apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I have a little evergreen tree, which I keep in a pot, that can stay outside all year long. I decorate it for Christmas. Sometimes I bring it indoors to be my Christmas tree, other years I leave it outside. It prefers to be outdoors, and has continued to flourish for years.

This might not help you this year, but why don't you consider plants that will provide year-round interest... bamboos, grasses, evergreens?

Walk around a big nursery... I'm certain you can find some great giant driftwood to create a nice sculpture; a pile of beautiful rocks; buy some cool new pots and those beautiful warped evergreens that look like giant bonsai; etc.

Can't think of anything off the top of my head, but when I go the the flower district here in NYC, there are soooo many choices!

Good luck and let us see some pictures of how the balcony turns out!

I just tend to leave ours bare...it's normally too cold to spend any time out there in the winter anyways.

I have a selection of lanterns on an old metal table on my porch. It's lovely to sit in the living room and see the twinkle of lights outside. Since you won't be using your garden table, it could be nice to set-up little still-lifes (using plants, tasteful garden sculptures, pinecones, moss, rocks, watering can, little bird feeder etc or if you're feeling a bit impish, a retro garden gnome). I also like to keep boxwood outside year-round in little planters.

Many years ago, Martha Stewart Living had an article about evergreen window boxes. There were really pretty dwarf conifers and plants with winter berries. I wish I could find a pic on her website, but I think this was 1990s. I also agree with some sort of lighting and pinecones, etc.

Many people decorate by how it looks from the street, but I would have the perspective be from inside. That way you can enjoy it!

i am in the process of thinking through that same decision right now. my balcony is a space where i spend a lot of time..it is definitely my favorite spot. definitely candles and other reflective things that the candlelight will bounce off of.

I wrap a few lights around the balcony railings for the holidays - but since I don't spend much time out there, it's pointless to do more.

How about some vintage skis, snowshoes, or a sled? Fun if you're in the middle of the city and willing to be a little tongue-in-cheek.

I think any decor you put out should strive to remind you that life doesn't come to a complete halt even in the dead of winter. You can add plants that produce berries in winter (or have berries that last through the winter). Juniper and roses (as long as you don't remove the last bloom of the season after they are gone) are some examples. Bird feeders also attract wildlife (hopefully not the pest-y kind). As others already suggested, evergreen needles catch snow evocatively and also doubles as haven for wildlife during harsh weather.

Fold up the chairs and table and put them in storage. Don't add "focal point" or "interest" like lights or figurines--done properly, your wildlife scenery won't need adjectives. And leave your curtain open whenever you can so you can enjoy the scenery from the warmth of the indoors.

I think you'll always be ok if the style on your balcony or patio is a match to your style inside. In the summer, I move some of my balcony plants/decor just inside the sliding glass door and in the winter I move some of the inside decor out onto the balcony. It expands the look of the space to include whatever is outside. And I'm talking the frozen Midwest, not the more temperate zones.

If you're not a fan of scraping bird droppings off your furniture and floor, then you probably don't want a bird feeder out there.

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions! I'm going to visit a nursery and explore perennials, and Careen I like your idea of expanding the interior space by moving decor just outside the sliding glass door. I appreciate everyone's help and encouragement.