24 Balcony Ideas for Apartments, From Bare Railing to Outdoor Room
Balcony ideas for apartments work best when they start from your problem, not from someone else’s terrace.
These 24 are sorted by that problem: a bare floor, no privacy, no outlet, wind, shade, too little space.
Each one gives a cost and says whether a renter can do it.
What is wrong with your balcony?
1. Snap-Together Deck Tiles Over Bare Concrete
Bare concrete is cold underfoot, stains easily and shows every crack. Interlocking deck tiles click together on top of it, and most have slatted undersides that let water run through to the slab.
Each tile covers about one square foot, so a 5×8 balcony takes about 40.
2. Roll Out an Outdoor Rug That Stops Short of the Drain
A flat-woven outdoor rug turns bare concrete into a floor in one move. Choose one a little smaller than the balcony, so a strip of slab shows at the edges and the drain stays clear.
A rug close to the concrete’s own color makes the floor read as one quiet surface.
3. Fake Grass Trimmed to the Slab
Outdoor turf on a roll gives a small balcony a patch of green with no watering. Cut it with a utility knife and pick a type with drainage holes in its backing.
Leave it loose, never glued to the slab, so it lifts for sweeping and goes with you when you move.
4. Bamboo Roll-Up Shade Hung From the Top Rail
A bamboo roll-up shade blocks the sight line from the building across the way, at seated height, and costs far less than a fixed screen. Hang it on the inside of the top rail with the ties it comes with, and lower it only as far as you need.
Ask the landlord first, because anything tied to the railing can break a lease or HOA rule.
Tie the bottom edge to the rail too, so the wind can’t make it slap. For more ways to block a view, see my patio privacy ideas.
5. Grow a Black-Eyed Susan Vine Up a Trellis Planter
A trellis planter is a box with a lattice fixed to the back, so it stands on the floor and needs no drilling. Black-eyed Susan vine is a fast climber, grown as an annual in most of the US, that likes full sun to part shade.
By midsummer it can fill the lattice, which gives a green screen without touching the railing.
6. One Chair and a Footstool, With Two Feet to Walk Past
On a balcony 5 feet wide, one good chair beats two cramped ones. Add a footstool that doubles as a side table, and push both toward one end.
Leave about 2 feet to walk past, and the balcony still feels like a room.
7. Three-Tier Plant Stand Grows Up Instead of Out
A narrow tiered stand puts three pots on the floor space of one. Stand it in a corner against the wall, with the heaviest pot on the bottom shelf.
Height is the one thing a small balcony has plenty of.
8. Run a Slim Bench Down the Long Wall
A bench only about a foot and a half deep seats two along a wall and leaves the rest of the floor free. Top it with a cushion or two in colors that suit the rest of the space.
Seats against a wall take less floor than chairs, because nobody needs room to pull one out.
9. Solar String Lights on the Inside of the Railing
Solar string lights bring light to a balcony with no outlet. The small solar panel needs direct sun for most of the day to charge its battery, so set it on the sunniest corner of the rail.
A balcony in deep shade will only get a dim glow from them.
10. Flameless Candle Lanterns Grouped on the Floor
Flameless LED candles run on batteries, so a group of three lanterns lights a balcony with no outlet and no flame. Cluster them in a corner at mixed heights rather than spacing them evenly.
Many leases and fire codes ban real candles on a balcony, so I’d always choose flameless.
11. Plug In One Outdoor-Rated Strand When There Is an Outlet
If the balcony has an outlet, a string of outdoor lights is brighter than any solar strand. Buy only a product marked for outdoor use and UL-listed, and plug it in as its instructions say.
Keep the plug and cord off wet floors, and never join more strands than the maker allows.
12. Wheel Out a Rolling Cart That Works as Bar and Shelf
A three-tier rolling cart serves drinks, holds a few pots and rolls to the wall when the balcony is crowded. Lock its wheels whenever it stands still, and keep the heaviest items on the bottom shelf.
Nothing is fixed to the building, so it moves out with you.
13. Faux Ivy Rolls Zip-Tied Inside the Rail
A roll of faux ivy stretched along the inside of the railing gives you a green wall and some privacy where real plants struggle. Fasten it to the rail with plastic zip ties, which you simply cut at move-out.
Ask first, since it fastens to the railing.
14. Hang a Chair From a Freestanding Stand
A hanging chair on its own steel stand needs no ceiling hook, so it suits a rental. The stand wants floor space several feet in each direction, so this works on the larger balconies, closer to 6×10 than 5×8.
A balcony’s weight limit is the building’s, so check the stand’s rating and your lease before you sit a person in it.
15. Keep It Low: Wide Planters on the Floor, Nothing on the Rail
Wind is stronger the higher you live, and a tall, light pot is the first thing to tip. Choose wide, heavy planters that sit on the floor, and keep the rail clear of loose pots.
A wide, low pot stays put because its weight sits close to the ground.
16. Tilt a Small Umbrella Into the Corner
A small tilting umbrella in a heavy base puts shade over one chair without anything fixed to the building. Stand it in the corner on the sunny side and tilt it toward the sun.
Close it whenever the wind picks up and take it down for storms, because an open umbrella catches wind like a sail.
17. Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender Take the Sunniest Corner
A sun-baked corner suits rosemary, thyme and lavender, which need six hours or more of direct sun and soil that drains well. Use terracotta pots with a hole in the base, and water when the top inch of the mix feels dry.
All three dislike wet soil, so a hot, breezy corner suits them better than a damp one.
Rosemary and lavender may not survive a cold winter in a pot, so check the hardiness zone on the tag. For more herb pairings, see my herb garden ideas.
18. Coleus and Hostas for a North-Facing Balcony
A north-facing balcony gets little direct sun, so foliage plants beat flowers here. Coleus is grown as an annual for its colored leaves, and hostas are shade perennials that die back in winter and return in spring where they are hardy.
Color in the shade comes from leaves, not from blooms.
19. Bounce What Light You Have Off Pale Pots and Cushions
A dim balcony looks darker with dark pots and dark cushions. Pale glazed pots and light cushions reflect more of whatever light arrives.
Light colors bounce more light than dark ones, which is why a pale scheme makes a shaded balcony feel brighter.
20. Self-Watering Planters for the Weekend Away
A self-watering planter has a water reservoir under the soil, so the plant draws what it needs. It means you water less often, but not never: refill the reservoir when it runs low.
On a hot balcony, a small pot that dries out in a day is the usual reason plants die.
21. Fewer, Bigger Pots Dry Out Slower
Ten small pots can dry out in a day on a hot balcony. Two or three large ones hold more potting mix and more water, so they stay moist for longer.
A big pot is a bigger reservoir, so it forgives a missed watering.
Full pots are heavy, so keep them near the wall and check your lease for weight limits. For vegetables in big pots, see my container gardening vegetables setups.
22. Mount a Fold-Down Table (If the Lease Allows)
A table that folds flat against the wall gives you somewhere for coffee, then disappears. It takes screws into the wall, so it is for owners, or for renters who have the landlord’s written OK.
It holds only what the wall and the fittings are rated for, so mount it as the maker instructs.
23. Counter-Height Table Against the Rail With Two Stools
A counter-height table is narrower than a dining table, and its stools tuck underneath. Stand it near the railing so the view is in front of you.
Keep it freestanding, never fastened to the rail.
24. Store Cushions in a Bench-Style Deck Box
A deck box that doubles as a seat hides cushions, a watering can and a pair of gloves, so the balcony stays tidy. Choose one whose lid closes fully, and set it where the lid can open.
One piece that is both seat and storage does the work of two.
Balcony Numbers on One Page
Every idea above rests on a few figures.
Get these right before you buy anything.
| What | The figure | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway to the door | About 2 feet | Room to pass a chair without moving it |
| Deck tiles for the floor | About 1 per square foot | A 5×8 balcony takes about 40, a 6×10 about 60 |
| Sun for rosemary, lavender, thyme, geraniums and petunias | 6 hours or more of direct sun | That is what full sun means, and these plants want it |
| Sun for lettuce and leafy greens | About 3 to 4 hours | They tolerate less sun than fruiting plants, especially in cooler weather |
| A shaded balcony | Under about 3 hours of direct sun | Choose coleus, hostas and begonias over sun-lovers |
| Anything that fastens to the building | Landlord’s OK first | A lease or HOA rule may forbid it, and it is the building’s to approve |
Six Balcony Mistakes to Skip
Real flame on the balcony
Do thisMany leases and fire codes ban charcoal grills, fire pits and open candles on a balcony. Check yours, and light the space with solar or battery lights instead.
Pots balanced on the top rail
Do thisA pot on the rail can tip into the street. Use pots on the floor, or brackets made for your railing and hung on the balcony side, with the landlord’s OK.
Ignoring the weight
Do thisA balcony’s load limit belongs to the building. Wet soil and big pots weigh more than they look, so check your lease and stay within what the landlord allows.
Covering the floor drain
Do thisA rug, tile or planter over the drain can back up water. Lay everything around it and keep it clear.
A table and chairs that block the door
Do thisLeave about 2 feet to walk through, even if that means one chair instead of two.
Water running onto the balcony below
Do thisPut a saucer under every pot and empty it after heavy rain.
Tape the Layout on the Floor Before You Buy Anything
Most balcony mistakes are measuring mistakes. A chair that fits a catalog photo doesn’t always fit 5 feet of concrete.
Mark the floor with chalk or low-tack tape and draw the walkway to the door first.
Then draw the footprint of each piece you are considering, and leave the marks down for a weekend. You will find out fast which chair blocks the door and which plant stand is one shelf too wide.
I’d rather move chalk lines than return a table.
Start with the one problem that bothers you most, whether that is the floor, the view or the light, and fix only that this month.
Choose the idea that needs no drilling and nothing fixed to the building, and the lease stays out of it.
A second idea can follow once you know how you actually use the space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I put on a balcony floor without drilling?
Deck tiles, an outdoor rug or a piece of turf all lie loose on the slab. Lay them around the floor drain, and lift them now and then so the concrete under them can dry.
Can I have a grill on an apartment balcony?
Many leases and fire codes ban charcoal grills on balconies, and some ban gas ones as well. Read your lease or ask the property manager before you buy one.
How do I get privacy on a balcony as a renter?
A trellis planter on the floor needs no drilling or fastening, so it needs no permission. Anything tied to the railing, such as a bamboo shade or faux ivy, needs the landlord’s OK first.
How much sun does a balcony need for herbs and vegetables?
Rosemary, thyme and fruiting vegetables want six hours or more of direct sun. Lettuce and other leafy greens cope with about 4 hours of direct sun, especially in cooler weather.
How much weight can my balcony hold?
That limit belongs to the building, not to me or the pot maker. Check your lease or ask the property manager, and spread heavy pots rather than clustering them.
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