Decorating a balcony – 4 ideas for creating a charming space

Magazine

Worn shoes, old shelves, superfluous kitchen strainers, bowls – you can use any of these items to decorate your balcony. We reveal 4 great ideas for transforming your haven into a unique space.

Use alternative flowerpots to decorate your balcony

Are your shelves full of bowls and various containers you hardly ever use? Great, you can give them a new life by turning them into flower pots! You can also use scratched ceramic baking dishes and unused pots and cups. Or even turn your favourite worn shoes into a recycled planter. But there's one thing you mustn't forget – make holes in the bottom of the containers to avoid them becoming flooded with rainwater. The water will drain away perfectly, preventing your flowers becoming waterlogged. An alternative for ceramic vessels – fill with a layer of expanded clay under the soil.

Bright moments with home-made candles

Everyone has simple lanterns. But why not create a radiant balcony decoration using glass bottles, branches and sand. Here's how easy it is: fill one or more glass bottles with sand up to about halfway to stand up the branches. When the branches are firmly in place, use wire loops to hang small tea lights from the branches. Tip: use different glass bottles and attractive branches to create a harmonious ensemble. When it's dark outside, your DIY candelabra will shine forth.

Attractive balcony shelves

Before banishing your fruit crate to the basement or even throwing it out, make space for it on your balcony wall. First give the crate a makeover by painting it, giving it an antique, shabby-chic look or whatever you fancy as long as it goes with the other balcony decoration. Fix the base of the crate securely to the wall and use this alternative shelf as an additional flower shelter. Along with fruit crates, other objects can be used to make frames, for example, Euro pallets or ladders.

Decorating a balcony – turn a sieve into a hanging flower basket

There are countless crazy objects you can use to decorate your balcony. Even a simple metal sieve can be used to decorate your outdoor space. A sieve is almost the ideal flowerpot, as it already has holes to drain away excess water. Turn this kitchen utensil into a hanging basket, for example. To do this, attach solid twine to the handles and hang it and the floral contents in a suitable spot – bearing in mind the plant's specific growing conditions.