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| My springtime sunset view |
If you gift yourself a comfortable and personalized place to relax, your outdoor living area will become an extension of your home. As you can see, the experience and the views while sitting outdoors can be priceless.
Low-Cost Outdoor Seating
I wish I had a slightly larger balcony so that I could DIY my own furniture. But because my balcony is so small, and because I want to make sure to save sufficient space for plants, I tend to use an assortment of ever-changing rugs and cushions to keep my space comfy.
The best part about using cushions is that they are easily changed to suit the season or your mood. My textiles on the balcony have changed from animal prints, to bright florals, to very earthy/neutral colors, and back again. Go ahead, spruce up your balcony with a few new cushions.
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| Beautiful Bird Pillow |
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| Indoor/Outdoor Loveseat-sized Cushion |
Outdoor Flooring
I love the coziness of a rug on my balcony. Rugs add so much comfort to an outdoor area. People are right to be concerned about the deterioration of indoor rugs that are exposed to the elements and the damage that can be done by wet carpets on balconies.
I have wooden flooring on my deck. During blowing rain, my rugs are sometimes soaked. But that does not stop me from using rugs (especially runners) to add color and comfort. I am careful to use rugs that are suitable for the outdoors. Sometimes, I use thinner indoor rugs but am sure to watch for moisture gathered under them and hang them over the rail to dry when necessary.
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| Indoor/Outdoor Floral Runner |
Green Space: Morning Glories and Other Suitable Greenery
We know this world needs more green space. Not only for the health of our earth, but I fully believe for our own health. No matter how small your outdoor space, you can certainly find some suitable greenery.
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| My green privacy screen |
My favorite part of having a living balcony is my morning glory privacy screen. Each year, my morning glories twine up the railing and provide a living green screen that delights me with the increased protection from the prying eyes of neighbors and provides the visiting hummingbirds and bees with an extra snack.
Soothing Sounds - Water Features and Wind Chimes
Two very popular items for outdoor areas are water features and wind chimes.
I gravitate toward wind chimes. Listening to them tinkling in the wind is something that soothes me. Small wind chimes can tinkle like tiny bits of glass and large wind chimes can sound like distant church bells on a country Sunday morning. Bamboo chimes have a natural, "woodsy" sound. Some chimes including shining and sparkling bits that reflect prisms as they move in the breeze. Frankly, wind chimes and the different varieties deserve their own article.
I have found a great many people who have "desktop" water features on their small balconies. What a great idea! I am tempted to make room in my outdoor space for one of these so that I too can listen to running water while just steps outside of my livingroom. I think the Alpine Tabletop Leaf Fountain would be a great addition to my balcony garden.
Going to the Birds
Balconies and Bird Feeders go together like peanut butter and jelly. At least they do around my place. I love bird feeders. I have kept seed feeders on my previous balconies and enjoyed the many feathered friends who came to visit.
My current balcony is not as suited to a seed feeder. So I stick with a hummingbird feeder. These winged miracles are so fun to watch and to listen to as they flit around.
Related Links:
Cheap Seats: Cushions and Poufs -- Photographs that include examples of cushions and poufs being used for seating on tiny balconies. And a sample of a DIY couch made of cinder block, post, and cushions. You may feel limited by the size of your outdoor space but as some of these photos show; the sky is the limit. You can turn your small outside space into a pretty, useful, and comfortable living area.
FUNK'N Practicality with Reversible Patio Mats -- These mats are too large for my teeny balcony but I'd still love to have one. I have friends that use these mats for outdoor gatherings. They are durable, beautiful, and portable.
Morning Glory - The Beautiful Privacy Screen -- For the past two or three years, I've grown morning glories on my balcony rail. But this article shows a floor to ceiling green screen. And an important warning about pets and morning glory seeds.
Tuned Wind Chimes Review -- If you love wind chimes but have never heard of tuned wind chimes, this article is a must-read. The lovely sounds of good wind chimes playing music in the wind is something I enjoy very much.
First Hummingbird of 2015 -- The story of how I finally attracted hummingbirds to my balcony for two years in a row. This was after years of unsuccessful attempts. It's as easy as homemade sugar water and an inexpensive hummingbird feeder.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
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