When you’re choosing the actual furniture for your balcony, it all depends on the size of the balcony and how you're going to use the space. If you're going to eat on your balcony often, a table is a good idea. There are many variants of bistro tables and chairs that fit on smaller balconies. But if you prefer to sit back in comfort and take it easy on your balcony, a lounge set is a great alternative – although these only fit on a slightly larger balcony. If your balcony is very small, a suspended table can be a good solution, as you can remove it to free up the space when the table isn’t in use. It’s also important to think about materials when you're buying balcony furniture. Choose a material that’s easy to maintain and which will age attractively, such as stoneware or rattan. These natural materials are also bang on trend just now.