Shelves on the balcony: features, types and design tips

The sad legacy of Soviet times is the balcony, it serves as a warehouse for things of varying degrees of need. From a bicycle to a heater, from toolboxes to old toys, the balcony is ready to shelter it all. Many will rightly point out that the warehouse is formed there not because of the bad taste of the owners, but because of the lack of storage space. But in any situation there is a way out: you can compromise and arrange the storage system on the balcony is such that there is no doubt about its aesthetics. And the shelves will help with this.

The shelves on the balcony are dozens of design variations that can be firmly and beautifully fixed to the walls. And to do it in such a way that the design of a small area will only benefit.

You can organize:

• corner shelves - ideal for small balconies, because in this way it turns out to place as many things as possible on a small footage;
• wall-mounted classic shelves - they are proposed to be fixed on the wall firmly, without the possibility of removing them at any time, and anything (seaming, books, flowers) can stand on such shelves;
• separate floor structures - hinged shelves can be adjacent to the shelves;
• open low floor - these are not racks, they are not so high, more like shoe racks.

On the loggia or balcony, you can organize a multi-functional space, but you can make it thematic. For example, on the balcony you can get a small office, a mini-workshop, a miniature library, a greenhouse, a pantry, and much more. You can use the space under the windowsill wisely, arrange wicker hanging shelves for something light, install metal racks for empty cans and rolls.

If your balcony is warm, then a sane decision would be to arrange an office or a creative workshop on this territory. And for this you just need shelves. One of them will become a tabletop for a computer (or a variation of a desktop), since it is unlikely that it will be possible to install a full-fledged table. You need a sturdy structure, most often they are made to order. With the ends, it will abut against the walls of the balcony. Any material can be used, but sturdy wooden countertops are preferred.

If the balcony is empty, then for books, documents or box-boxes, the master / craftswoman will have to justify separate shelves, or better - a rack. And then the space above the "desktop" will not be overloaded. You can hang a picture or an office calendar there. And everything else that should be in the office will be placed on the shelves of the rack. It will be good if there is room for plants there as well.

It is better to organize the "desktop" in the so-called niche on the balcony - the place farthest from the entrance. Decorative shelves can be made from a wide plastic skirting board, it is cut to the required length, and the new shelf is glued with “liquid nails” to the wall with its wide side up. On it can be souvenirs, "perpetual" calendar, figurines, pencil case, and more.

An excellent option, but it can also be realized only on an insulated territory. If you put an ottoman, an armchair-bed on the balcony, or even arrange a sleeping place using a mattress and pallets, if you put electricity there, then a cozy corner can become a wonderful miniature library, and even with a convenient place for reading.

Consider what is needed to implement the idea.

• Project plan. You must think over the rational organization of the balcony space. How many shelves / racks will be allocated for books, how much space will the sleeping place take, what decor to add, what kind of lighting will be.
• Ready-made racks or shelves, or a purchase option. If the library is not the smallest, then one balcony wall will have a floor-to-ceiling rack, and a couple of open or closed shelves can be added to the opposite wall.
• Sleeping place or armchair. But an armchair is not such a convenient option as something like an ottoman or a balcony sofa, adding coziness with textiles, pillows and the like. It should be very comfortable to get settled there with a book, and you can sleep there too.

The insulated balcony has everything for the embodiment of this idea. And if there is space under the berth, then the previous filling of the balcony can be stored there. For example, put tool boxes there. These are hidden storage systems that will not disturb the harmony of the library-reading room.

If you decide to do everything yourself, then the first task is to choose the material for future shelves.

For the manufacture of these structures, different raw materials can be used.

• Wood. It is a natural, environmentally friendly material with rich decorative possibilities. But remember that the tree must be impregnated for moisture protection and protection from pests. It is easy to process and will be a good basis for sturdy shelves.

• Metal. The durability and reliability of this material does not need advertising. Usually frames for shelves are made of metal. It is worth remembering that the material reacts to moisture, and in order to extend its life, it should be painted.

• Chipboard. Easy-to-process material, from which you can make shelves of different types. Can handle decent loads if the shelf mounts are strong. It cannot be used as long shelves, only with intermediate vertical fasteners.

• Glass. Delicate and fragile material, but it can withstand not the smallest loads. Usually plays a decorative role.

• Plastic. Not afraid of humidity and high temperatures. But at the same time, it is far from the most durable.

• Combined options. These are shelves that include several materials in their design, for example, wood and metal.

If you are the owner of a standard, not the largest balcony, then there is a danger of overloading it with the same shelves. That's why it will be enough to have several corner structures and small horizontal shelves on it, which are used mainly for decorative purposes.

At the end of the balcony, it makes sense to equip not very high closed shelves. They will simultaneously become chairs, as well as storage places for household items (the same tools). But on the inner front wall, you can equip a folding shelf, which will turn into a small table with a “clever movement of the hand”.

Blank end walls are ideal for building storage systems. Closed and combined shelving will be the most comfortable here. Household items are stored in closed shelves, open shelves are used for decorative purposes.

Finally, talking about skis, which are traditionally kept on the balcony. They may not leave their historical territory, but you can place them there aesthetically. In end floor cabinets, you can make a built-in pencil case-niche. Along the inner front balcony wall, you can organize low cabinets, which are spacious and beautiful, and much that was previously stored on the balcony chaotically will fit in.

If you only have a railing on the balcony, and the area itself is open, it will be more difficult with shelves. Unless graceful metal ones will become reliable platforms for beautiful flowerpots. But the closed balcony offers much more stylish and practical possibilities.

Introducing 10 top balcony shelf ideas.

• Even a very narrow balcony is not a hindrance to a beautiful storage system. There is nothing complicated in this design, and even a person far from the design profession can build such a rack. It turned out to be cozy, fresh and cute.

• One of the options for a mini-library, placed on the balcony area. Ottoman, shelves, painting on the wall, stylish decoration. Self-sufficient and comfortable space, the organization of which does not involve high costs.

• Very stylish interior shelves on the spacious balcony. If your tasks for arranging this territory are entirely decorative, then you need to take a closer look at this option. It is possible to arrange a greenhouse in your own home.

• This is what an office on the balcony might look like. The costs are not very high, the organization is as beautiful as it is simple. But in this version, the balcony is combined with the room.

• Another variation of the mini cabinet. Everything is consonant in this interior: decoration, choice of furniture, decor. You can't even say right away that all this is arranged on a typical small balcony. Very convenient and practical.

• A space that conveys its atmosphere, comfort and light even through the monitor. Excellent organization of library shelves in a small area. And nothing more.

• Another option, very stylish and original. Such shelves are already more difficult to make on your own, but still possible. A very good solution for a balcony with panoramic windows.

• And this is a small storage room, organized outside the area of ​​the apartment.Metal shelves are very comfortable, the structure itself looks light and does not burden the interior.

• Another option for a multifunctional space that does not look cluttered at all. And all this is in a small area, and you can do it yourself.

• A creative workshop - this is how shelves can become an artist's tables. The option is suitable even for a non-insulated balcony, it is just that the territory will be actively used in the warm season.

For information on how to make hanging shelves for indoor plants on the balcony, see the next video.