Renovation and design of small balconies

Small and large, wide and narrow, which have not seen renovation for a long time and have just been transformed - the balconies are gradually "claiming" their rights to their own face in the dwelling. Now the balcony often becomes an extension of the room or even an independent insulated room, leaving the status of a standard extension.

If you already have an idea, it's time to draw up a plan for turning a standard balcony into a functional and attractive room. It is better to calculate the budget right away in order to understand what financial costs are associated with the repair. And it also makes sense to set a timeline for the repair so that it does not drag out, usually clear planning disciplines.

High-quality windows and competent installation still do not guarantee a warm balcony, but without this it will not become such in principle. Therefore, if there is a request for glazing (the balcony was open) or replacement of windows with more modern and warm ones, this item will be the first in terms of transformation.

If the balcony is small, it is appropriate to use sliding systems for glazing, which save space on opening the sashes. Such doors are good for any interior style. And it looks fresh and attractive. In some cases, new glazing is not required and the wooden frames may simply need to be touched up or replaced with a natural wood color from the standard white. Old paint is removed, a stain, oil, wax or other impregnation with a change in shade is selected in the desired tone - even old windows are transformed in this way.

But if the balcony will be used as a living room or a room that is actively used in winter, ordinary single window systems are not suitable - you need warm modern double-glazed windows. Only they, in conjunction with the insulation of the balcony around the perimeter, will give the desired comfortable temperature in this small room.

Insulation can be dispensed with if the balcony is a storage for fruits and vegetables. And also you should not spend money on insulation if the tools and materials needed in the household are stored on the balcony, which lie quietly at low temperatures and do not deteriorate, and are also not sensitive to moisture changes. Sometimes the balcony becomes a smoking room, which also does not require insulation. Of course, those who live in a warm region do not need insulation either.

Insulation materials are more often used:

• penoplex;

• polyurethane foam;

• penofol;

• Styrofoam;

• mineral wool.

The material is placed in a special structure-lathing, which is made of wooden bars or metal profiles.

In general, the insulation algorithm looks like this:

1. sealing all cracks and gaps, if any;

2. glazing with reliable modern double-glazed windows;

3. organization of the waterproofing layer (special impregnation);

4. installation of thermal insulation materials;

5. organization of vapor barrier using polymer membranes.

The following steps already refer to the finishing of the insulated space.

Finishing primarily masks thermal insulation, and also organizes the indoor environment - aesthetic, comfortable, cozy.Plastic panels are often used as a finishing layer (although their popularity has dropped somewhat due to the demand for environmental friendliness) and plaster. As well as classic wall paneling, less classic MDF boards, drywall and even a block house.

If you want reliability and environmental friendliness, you can not guess, but turn to the lining. Yes, you will have to tinker with the installation, but the result is not for years - for decades. Such repairs will definitely last at least 20 years. Painted lining is in fashion now. Thanks to the color, the interior of the balcony takes on its own face, and the picture, as a result, comes out no worse than a magazine one.

As a floor covering, you can choose a laminate, which is a compromise option for any interior decoration. The material is not the most natural, but also not frankly fragile - it is unlikely to last for decades, but with careful care, the laminate will work out. You can take high-quality linoleum and finish the floor with it.

Plasterboard walls on the balcony are also found, but lathing is also required to fix the sheets, which eats up the space somewhat. Subsequently, the gypsum board can be pasted over with wallpaper: the option is not the most common, but it also occurs.

When all the rough and large-scale work is behind you, the room is decorated, and you only need to think over the furnishings, decor and lighting, things tend to go faster. Because these processes are not associated with garbage, dust and hard physical labor. Furniture can be made to order, taking into account the current size of the room and the original idea.

You can also pick up ready-made furniture, but the narrower the balcony, the more difficult it is to do it. Even a person who has no experience in this matter can independently build lockers on the balcony. You can buy standard blanks in any building market, and with slatted doors, for example, cabinets will look nice on the balcony, no worse than cabinets made of fiberboard and chipboard.

Wicker furniture looks especially comfortable in a small space, where there is a struggle for light and air. And also a budget option would be to design furniture from pallets - the cost of such an armchair, sofa or table is low. The decor can be ordered on Asian sites, do-it-yourself something. It is also very convenient to have a full-length mirror on one of the narrow walls.

One way or another, some style should dominate the interior. And the balcony is no exception. And it is better not just to dominate, but to be clearly visible, enveloping the space.

Here are the styles that are appropriate on the balcony.

• Scandinavian. The king of interiors today, due to its universal aesthetics, affordability and democracy, will indeed perfectly fit on the balcony. White or light colored walls (but shades of gray, whitened blues are also considered) are preferred, as are light finishes in general. They are like a blank canvas on which the decor will paint something conceptual and cute.

• Eco-boho. Boho itself (bohemian chic) ​​is a style for bold, risky, who love brightness and texture, expressiveness of interior elements. Eco-boho muted this brightness, replaced it with natural colors: beige (straw, sand), green (in the form of living plants), and all against the same light background. This is a very self-contained style, also inexpensive to implement. It suits small rooms, looks gentle, soft, calm, relaxed.

• Loft. In contrast to the two previous options, there is a more brutal, sharp, freedom-loving loft. The brick walls of the balcony do not need to be finished with anything, because they will become the very canvas for the style on which decisive strokes will be applied. But not every room will be convincing in the loft style, so you need to think a hundred times whether the industrial context will not get bored over time, whether it will interfere with the purpose of the extension.

• Hugge. Today the Danish concept has already passed into the status of interior style - leading resources boldly include this word in the style catalog. Hygge and scandi are similar, but not the same thing. In hygge, objects, materials and color are not so important as the creation of a special atmosphere of peace, comfort, security. And yet the main material will predictably be wood: an old, well-worn wooden chair is better than a new one with chipboard armrests. The decor is important in principle: natural textiles, pottery, candles and other similar things.

• Retro. If the owners have furniture from Soviet times, which is still solid and cute in its own way, filled with good associations, by trying, you can form a retro space on the balcony. An armchair, a trellis, a floor lamp - and already a corner from childhood looms. The upholstery can be renewed, some elements can be restored, but the essence remains the same.

These are just a few options that are interesting to implement. Other styles can be used, although these will be given in such a small space as a balcony, easier.

As for the colors, white, milky, ivory, faded pink and whitened blue will be in the lead. There is no need to visually compress the space, making the balcony colorful is also a dangerous decision, while light walls set a neutral background, very convenient for the subsequent arrangement of the room.

A well-maintained balcony can perform different functions; organizing the space as conveniently as possible is an interesting task. And the smaller the balcony or loggia, the more complicated it becomes.

On the insulated and illuminated balcony, you will get an ideal study: if it is impossible to find an isolated place for it on the main area of ​​the apartment, why not refine the balcony. People who work remotely (as well as those who take work home) will be delighted with this decision.

We offer several recommendations for the design of an office on the balcony.

• Rational use of space. The worker may not be a desk, but a comfortable console.

• Storage places - in the form of shelves above the table. Additionally, you can organize a rack in the opposite corner.

• Good artificial lighting is important, and the connection point may be in a room adjacent to the balcony.

• There should be no distracting elements on the "office" balcony - this can negatively affect productivity. But at the same time, not everyone will like a cold workspace, so posters on the walls, a couple of small flowerpots with fresh flowers can make the atmosphere more comfortable.

Even on a very small balcony, you can organize such a corner. If you want maximum brevity, there can be an ottoman, a sofa, a bench with a soft mattress on top - in a word, a place where you can lie down. If the balcony is so small that such furniture will take up all the space, it should be replaced with a comfortable chair. It can be braided - this option looks more lightweight, airy.

On a larger balcony, you can equip a podium on which a comfortable mattress will be laid.

If space permits, you can take out a laconic garden table and two chairs in the set to the balcony. If it is difficult to do this, you can design a tabletop under glass that will replace the bar counter. A pair of comfortable bar stools will already be matched to her.

By the way, much of the balcony design can be done independently without spending a lot of money on it. For example, a cute coffee table will come from a tray (it's easy to find an inexpensive option in fixed-price stores), as well as legs from shovel cuttings (in any building market, the price is low).

Lockers, as noted above, are beautifully designed with your own hands. On the cut, parts are bought from which one cabinet or a whole modular system is built. It will be both inexpensive and exclusive, and the use of wood is always effective.

If you want an open storage system, shelving is used. And things are directly stored in containers, baskets, boxes. To make it all beautiful, not to give visual noise, containers and boxes are selected either of the same color, or so that together it looks as organic as possible.

Built-in shelves can be hidden by curtains, which are also easy to make. By choosing the right color, you can hang a curtain that merges with the finish, which is a big plus for a small room.

In this case, the main criterion for the arrangement is the compatibility of plants and their willingness to develop in balcony conditions. But a pile of flowers and cacti, of course, will not decorate any balcony, so you need to think over the layout scheme. And also in the garden there should be something for the convenience of the owners - a bench, for example.

An interesting option for a balcony or loggia can be a library - both linear and angular. You can arrange shelves or a bookcase in one corner, and an armchair with a floor lamp in the other. And in this corner it will be pleasant to read, to retire, and at any time of the year.

There are many other solutions as well.

• Workshop. You can equip a sewing, knitting and handicraft area on the balcony. High-quality natural lighting will be a big plus.

• Mini gym. An exercise machine, a rug, dumbbells, elastic bands, a mirror - in principle, such a corner can be equipped. Its advantage is that in the warm season, access to fresh air will be better than anywhere else in the apartment.

• Home cafe-bar. By organizing a bar counter by the window, as well as a locker with everything you need for a "tasty" pastime, you can turn the balcony into a place for coffee, cocktails and lovely conversations over a cup of tea. Moreover, narrow balconies are competitive in this sense.

• Lounge area. Rest, relaxation, communication, listening to music and podcasts, audiobooks - this is what you can use to meaningfully load such a room. Comfortable places where you can lie down, unobtrusive relaxing decor, aroma candles - and the space is transformed into a room, as they would say earlier, of psychological relief.

If the footage allows (as well as ingenuity and design thinking), several zones can be combined in one room at once. Even a small balcony will allow you to do this. But one thing, most likely, should be in priority. For example, a study with a large mirror or a library with garden elements.