Before and After: $230 Worth of DIY Projects Make This Small Balcony Much More Inviting
Some of Apartment Therapy’s favorite outdoor spaces are those that prove that no space is too small to enjoy al fresco dining, sipping, reading, or relaxing. Several stylish balconies have great ideas for small space decorating, whether indoors or out.
TikTok DIYer Aimie Star Campbell (@star_campbell) made her small balcony feel new again with the help of her boyfriend, RJ. “My boyfriend and I love to do projects together, whether it’s a simple paint job or building furniture from scratch to get exactly what we want,” Aimie says. In the case of the balcony, they did a bit of both.
When Aimie first moved in, the balcony was “very old, beat up, stained, and unloved,” Aimie says. “I started with repainting the concrete floors to cover up old grease stains, then spray painting the railings white again. That itself made the world of a difference!”
But even after painting, the two red Adirondack chairs on the balcony weren’t cutting it. “It wasn’t very cozy,” Aimie says. “So I decided to build a loveseat to fit in the corner of my balcony perfectly.”
She and RJ went to Home Depot to buy some wood for the project, RJ built the base, and then they sanded it and sealed it to prevent rot. Aimie painted the newly built bench and one of the Adirondack chairs white, and then they moved the new furniture to the balcony, where it fits perfectly and maximizes space. (The bench is actually two separate pieces, so it was easy to fit through the door.)
One of Aimie’s favorite parts of her new bench? The secret door at the base they built for their cats to hangout underneath. “We spend so much time out there with our two cats,” she says. “It couldn’t have turned out better.”
The bench took a weekend to build, and then it was time to accessorize.
Aimie and RJ bought a lattice, painted it white, hung it in the corner, and then Aimie hung string lights from Amazon and added a couple plant stands, plants galore, $7 mirrors from Walmart to brighten the space (without scorching the plants in the corner), and some pillows for texture and pattern.
The project cost about $230 dollars and certainly upped the coziness.
“I love how much privacy we have now,” Aimie says. “Before, the two hairs were so bulky it felt like we were out there for everyone to see us. The bench and lattice to the side really made a difference and makes it way more comfortable to enjoy.”
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
This piece is part of Get Outside Month, where we’re covering all things out-of-the-house, from curb appeal tips to al fresco hobby ideas. Whether you have a backyard, a patio, or 1 square foot of a fire escape. Head over here to read more!