Name: Vanessa
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Type of space: Condo balcony
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: When I moved into my condo, the grey 70's era balcony was beyond dismal. I thought, "This is the sort of place where squirrels come to do drug deals." I have a huge sliding glass door that is the focal point of my living room, and I wanted a soothing view and a place to grow hot peppers and herbs.
Now I have serrano peppers, garlic chives, and thai basil whenever I need it for cooking, and since living in Southern California allows for a fluid mix of inside/outside spaces, the balcony makeover blends well with the mid-century and antique furniture inside my home.
How did you create it? Creating the walls was a simple carpentry project: I bought redwood slats from The Home Depot, and after measuring twice (best advice ever for someone like me who is numerically challenged), I finally got to put my most awesome Christmas gift - a circular saw - to good use. Then, after applying 3 coats of wood stain (Behr waterproofing deck stain #5-77 applied with a rag which is much easier and achieves a more even looking result than a brush), I used deck screws and a screw gun to attach the slats to back support struts.
A trick I used to keep the spacing even between the wood while screwing into vertical supports was to place a CD jewel case at each end between the slats. Worked like a charm!
To finish it off, I stained the floor tiles the same color as the walls to unify the wood elements and put a 1" pine shelf for the plants on skinny cinder blocks (spray painted a matte black so they all but disappear).
Since I live in a condo complex, and my condo association has rules about altering the deck, I built the walls to wedge one another in, eliminating the need to screw the walls into the balcony. The shelf with plants help hold everything in place as well.
Recommended store, site, product or resource? The flooring, galvanized planters, and candle lantern are all from IKEA. I like to shop at IKEA for outdoor elements; it's all so affordable, and I love the industrial simplicity of galvanized metal. All the raw wood, plants and stain came from The Home Depot.
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Great job! It's a really beautiful space, clean and modern but with the plants giving really warm touches. It looks like a fantastic place to entertain guests.
view JasmineIsDomestic's profile
It's beautiful, but the name is a bit misleading. Where's the soothing view?
Laura
http://www.grafxnerd.net
view grafxnerd's profile
"LAURA"I think the soothing view is when she's in the livingroom looking out on her balcony,looking at the finish work...Vanessa Great JOB!!!
view ilovenature4ever's profile
Excellent job in creating an attractive and productive space. It looks beautiful.
view Seaside's profile
That flooring is really great, also the simplicity of the planters. Very calming.
view stt64's profile
my kind of squirrels
view hissingsissing's profile
Great job Vanessa. Love the flooring.
view Sumhope's profile
So THAT'S what those little squirrels are doing in my yard! I do learn lots here! Great job! I need that inspiration! I like your stain color choice. And extra points for edible planters! I don't know if I would have thought of doing this on such a small balcony... where did you get your inspiration?
view sfteri's profile
love how you make such a little space so wonderful and enjoyable.
view TheoJ's profile
love the transformation! Looks amazing!
view souk1501's profile
This is really inspiring. I love that what was cold and uninviting is now organic and warm!
view Britomart's profile
Sfteri, I got the inspiration from some slat fences in my westside Mar Vista neighborhood. Modern and yet simple enough for me to build by myself. And I really wanted to have my own garden, despite having no yard, so I ended up with this! One note I didn't mention: the planters don't have drainage holes, so I laid a layer of rocks on the bottom beneath the soil so the roots of the plants don't sit in water.
Thanks for all your compliments, everyone!
-Vanessa
view Nesser's profile
What an ingenious transformation. It looks great. Well done!
view Madame Is's profile
very nice solution & transformation.
have to say tho', that the drug dealin' squirrels stole the show & they didn't even make an appearence!
view Chloe C's profile
Very nice. It looks fantastic. Totally sleek! And wow--what a transformation... Love your use of decking and the metal planters. The walls, too. Impressive little construction project. Quite ingenious indeed.
My only suggestion would be that it looks so inviting you should immediately invest in plenty of mid-century-ish indoor/outdoor throw pillows and what not so you have a comfy place to sit.
Excellent work. Such a great example of seeing, and then bringing out potential in what was once the totally blah!
view bittergaymark's profile
Nice. I love to hear the stories of how everyone got their ideas for what they do. Clearly your idea transformed into a success! I'm thinking of building a long bench for over my very long obtrusive pool cover and your wood slats have giving me some inspiration.
view sfteri's profile
Were all condos built in the 70's required to be dismal? I have the same stucco and Vista Pain Mesquite wood trim on my condo. No squirrels, though. I have panhandling racoons.
Great job transforming your space. Love the simplicity.
view MihoH's profile
Oh no. panhandling racoons. already had to delete squirrel pics & commentary from related posts.
view Chloe C's profile
Simple elegance. Nice job.
view reb's profile
Aha! I've been wanting planters just like that. They are all so expensive. I've obviously been slacking on my AT reading if I didn't think of Ikea first.
Great job!
view panchokitty's profile
Great job, so handy to your kitchen too.
view Betty14's profile
You transformed a wasteland into an oasis. Brilliant!
view vango's profile
"Most awesome Christmas gift" - who knew that what we really, really want is power tools?! It's quite the adrenaline rush, making things, loudly.
I have a power drill, but I have to admit that I'm a little concerned every time I (rarely) use a circular saw. Impressed!
view DeborahMcP's profile