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From expanding your balconies to design tricks to make the area look bigger, here are a few balcony extension ideas to make the most of your outdoor spaces
The desire to connect with the outside world is innate. We’ve realised the importance of our outdoor spaces within our homes, even more so because of the last few years. Balcony design became a highly-searched topic because being couped up within four walls is not conducive to our mental health and wellbeing. Even the tiniest sliver of a balcony can do wonders for your mood. It is a space to unwind, do yoga, catch up with family or just spend a little alone time meditating. Filling our home with live plants, adds layers to our wellbeing.
The more compact our living spaces, the more we desire to eke out every last inch for our balconies. But even if you are living in a sprawling apartment, we really love having that balcony space to relax in. The main thing to keep in mind is that there will be major limitations attached to extending your balcony area especially if you are looking to extend it outward, and even more so in apartment buildings. So, if you’re looking for ideas on how to extend balcony in apartment, make your peace with the fact that there is probably very little that can be done in this respect.
You may be allowed to remove the railing in favour of a box grill around the balcony but this would require permissions from the building society as well as the local planning department or municipal corporation. There will also be limitations on the maximum depth of the box grill. Some building designs include a sort of lip constructed around the balcony; you may be allowed balcony extension up to the end of the structure. In any extension balcony ideas, you will need the expertise of an architect or even a structural engineer to make sure the extension will not cause structural damage to the building and is safe to use.
For independent dwellings, however, balcony extension ideas are a little more achievable. Even if you don’t have a one, adding a balcony to an existing house is possible in an independent dwelling by constructing the proper support and load bearing system. You might also be allowed to construct a running balcony across two or more rooms. Again, approvals across the board will be required but balcony extension is possible with good design and sound construction. Whether it’s an apartment building or independent home, make sure the balcony extension ideas serve the purpose for which you are undertaking it. You also have to be careful that your renovations follow the original exterior design of the property with minimal impact on the neighbouring apartment or property – this is especially important for independent houses in gated communities or apartment buildings.
Now, if you are looking to expand the area of your balcony by utilizing your indoor space, once again, approvals and expertise is required. We admit, this is not a popular ask and it might sound counter intuitive to reduce your indoor area in favour of outdoor spaces. However, your bedroom or living room design might be big enough to be brought in a little. Maybe, you value outdoor space enough to sacrifice a little of your room to have that place to unwind in. The idea is to create a home as your sanctuary; your home interior design should be influenced by your lifestyle, needs and desires. Your architect, contractor or engineer will need to ensure that the renovations for extended balcony design into a room do not involve breaking a beam or structural wall.
Making the area of a balcony bigger is limited in its design options. However, there are a few alternatives to balcony extension ideas that might serve your purpose. Again, some of these ideas are subject to approvals, so make sure to get the design, inspections and approvals before you start on renovations.
While you may not be able to make the balcony itself bigger, you can create a bigger space to work with by enclosing your balcony. Extending the room into the balcony gets rid of the partitioning, leaving one big open space. Floor-to-ceiling windows will bring in an abundance of natural light. You can also install outdoor blinds. Varieties like PVC blinds, faux wood blinds, louvered shutters, motorized blinds are various options that you could consider. Outdoor blinds are made to be weather-resistant and sturdier than their indoor counterparts.
The kind of balcony door you have can also impact the feeling of spaciousness you crave. Instead of making any changes to the balcony, consider looking at changing the way into the balcony. Sometimes there is only a single door leading out on to the balcony. If allowed consider breaking the wall and installing expansive, floor-to-ceiling sliding or folding doors that run the entire length of the balcony. Pocket doors might also work. These styles elongate the view by visually connected the outdoor areas with indoor spaces.
Along with opting for sliding or folding windows, another design alternative is to maintain the same flooring out on to the balcony. This is another way to extend the visual and open up the space.
Choosing outdoor furniture that blends with your interior style is again another layer to creating a cohesive look. The idea is to blur the distinction between the outdoor and indoor areas.
Keep the design of your furniture minimal, visually light with sleek silhouettes. Opt for slimer yet comfortable chairs and benches with cushions and add smaller surfaces like side tables. Be judicious in the amount of outdoor furniture you add to your balcony. You can also create built-in seating around the periphery of a smaller balcony design.
Create a soft palette of muted or neutral colours with minimal use of patterns – this will impart a serene vibe and make the space look bigger. Tone on tone textures is a great way to infuse the balcony design with visual interest. When it comes to lighting, use soft or diffused warm light. Lighting plays an important role in setting the mood. Live plants are a great way to add character to your balconies but with limited floor space, we suggest using vertical wall space to create your balcony ‘gardens’. Planter boxes that hook on to the railing or grills are also ideal.
Understanding how to extend a balcony in an apartment, adding a balcony to an existing house or undertaking extended balcony design renovations is definitely an area best left up to experts. With renovations that could possibly affect the structural integrity of a building or dwelling, safety is paramount. Additionally, finding out what changes are allowed, what cannot be done and getting requisite approvals from various authorities takes time and effort. The experts at Beautiful Homes Service by Asian Paints can walk you through the whole process. They will work out every detail to make the process of home interior design easy and as hassle-free as possible.
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DEC 2023
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