Furniture for a balcony: varieties, features of choice and care

The balcony is a great place to organize additional living space in the apartment. For its arrangement it is necessary not only to perform high-quality repairs using modern finishing materials, but also to choose the right furniture. Since balconies have a limited area, it is purchased for them furniture that must meet both the overall design and specific operational requirements.

In many apartments you can find balconies, equipped under the lounge. They allow not only to spend family gatherings at dinner, but are also great for meeting guests, disposing to a soulful conversation over a cup of tea. To make such a zone not only beautiful, but also convenient, it should be filled with functional modules. Today, furniture for balconies and loggias is represented on the market by a huge assortment of models that differ in production materials, colors and sizes.

At the same time, when purchasing these products, it is important to pay special attention not only to their external performance, but also to compliance with several requirements.

• Longevity of operation. On insulated and open balconies, furniture is often exposed to the negative effects of the environment (sunlight, temperature extremes and high humidity). Therefore, in order for the furniture to last a maximum period, it must have high performance characteristics.
• Compactness. Since most balconies cannot boast of their size, then, therefore, their space needs to be filled only with modules that perform basic functions and occupy a minimum of space. The right decision will be the acquisition of furniture, which is easily transformed.
• Aesthetics. Since furniture is one of the main interior items, it should harmoniously fit into the overall design of the balcony.

Balcony furniture is represented by various types of designs. Most often, when arranging balconies and loggias, they buy wardrobes with hinged or sliding doors, shelves for storing many small items, soft rocking chairs and armchairs, tables, chairs, chests of drawers and bedside tables. Depending on the functionality and design features, such furniture is divided into several types.

• Folding Designed for reading and relaxing, allows you to rationally use the space of the balcony. The main advantage of such modules is that they provide a comfortable pastime and quickly fold for storage in the pantry.

• Wicker used in design to revitalize the interior. It is ideal for small balconies, as it does not clutter up the free space. For the production of wicker furniture, materials such as vine, bamboo and rattan are usually used. It is easy to clean and easily moves from one place to another.

• Built-in. It is usually chosen for balconies of small area, since these models can significantly save space. A feature of such furniture is that it in its design does not have side and rear walls. It is well suited for storing various items; it conveniently houses fishing equipment.

• Soft, modular and cabinet suitable for use not only on the balcony, but also in living rooms. Thanks to such furniture, you can create a full study or bedroom from the balcony.

Special attention also deserves forged furniture, which is in perfect harmony with indoor plants. It looks especially beautiful in the design of balconies, where a winter garden is provided. These items of furniture are easy to care for, but they are expensive.

For a balcony, it is necessary to choose furniture from high-quality material, which would be characterized by resistance to moisture, temperature extremes and fading in the sun. In addition, the design should be lightweight. Most often, balcony furniture is made of several materials.

• Plastic. It is considered resistant to high humidity and temperature changes, but it quickly burns out under the influence of sunlight. Plastic furniture also has one major advantage - it is inexpensive.
• Drywall. Typically, for a balcony, structures are made of moisture-proof drywall, which is additionally decorated with plastic panels or tiles.
• MDF and plywood. Thanks to these materials, you can create modules with an original design, which is important for the design of a modern interior.
• Glass. Glass constructions are ideal for arranging a balcony, they have a beautiful view and serve for a long time. The only thing you need to give preference to models made of durable and tempered glass.
• Wood. Structures made of natural material can only be selected for well-insulated balconies that are reliably protected from atmospheric precipitation. Wooden furniture has a chic design and gives the interior a special chic. It is usually made of oak, pine and alder. The lack of products is the high price.

It is very popular and furniture made of bamboo, vine and rattan, its prevalence is explained by many advantages. Compared to wooden and plastic furniture, it is not demanding in care. Besides, artificial rattan, despite its apparent fragility, is quite durable and can last more than 15 years. Constructions from these materials are lightweight, so they can be quickly rearranged. Rattan, vine and bamboo are perfectly combined in the interior with glass and allow you to create a real paradise on the balcony.

The arrangement of any balcony provides not only a beautiful surface finish, but also the right selection of furniture, which is the final touch in the interior design. From the open balcony you can create a relaxation area, designed only for use in the warm season. To do this, set the minimum set, consisting of armchairs (chairs) and a table, which will conveniently spend evenings with a cup of coffee. Furniture items in this case, it is advisable to choose made of durable material, resistant to environmental influences, while it must also have an original appearance.

There are much more opportunities for designing a glazed balcony. Its space must be properly planned so that there is room for creating a recreation area and storing seasonal items, household items and blanks. For these purposes, closed wooden cabinets are usually placed on balconies, equipped with drawers and shelves. It is desirable to choose the color of furniture to match the tone of wall decoration; it should not be too light and dark. Furniture made of natural material, decorated with forged elements and carvings, looks good in such places.

Many create a design project for the design of balconies, which provides a corner for work. For this the insulated room is filled with closed and open shelves corresponding to the style of the overall design.

If the area of ​​the balcony allows, then can also install a convertible bed, which would quickly assemble in a closet in the daytime. Since in many cases a closed balcony acts as a mini-living room, then for its arrangement should be purchased furniture of the same style as for the living room.

Besides, design directly depends on the size of the balcony. For example, for spacious rooms, cabinets, a table, armchairs and a soft sofa in a classic style are ideal. They will be a continuation of the design of the entire apartment.

If the style prevails in the interior loft with characteristic brick walls and rugs, you need to purchase old furniture in pastel colors. For style country it is best to choose natural wood furniture with carvings; it is beautifully complemented by flower vases and candle holders. To create in the interior note of the east, you should buy products from stone, bamboo and wood in contrasting colors; they look beautiful with soft cushions decorated with oriental patterns.

In order for the equipped balcony to turn into a convenient and beautiful corner for relaxation, it is important to avoid cluttering the space when arranging furniture. Since this part of the apartment has a limited area, the furniture needs to be placed so that it is convenient for storing things and leaving room for free movement. To do this, consider several recommendations from designers.

• Table with chairs can serve not only as a place to sit over a cup of tea or coffee, it can also be used as a bedside table. Therefore, initially you need to buy models equipped with drawers at the bottom.Table placement options can be very different, but this piece of furniture is usually placed in a corner or along one of the longest walls. There are also design ideas when the window sill serves as a worktop, which looks original and allows you to save square meters.

• If the balcony is spacious, you can install a chair bed, which will serve as an additional place to sleep. To do this, buy an angular model with folding drawers and a seat. When, in addition to the rest and sleep area, it is necessary to equip a place for a small office, the choice of a folding table for a computer will become relevant, it is best to place it next to the windowsill. The U-shaped arrangement of furniture, which provides for the placement of modules along the walls, will also look beautiful on the balcony.

Before choosing and buying furniture for a balcony, it is important to consider many factors, among which its level of protection from the environment and size are considered important. If the loggia or balcony is unglazed (open), then they can be used as a relaxation area only in the summer, acquiring furniture made of materials resistant to moisture, high temperature and sunlight. For open balconies designers advise choosing a set of outdoor furniture in the form of wicker, plastic or metal structures.

The area also plays an important role, for a small balcony compact furniture that does not clutter up the space and has high functionality. Such modules cannot block access to the window and door. In addition, a set of furniture should serve as an original decoration of the interior. therefore when buying, you need to pay attention to its combination with the overall interior.

In apartments you can find both a cold balcony (open) and a warm (glazed). The second option increases the life of the furniture, as it protects it from the negative effects of rain, sun and wind. Moreover, regardless of the design of the balcony, the care of the furniture placed in it depends on the material from which it is made, namely:

• rattan furniture sets are easy to clean, they only need to be periodically lubricated with special oil and wiped from dust; since wicker structures during manufacture undergo special impregnation that protects them from direct sunlight, they can not be washed with abrasive compounds;
• cabinets, tables and chairs made of wood must be systematically covered with antiseptics and cleaned only with the dry method, preventing moisture from entering the surface;
• forged furniture should be additionally coated with anti-corrosion compounds, which will extend their service life and give a beautiful shine;
• plastic constructions are the easiest to maintain, as it is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth soaked with any cleaning agents; Do not clean such products with hard brushes;
• if mattresses and pillows of upholstered furniture are made of cotton and fluff, they must be periodically ventilated in the open air, otherwise they will rot; in addition, furniture upholstery must be cleaned with special means, first it is recommended to vacuum it, and then do a wet cleaning.

To learn how to transform an old cluttered balcony into a cozy corner, see below.