Unique Ways to Decorate Your Apartment Balcony

The weather? Bright, sunny, and gorgeous. Your apartment balcony? Not so much. If you’re ready to bring resort vibes to your outdoor spaces, check out our best small balcony apartment patio ideas! Learn how to decorate apartment balcony spaces in style so you can feel like you’re on a mini-vacation every time you step outside. 

Tips and tricks on how to decorate an apartment balcony

You know your balcony needs help, but you’re not sure where to start. Plants? Furniture? Lighting? Pillows? Don’t fret — simply follow our process to achieve the vibe you’re going for on your balcony.

1. Choose the best outdoor furniture for apartment balcony function and style. 

Whether you have a big space to work with or need small balcony apartment patio ideas, furniture is your first step. Brainstorm about how you’d like to use your apartment balcony this summer. Do you want a lazy day haven where you can lounge with a good book and cold drink? Would you rather have an outdoor area that seamlessly expands your entertaining space from inside to outside? Or maybe, you’d like to have an open-air spot to work from home on breezy days. 

First, determine your patio style

As you furnish your patio, think of it as an extension of your apartment. From Nordic Scandanavian’s modern lines and muted color palettes to Modern Farmhouse’s whimsical pops of color, the patio decor you choose should mesh well with your apartment’s interior.

Then, shop for furniture that fits your space 

Once you have an idea of how your space should function, browse CORT Furniture Outlet’s selection of patio furniture. Depending on how much room you have, you may want to browse for different types of furniture, like:

• Dining table and chair sets
• Couches and armchairs
• Barstools
• Folding chairs (can easily be stored out of the way when you don’t need them!)
• Hammocks and hanging chairs

2. Create zones on your outdoor balcony.

If you’re going to make the most of your apartment balcony space this summer, you need it to serve multiple purposes! Maybe you have a relaxing seating area to one side and a small bistro or dining set on the other side where you can eat or work. This way, your balcony will feel like another room in your home rather than an afterthought. 

3. Set the mood with lighting.

After arranging your furniture the way you want it, it’s time to cozy up your space. String lights are great, but let’s step it up a notch, shall we? Try repurposing a secondhand lamp by placing a solar-powered light inside, or find a small chandelier for a covered balcony and install small solar lights in place of traditional bulbs. Short on space? Use clips to hide low-profile LED strip lights under your railing edge– you’ll get all the ambiance of soft lighting with none of the bulk or visual clutter of light fixtures.

4. Treat your feet.

If you’re limited on space but want to make your small apartment balcony feel custom and upscale, spruce up what’s underfoot! While you may not be able to paint or permanently change the floor of your apartment balcony, you can add an outdoor rug or floating wooden patio tiles to change the look and feel of the space. As a bonus, a floor treatment can help keep your feet cool when you step outside– because nothing says “summer” like living in bare feet 24/7!

5. Soften with textiles.

Think fabric furnishings are only for indoor decorating? Think again! Throw pillows are a great way to add personality and comfort to your outdoor furniture. For apartment balcony spaces with a covering or overhang, drapes and canopies can provide style and privacy. Hang lightweight drapes with adhesive, damage-free hooks, and let them sway in the breeze for the ultimate beachy vibe.

6. Add easy apartment balcony plants.

You might live in a concrete jungle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have actual jungle vibes on your apartment balcony. Even if you have a small balcony or patio, you can make use of vertical space with hanging planters, trellises, or railing planters. Not confident in your green thumb? Here are a few easy apartment balcony plants to try.

Easy Apartment Balcony Plants

• Pothos or philodendron: These easy houseplants can tolerate almost any light level, and they’ll quickly grow long vines during the summer. Give the vines a trellis to climb, or let them trail over your apartment balcony railing and create a living privacy screen.
• Snake plants: These chic, modern plants have vertical leaves and can tolerate neglect (seriously, they’re perfect for any beginner plant parent). Choose a large one for a stunning focal point, or place a smaller one on a plant stand to add some low-maintenance greenery to your apartment balcony.
• Faux plants: If you’re still not confident about your green thumb, add artificial plants to your outdoor space to give it a touch of nature. This “living wall” can add a pop of texture and greenery to your patio!

Bonus: When the weather cools off, both of these plants can thrive indoors, too! Enjoy your summer greenery outdoors, then beat off the winter blues when you bring them inside. That’s a win-win! 

Flowers for your Apartment Balcony

• Calibrachoa: Colorful flowers can cheer up your apartment balcony in an instant! This low-maintenance flower variety needs a few hours of sunlight every day and looks beautiful spilling over the sides of hanging planters or as a centerpiece on your outdoor bar table. Pinch off any dried or spent blooms to encourage new flowers. Calibrachoa will bloom until the first frost.
• Geraniums: There’s a reason you see geraniums everywhere during the summer. They love heat, and they can tolerate dry soil better than many other flowers. These hardy plants will bloom multiple times over the summer, giving you vibrant color and adorable green leaves all season long. 

Start a balcony herb garden:

Remember that bit about making your small balcony serve multiple purposes? A vertical herb garden is one more way to squeeze extra function out of your space! Choose herbs that are easy to cook with, like basil, oregano, or parsley. Love to entertain? Make your guests’ cocktails fresher than fresh with herbs like mint or rosemary. Mint is easy to grow and tolerates heat well, but be sure to put it in its own container, as it can be invasive if it’s grown in the same pot as other plants. Enjoy the best mojito in town without ever leaving your apartment!

Small balcony apartment patio ideas on a budget

You want laid-back, no-worry summer vibes, but spending a small fortune on outdoor furniture for your apartment balcony sounds like a recipe for stress and overwhelm. The solution? Shop your local CORT Furniture Outlet! You’ll find high-quality, gently used patio furniture, dining sets, accent furniture, throw pillows, faux plants, and more. You can start your search online and pick up your finds in-store. Don’t wait weeks — or months! — for furniture delivery to your home. Take your apartment balcony from stagnant to stunning with affordable furniture and accessories from CORT Furniture Outlet TODAY!