Hi friends!

I’m a big fan of decorating. There is something so rewarding about creating a space for my family that is cozy, functional, and stylish. I’m the type of person that gets bored easily with my “space” and I need to change it up a bit. Another thing I love…is cleaning like a mad woman all day, then lighting some candles in the evening, pouring a glass of wine, and taking in the rewarding feeling of a clean home. I noticed recently that even if I add a plant to our home or move around a few things, I fall in love with our home all over again. One of my favorite spaces is our balcony. It’s pretty small, so learning how to make the best use of space is so important. You don’t have to get discouraged just because an area is small…you can still make it a wonderful and cozy sanctuary that you love.

We live in an apartment and out deck is about 6 x 12 approx. 72sq ft, so we wanted to figure out a way to make our balcony a little bit more private without making it feel claustrophobic. I found some bamboo reed fencing at Home Depot that was perfect for a little added privacy. We opted for the thinner bamboo so that there was still good air flow and light coming into our balcony space. My fiance, Chris used a staple gun to secure it to the existing wood railing on our balcony. It has worked great, and has been able to withstand the wind and occasional yucky weather we get. Our new neighbor loved the idea so much that they went out and did the same thing to their balcony!

I was driving around one day and found a really great wicker bench that someone was getting rid of. It was not in the greatest shape, but I knew with a little love it would be perfect. I brought the bench home and sprayed it down with the hose, to help remove any dirt or peeling paint. I then spray painted the wicker bench black, with 2 in 1 spray paint in satin black. It already has the primer in it, so it saved me a lot of time…with the satin finish it gives it just a touch of gloss without making it look ridiculously shiny. The bench turned out great!

I needed to find some throw pillows and a seat cover to finish the look and give the bench that cozy feel. We had one black throw pillow that wasn’t being used and then I went to Ikea and bought two other black throw pillows. I couldn’t find the black one online, but it looks just like the one in the link…but black.

My search for the seat cushion was a bit more challenging. I took my time and made sure that I didn’t get frustrated, because I didn’t want to settle for something that wouldn’t look right on the bench. I eventually found my seat cushion online and I absolutely love it. I bought the Pillow Perfect Indoor/Outdoor Red Solid Wicker Loveseat Cushion from Amazon. Our bench was finally complete!

Chris spends a lot of time on the balcony, it is one of his favorite places to work. I really wanted to make sure it was a functional space for him. My next adventure was to find a table and chair set for our deck. I wanted it to be big enough that he could bring his computer and coffee and work comfortably, but it needed to be small enough to fit in the space that I had to work with, without it feeling crammed in there. I ended up finding this great patio bistro table at Home Depot. I wanted to keep the cost down as much as possible and outdoor furniture is expensive, so I just bought the table and decided I would find chairs elsewhere. I was nervous that the size wouldn’t be big enough, but everything else I could find was either too big or too small. The table arrived and it was perfect! The size, the quality, and the style!

Now, I needed to find two chairs that would compliment the table and match the rest of the decor. I went to Target and found these cheap and adorable black folding chairs. They are surprisingly sturdy and great quality, and I was shocked because they were such a great price. They go perfect with the rest of the balcony.

Finally, for a little added style and coziness…I found some cushy red seat cushions at Ikea. Again, they were a great price and they have velcro straps to keep them in place.

Last but not least it was time for the finishing touches! I got this adorable outdoor runner at Ikea.

I also found the awesome little black lanterns at Ikea.

I wanted to add something funky so I bought these very cool vases and these interesting dry wood bouquets to add some texture.

I had other things laying around the house that weren’t being used and slowly added them in. I also spray painted a lot of other items on the balcony. Spray painting things is a great way to refinish something and save money. I also found a new love for things I wasn’t too fond of earlier…after I spray painted them. It’s amazing what a coat of paint can do. I also added some plants here and there to the balcony. I’m a huge fan of plants and the way they bring life and freshness to my space.

I didn’t do this whole project in one day…in fact I did it over a few months, during the colder season - so that we could really enjoy it on the warm sunny days! I took my time, got creative, and looked at several options. Just remember that just because a space is small or you’re on a budget, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a trendy, cozy, magical space to hang in! Don’t get discouraged, because it is possible and can be done!

Happy decorating!

K