Arrangement of a modern balcony or loggia
Whatever the area and shape of the loggia, its space can be made not only beautiful and cozy, but also comfortable and functional.
Small area (up to 3 sq.m.)
If the balcony area is very small, less than 3 sq.m., you can use it to the greatest advantage by placing a cabinet with shelves in a niche.
It will be convenient to store things that are not used often, incl. supplies of bed linen and towels.
Or you can create an individual relaxation area where you can sit after a working day with a good book and a cup of tea.
There is no point in cluttering a small space with an abundance of objects. In such an area it is convenient to use folding furniture, folding tables and transformable chairs.
Average area (4-6 sq.m)
On a loggia of 4-6 square meters you can create a wonderful place to relax. A small sofa or a couple of soft chairs will fit here. Place a low table nearby. The walls can be equipped with open shelves.
Place a shelving unit or closed cabinet in a free corner.
On a medium-sized balcony, you can also organize a work area by installing a tabletop.
Just before you decide to turn your balcony into a place to work, you need to take into account the climate of your place of residence. It will first need to be insulated.
To save space in the apartment, you can place a dryer and ironing board on the loggia. Place an open shelving unit in the side niche to put ironed linen on shelves and store a supply of laundry detergents, clothespins and other equipment.
Large area (from 7 sq.m.)
On the large loggia you can place not only comfortable armchairs with a table, but also a chest of drawers and wall shelves.
There is enough space here for plants and for additional decor in the form of lamps and vases of flowers.
You can also include a mini gym in the design of a loggia with a large area by adding a couple of exercise machines.
If the space is insulated, then the loggia can be turned into an independent room in the form of a study, a children's playroom or even a kitchen.
Arrangement of balconies and loggias of various shapes
The most common balcony shape is rectangular. The entrance is usually on the side. Therefore, it is customary to place furniture in a niche on the right or left.
If the balcony is square, then you can emphasize the symmetry of the space by placing a round table in the center. Place a couple of chairs around. Hang pictures or shelves on the walls.
Rarely, but sometimes there is a triangular-shaped balcony. In this case, it is worth playing around with the existing angle. You can place a large cozy chair in it, or arrange a desk in the corner. Only given the non-standard size, the tabletop will have to be made to order.
Narrow loggia
If the loggia is very narrow, then standard-sized furniture will not fit on it. In this case, it is advisable to either remodel and combine the loggia with the living room, or turn it into a greenhouse with your favorite plants.
Open balcony
It's great to relax on the open balcony during the warm season. Spending a summer evening on the open terrace, breathing fresh air, is simply wonderful.
When arranging an open veranda, it is worth taking into account weather changes. Therefore, it is better to choose furniture from moisture-resistant materials: metal or plastic. For convenience, you can use fabric capes and pillows, which can be brought into the house in case of heavy rain.
Glazed loggia
In order not to depend on weather conditions, the loggia should be glazed. Frames can be made of PVC or more environmentally friendly - made of wood. Having installed windows, it is worth choosing suitable curtains or blinds.
When calculating the width of each window, consider how convenient it will be on the back side if it is stationary. For opening compartments, consider the width of the balcony. If it is very narrow, measure whether the window can be fully opened. In this case, it is worth giving preference to a sliding window system, when the sashes move in one plane (as in sliding wardrobes).
Warm balcony
If you intend to use the balcony not as a place for short-term relaxation, but to spend several hours there every day, then insulating the balcony is a top priority.
To do this you need:
- Install good windows with double-glazed windows;
- Use mastic or sealant to seal existing cracks.
- Cover the walls with high-quality insulation.
- Make a “warm floor” or install a radiator to maintain a comfortable temperature.
All this needs to be done before decorating the space.
Methods for insulating a room
Any layout of a house with a balcony begins with the installation of glass. Here, each room can have its own unique design or standard double-glazed windows.
If you have never installed windows yourself, then it is better to entrust the work to a team of professionals who will take individual dimensions, calculate the order and install it with a guarantee.
- The area of the glass surface directly depends on the purpose of the room, whether it is intended for recreation or full-fledged housing. The profile can be warm or cold, which affects the cost and temperature indicators indoors.
- Note: Metal-plastic bags can withstand frost and have excellent sound insulation. For additional heating of the room, a heated floor is installed on the balcony. Extending a full heating system with a battery is not recommended due to the heavy equipment and complexity of construction work.
In the case of open areas, strong fences and railings should be provided. Take care of waterproof finishing material with a rough surface to avoid soaking, deformation, and the sliding effect when exposed to rain or snow.
Loggia as a continuation of the apartment
If the area of the loggia allows, then you can make it into a separate room, or remove the partition and combine the space with the adjacent territory.
Children's
The loggia can be turned into a play area for a child. You need to lay a warm carpet on the floor. Hang shelves for toys along the walls. For older children, the loggia can become a creative workshop.
Cabinet
For people who work on a computer at home, turning a loggia into a work office is a very common occurrence. Not much space is required for a table and other equipment. In addition, thanks to the large number of windows, it is always bright there.
When creating a work area, you can install either a ready-made factory table or install a custom-made tabletop according to the specified dimensions.
If the loggia is combined with a room, then a work space can also be built into the existing niche on the side.
Kitchen
If you want the house to have another additional living room, then you can include a kitchen in the design of the loggia. True, you will have to take care of transferring communications. In this case, installing a small compact headset will be the ideal solution.
To save space, you can install a folding table, or you can only do cooking on the loggia, and place a dining table with chairs in the living room.
Wardrobe
To save space in the apartment, you can not install a large closet for things, but make a dressing room out of the loggia.
Just keep in mind that if things are constantly exposed to the sun, they will fade over time. Therefore, shelves and crossbars where clothes will be placed must be covered with doors or a screen.
Method of zoning living space
As a rule, the most modern reconstruction options appear first in large cities. The Moscow balcony layout has spread and become popular thanks to an interesting design solution and optimal zoning of space.
Such a project is suitable for studio apartments, small-sized rooms, when a loggia is attached to the room. And the partition with a window sill turns into a functional table, flower stand, or aquarium.
Note: In case of a dilapidated building, it is recommended to use the balcony as a separate room. Some projects involve the installation of additional supports for protruding structures.
How to decorate a balcony or loggia
When all the preparatory work has been carried out, the essential question arises of how to decorate the balcony or loggia.
Floor and its insulation
If the balcony is open, then the floor covering must be resistant to moisture and temperature changes. In this case, you can lay tiles or porcelain stoneware on the floor. In addition, this material is easy to clean, easy to maintain and durable.
If the balcony or loggia is closed, then the following will look good on the floor:
In order for the floor to be at a comfortable temperature, it needs to be insulated. For this you can use:
Or use the “warm floor” system.
Wall and ceiling cladding
The walls of the balcony can be finished with the following materials:
The ceiling on a loggia or balcony can be:
Floor
Be sure to clear the surface of debris
The installation of a loggia floor of four square meters is carried out as follows:
- The concrete base of the balcony is cleaned of excess large debris and vacuumed. All cracks, especially where the floor meets the fencing panels, are sealed with cement mortar. If there is no glazed room under the balcony slab, then the floor must be insulated.
- Expanded clay is poured onto the concrete base in a layer 2 cm thick. A cement screed of at least 2 cm thick is made on top of the insulation. The floor can be insulated with polyurethane foam slabs or other dense thermal insulation material.
- To obtain a perfectly flat surface, liquid mixtures of self-leveling self-leveling floors are used. When installing self-leveling floors, a pimpled roller and a trowel with square teeth are used. Using a spatula, apply a layer of solution to the surface of the insulation. The liquid mixture is evenly leveled with the same spatula. Then, using a roller with a long handle, level the horizontal surface of the screed, removing air bubbles from the solution.
- Electric floor heating will make the balcony a full-fledged living space. Floor heating has the shape of a sheet with a heating cord attached to it. The sheet is laid on the insulation and covered with a screed. Using a special regulator, you can set a comfortable indoor temperature at any time.
Related article: Do-it-yourself door upholstery with dermantine: covering a wooden or metal door
Balcony design
Let's consider several options for the interior of a balcony.
Balcony in a panel house
In panel houses, balconies, as a rule, have a small area. To make their interior more interesting, use different types of wall coverings. For example, one of the walls can be decorated with decorative stone, and the rest can be leveled with plasterboard and painted.
Place decorative tiles on the floor. Don't forget about plants and decorative elements.
Balcony in a private house
If a private house has an open balcony, it can be decorated in a rustic style.
Wall decoration in the form of natural boards or wooden lining will look harmonious. Place wicker furniture. Add textiles to the interior: rug, decorative pillows, blanket.
Balcony in a brick new building
Frame the open balcony with an elegant wrought iron fence. Place water-resistant furniture to create a resting place. Place plants around the perimeter.
Green corner on the balcony
The balcony looks very picturesque, where there are many plants.
Such a green garden can become a real highlight of any home or apartment.
Choose pots in the same style. Place plants not only on the floor, but also along the walls, using fasteners.
When choosing plants, give preference to those that tolerate plenty of heat and light.
Choice of colors
When choosing the color scheme for the balcony, keep in mind that white and any light shades visually increase the space, while dark ones reduce it.
If the balcony is combined with a living room, choose finishes in a similar shade to visually unify the space.
For balconies located on the sunny side, you can choose cool shades of blue, green, and purple. If, on the contrary, the balcony is often in the shade, you can add bright colors using warm beige, yellow and orange shades.
What can you do with a balcony?
It’s worth thinking about the function of the vacated squares - this should be useful space, and there are a lot of options:
- Storage system (this is a profitable option, provided that you can get rid of extra cabinets in the apartment). A balcony can significantly unload a room. It is very important to organize convenient storage;
- A relaxation area with a sofa is an excellent solution for reading books and studying new topics;
- Winter garden or summer garden. The balcony is an additional space for placing beautiful potted flowers. If the balcony is glazed and insulated, the winter garden will be able to please the owners even in the winter season, otherwise it is an excellent area for placing flowers in the warm season, allowing them to take a break from the microflora of the apartment and gain growth;
- A study on an insulated balcony is an excellent solution. The balcony can accommodate a full table and beautiful shelves for storing necessary things;
- Eating area for the warm season. The balcony can accommodate a real table and at least two chairs;
- Yoga area;
- Workshop and much more.
There are a million variations on the theme of using a balcony; the main thing is to determine the need and boldly take on the implementation of the project.
Decoration of balcony windows
If the loggia or balcony is glazed, then to make it more comfortable you should hang curtains or blinds.
There are several design options. It can be:
Blinds can be either vertical or horizontal.
Too thick curtains on the balcony are not needed. Choose a light fabric that matches the tone of the walls.
In addition to the decorative component, curtains or blinds will help provide shelter from strong sunlight and prying eyes.
Features of repairing a glazed balcony
In order to put into practice the idea of planning a kitchen with a glass-type balcony, it is necessary to take into account a number of the following most important nuances:
- first you will need to assess the condition of the supporting structures of the balcony;
- if necessary, the glazing should be replaced with modern profile warm systems that provide the ability to create the desired microclimate in the room and maintain the desired temperature regime in it;
- Next, you will need to eliminate all existing cracks and insulate the external walls of the balcony;
- It is mandatory to install light on the balcony and install sockets, and this must be done regardless of what exactly will be located on it;
- if necessary, you will need to level the floor and walls according to the beacons;
- after leveling the floor and walls, finishing work is carried out with a preliminary selection of suitable materials;
- then the necessary furniture is selected, assembled and installed;
- At the final stage, all that remains is to simply decorate the space.
Choosing a balcony style
Like any other room, a loggia or balcony can be decorated in one of the popular interior styles.
Modern
A balcony decorated in a modern style usually has a laconic finish in calm shades and simple shapes.
High tech
The interior of the balcony in the high-tech style is distinguished by some minimalism. Elements of furniture and decor are made of materials such as metal and leather. Color shades of white, beige, gray are used.
Country
For a country-style balcony (“rustic chic”), use wooden or wicker furniture. Small metal hips can be used as plant pots. Hang imitation street lamps on the walls. Everything should be decorated simply, but with soul.
Loft
The loft style is characterized by minimalism and pristine materials. The photo above shows a version of a balcony where the walls are made of brickwork and plaster. The interior uses materials such as glass, metal, and plastic. The loft style does not tolerate unnecessary decorations - everything is strict and textured.
Eco
To recreate an eco-style on your balcony, use only natural, eco-friendly materials. Place wooden furniture as in the photo above. Decorative pillows and blankets should preferably be made of cotton or linen.
Glazing
Glazing a loggia is easier
Specialized companies can install double-glazed windows on the balcony during the working day. The front opening and the sides of the balcony are covered with glazing. In some cases, a facade double-glazed window is installed, and the openings on the sides are covered with plastic panels. Since the loggia has only a front opening, it is easier to glaze it.
Double-glazed windows are installed on pre-installed frames made of metal profiles. All cracks around the glazing are filled with polyurethane foam. The unevenness of the foam is cut off, and the prepared coating is covered with cement mortar or polymer putty. The cracks are puttied both inside and outside the room. Subsequently, the external putty surfaces are additionally painted. A canopy is installed on top of the windows, and a drain is attached to the bottom of the opening.
Window frames can be of different colors. In addition to the classic white shade, you can install frames that imitate valuable types of wood.
Balcony furniture
For glazed balconies and loggias, you can use any furniture. The main selection criterion is compliance with the size and style of the interior.
If the balcony is open, then it is desirable that the furniture is made of moisture-resistant materials and is easy to care for.
If the frame of the chairs or sofa is made of metal, use pillows to add softness and comfort, as in the photo below.
Features of high-quality finishing
To create a cozy atmosphere and arrange the interior in an original way, you need to decorate the loggia in accordance with the chosen style and functional purpose of the room.
