How to style a balcony in Paris is a pleasure when we are lucky enough to have a balcony. Not all are the same and the possibilities can be varied depending on what you are working with.
With lockdown and social distancing, I am very fortunate to be able to benefit from these few additional square meters and be able to sunbathe when it is out.
How to style a balcony in Paris
I am making this post for you because I spent my Sunday tinkering on my balcony and making the place as cozy as possible. So, I wanted to group in one article my tips and tricks for styling a balcony in Paris.
In old buildings, especially in Paris, the balconies are often runny. That is to say, they follow the whole apartment. Generally, they are fitted with a wrought iron balustrade.
Mine is a little more “wobbly” since the balconies of the 6th and/or 7th floor are often added well after the construction of the building in question. Besides, to access mine, I had to find a staircase furniture because it was out of the question to have a stepladder which drags in the middle of the living room to access to this space.
As it is a previous construction, its characteristics are not the same. Its railing is metallic and fairly basic. Besides, before moving in, it was a little scary to look down so we do not feel secure. The floor consists of wooden slats screwed onto a structure mounted on the roof.
My balcony goes from my living room to my bedroom but is only accessible by the living room. Its width is different between these two spaces. The most spacious place is the one that overlooks the living room and is therefore the one that gives the most possibility of development.
How to style a balcony in Paris
How to style a balcony with a budget can be done. Personally, I did not go on insane targets with a no-limit budget. I did a few things that were fairly simple, but which allows me to have a cozy and pleasant space to use when the weather is nice.
Mine is not completely finished but you reacted so much in PM on Instagram yesterday that this is how I organized my little chill bubble.
Windshields and canisses
As my balcony was not very secure, I added windshields all along so as to no longer have this dizzying feeling of emptiness. I chose PVC ones in a dark grey so that it “merges” with the structure of the balcony. By cons, as I explained yesterday in story on Instagram, my balcony is “wobbly” in the sense that the height of the railing is between two sizes of windshields. It is 90cm high and the canisses are sold in 80cm, 100cm, 120cm, etc. So, I preferred to take 80cm so as not to have something that went too far.
In addition, when you buy canisses, a system to attach them is provided. The size of the bars that make up the balustrade of my balcony are too large for the standard fasteners. So…I use a system D and make the fasteners with a somewhat robust DIY string. Fortunately, this is not seen too much !
Small furniture
Obviously, the choice of furniture will depend on the space you have. By default, I installed a folding table and chairs to be able to eat and work from the balcony if my heart tells me to.
I had found a second-hand table and three chairs from the TÄRNÖ range from IKEA. The colors of the chairs and the table are slightly mismatched but that doesn’t bother me because I add chair cushions so we don’t really notice. In addition, the furniture takes on a patina over time.
For this summer, I am examining the possibility of having a lounge chair that I would put in place of the table when I want to sunbathe !
Decorations
I have a few decorative elements that I unfortunately cannot leave outside because the balcony is neither sheltered nor protected from gusts. In the 7th, I can tell you that anything can fly !
However, I have a few decorative elements in my apartment that are totally versatile and can be used outside to give a very bohemian and cozy touch to the space.
I like the texture and transparency games so I chose a dame Jeanne (large vase) in the almost turquoise tones that I had found at H&M in 2018. In it, I put two large golden glitter palm-type stems in it (it is actually Christmas decorations from Maisons du Monde but that I use all year) and two leaves of wood Monstera painted in pale pink that I found at Hema.
The textile will also allow you to give a unique touch to your exterior. Choose a cotton carpet (washable) that you can reuse for the interior or a robust jute model, for example. Mine is a souvenir from Morocco but H&M and even IKEA offer a very nice selection of rectangular rugs that do not risk much.
The last touch will be the cushions. Mine are between 50 and 60 cm in order to really lean on it and be comfortable. Mine come from Monoprix and BHV. The embroidered one is a souvenir from Morocco. You can also select round or rectangular poufs with Berber inspirations as it has been doing a lot lately.
Lights
The light garland that I installed for the occasion is not intended for the exterior so I bring it in when I have finished enjoying my balcony. I don’t mind installing and uninstalling it but if you want to fix the lighting once and for all, choose accessories for outdoor use.
The candles will also give a cocooning, even romantic side in the blink of an eye so do not hesitate to bet on it. In addition, if you choose them scented, they will bring a little extra touch to your atmosphere.
Plants
The final touch for a balcony worthy of its name – and the one that takes the most time : the plants. Unless you have a big budget and buy all your plants of an already “respectable” size, you will need to be patient.
Personally, my balcony has seen different plants…Some have not withstood the heat wave or the storms that we had recently. Nevertheless, I like to have a mix between flowers and small trees/plants. I sometimes buy them in the supermarket when I see one that I like but more generally, I buy them during Plantes pour tous weekends organized in Paris (exist in other cities of France). They are professionals who once a month organize a direct sale of plants at very competitive prices. We can find indoor plants, outdoor plants, spices, etc. This is where I bought my olive tree for example (25€, given its size, it would have cost at least twice as much in a garden center).
If you are looking for pretty plant pots : Sostrene Grene, Hema, IKEA and BHV, Monoprix on sale.
What I would like to add : planters to put on the balustrade and not which are suspended because the structure of mine does not allow to have simple hooks !
Other decoration posts :
