We recently sold our new townhome we had lived in for nearly two years and downsized into an older (16 yrs old) apartment complex closer to my job.
I've been struggling with figuring out how to update the balcony to be more homey.
Here's a link to the image gallery.
One of the major flaws in our townhome was that there were no outdoor spaces we could call our own, save for the driveway in the alley.
We went from spending $2000 a month on mortgage to paying $1165 a month for a one bedroom apartment.
The balcony was just a plain Jane balcony with a wood railing and about 9ft x 6ft of space. I had a few plants, a small chair and a tiny end table, but I never wanted to sit outside and drink my morning cappuccino.
I had searched on Craigslist and OfferUp for some patio furniture and all of the nice pieces I liked were listing for $200-$300.
I decided to make a trip through IKEA and get some additional inspiration. I had been looking at a few Pinterest boards as well and was jealous of people's outdoor spaces.
After three hours at IKEA I had the vision for the space, and used the RUNNEN flooring to convert the concrete to a much more gentle wood tile.
I bought some TARNO chairs ($15 ea) and a TARNO table ($25) for the patio space and a few cushions to tie it together. The RUNNEN flooring was the most expensive piece to the balcony, at $29.99 per pack with 9 square feet of flooring. I needed six, so this ended up being $180 to redo the floor.
I also bought a tall plant stand, a watering jug, and a plant holder to complete the space.
The total cost was $360 for everything and it completely transformed the space. Now I have an extra 54 square feet of living space that feels connected to the apartment.
February 05, 2017 at 12:00PM
