Balcony furniture: 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 carry out high-quality repairs using modern finishing materials, but also to choose the right furniture. Since the 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 with a seating area. They allow not only to hold family gatherings at dinner, but are also great for meeting guests, disposing to sincere communication over a cup of tea. To make such a zone not only beautiful, but also comfortable, it should be filled with functional modules. Today, furniture for balconies and loggias is presented on the market with a huge assortment of models that differ from each other in materials of manufacture, colors and sizes.

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

• Durability of operation. On non-insulated and open balconies, furniture is often exposed to negative environmental influences (sunlight, temperature extremes and high humidity). Therefore, in order for the furniture to serve the 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 take up a minimum of space. The right decision would be to purchase furniture that can be 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 presented in 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, dressers and bedside tables. Depending on the functionality and design features, such furniture is divided into several types.

• Foldable designed for reading and relaxation, allows you to rationally use the balcony space. The main advantage of such modules is that they provide a comfortable pastime and quickly fold for storage in the closet.

• 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 commonly used. It is easy to clean and easily moves from one place to another.

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

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

Also deserves special attention wrought iron 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 pieces of furniture are easy to care for, but 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, structures should be lightweight. Most often, balcony furniture is made from several materials.

• Plastic. It is considered to be resistant to high humidity and temperature changes, but it will fade quickly when exposed to sunlight. Plastic furniture also has one major advantage - it's inexpensive.
• Drywall... Usually, structures are made for the balcony from moisture-resistant plasterboard, 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 modern interior decoration.
• Glass... Glass structures are ideal for arranging a balcony, they have a beautiful appearance and serve for a long time. The only thing that should be given preference to models made of durable and tempered glass.
• Wood. Constructions made of natural material can be chosen only for well-insulated balconies that are reliably protected from the effects of atmospheric precipitation. The wooden furniture has a chic design and gives the interior a special chic. It is usually made from oak, pine and alder. Lack of products - 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 to maintain. Besides, artificial rattan, despite its apparent fragility, is quite durable and can last more than 15 years. Structures made 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 corner of paradise on the balcony.

The arrangement of any balcony provides not only a beautiful surface finish, but also the correct selection of furniture, which is the final touch in interior design. From the open balcony, you can create a seating area intended only for use in the warm season. For this, a minimum set is installed, consisting of armchairs (chairs) and a table, which will allow you to comfortably spend your evenings with a cup of coffee. In this case, it is advisable to choose pieces of furniture made of durable material that is resistant to the external environment, while it must also have an original look.

Much more opportunities open up for decorating the design of a glazed balcony. Its space must be properly planned so that there is room left for creating a recreation area and storing seasonal items, household items and blanks. For these purposes, closed wooden cabinets equipped with drawers and shelves are usually placed on balconies. It is advisable to choose the color of the furniture to match the tone of the walls, 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 people create a design project for decorating balconies, in which a corner for work is provided. For this the insulated room is filled with closed and open shelves that correspond to the style of the general design.

If the area of ​​the balcony allows, then you can also install a transforming bed, which would quickly collect in the closet during the day. Since in many cases the closed balcony acts as a mini-living room, then for its arrangement it is necessary to purchase furniture of the same style as for the living room.

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

If style prevails in the interior loft with characteristic brick walls and rugs, then you need to purchase aged furniture in pastel colors. For style country it is best to choose furniture made of natural wood with carvings; vases with flowers and candlesticks will beautifully complement it. For creation in the interior a touch of the east, you should buy products made of stone, bamboo and wood in contrasting colors, they look beautiful with soft pillows decorated with oriental patterns.

In order for a furnished balcony to turn into a comfortable 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 must be placed so that it is convenient for storing things and leaves room for free movement. To do this, you should take into account several recommendations of designers.

• Table with chairs can serve not only as a place to sit for 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 below.There are many different table layouts, but this piece of furniture is usually placed in a corner or along one of the longest walls. There are also design ideas when a window sill serves as a table top, which looks original and saves square meters.

• If the balcony is spacious, then you can install a chair-bed, which will serve as an additional place to sleep. To do this, buy a corner model with folding drawers and a seat. When, in addition to the recreation 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 take into account many factors, among which its level of protection from environmental influences and size are considered important. If the loggia or balcony is not glazed (open), then they can be used as a recreation area only in summer, purchasing furniture from 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.

An important role is played by the area, for a small balcony it is suitable compact furniture that does not clutter up the space and has high functionality... It is impossible for such modules to block access to the window and door. In addition, a set of furniture should serve as an original interior decoration. That's why when buying, you need to pay attention to its combination with the general interior.

In the apartments you can find both a cold (open) and a warm (glazed) balcony. The second option increases the life of the furniture, as it protects it from the negative effects of precipitation, sun and wind. At the same time, 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 manufacturing undergo a special impregnation that protects them from exposure to direct sunlight, they cannot be washed with abrasive compounds;
• cabinets, tables and chairs made of wood must be systematically covered with antiseptics and cleaned only with a 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 structures are the easiest to maintain, since it is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth soaked in any cleaning agents; such products cannot be cleaned with hard brushes;
• if mattresses and cushions of upholstered furniture are made of cotton wool and down, they must be periodically ventilated in the open air, otherwise they will rot; in addition, the furniture upholstery must be cleaned with special means, first it is recommended to vacuum it, and then do wet cleaning.

For information on how to transform an old cluttered balcony into a cozy corner, see below.