How to Transform your Small Patio on a Budget
Harry (my husband) and I initially selected our apartment because the small patio had a beautiful view of our city’s skyline. At night, with the lights flickering in the distance, I love to sit outside and read or work on the blog. The lighting during the day is also absolutely fabulous, so a lot of times I will take photos for my wine column out there.
When lockdown started last year, I was determined to make this top story balcony into my personal happy place. Though it is not quite completely done, I like the headway enough to tell y’all about it. In today’s post, I am going to share:
- What I did before decorating
- All of the decorations I used to make this place an oasis
- Photos of the finished product
Before Decorating: the Intro Steps
The Clean
Before I even began to brainstorm what I was going to put on the patio, I knew I needed to clean the patio. If you have thought about how quick the cleaning job apartment complexes do between tenants, you understand my rationale for this. I took a Mr. Clean magic eraser and some soapy water and went to town on everything. It’s not perfect, but it is 100% better.
The Plan
Once everything was clean, I began to measure and brainstorm. The space is too narrow for most traditional decorations or even furniture sets, so I was going to have to get creative. I was going for a green, dreamy vibe. I do feel that, all in all, I did a pretty good job.
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From Patio to Oasis: How I Decorated our Balcony on a Budget
It is finally time to share everything I have done to make the patio a dream land (so far)! I still have a few other changes, but I will be sure to share those with you when I get to them. Keep reading to hear how I am using everything (and to see in real life photos of the environment)!
String Lights
I know this isn’t exactly a groundbreaking thing to start with. That said, Bulbed string lights can open up any space and make ceilings feel higher. They can change the ambiance of any area for the better. I chose these particular ones because I liked the size of the bulbs. The globe shape is larger at the top, releasing more light. They also come with a few extra bulbs in case you get a dud or one breaks.
Areas to Showcase
Plants scream vibe – as long as you know how to take care of them! I was 100% not born with a green thumb. Succulents have even died in my watch. That said, I wanted to make this into my “oasis”, so I needed to find some plants I couldn’t kill so easily. (Post about this topic coming soon.)
Plant Shelf
The first thing I did was buy this plant shelf. It looks great, is sturdy, and I have had a blast decorating it. The best thing about it is I can mix fake plants in and nobody knows the difference. When decorating something like this, variety of shapes and sizes is key. Let’s start top to bottom.
How I Decorated the Plant Shelf
Top shelf – I have a beautiful battery operated lantern (square and tall) next to a short, gold and brown pot I already had. I couldn’t find the exact pot online, but here is a similar one. In this pot, I tucked the end of one strand of faux ivy through holes in a plastic plant carton (see pic below). This made it look very natural and like it was growing out of the pot.
Middle shelf – This is the shelf I’m still working on, but right now it has a blue pot from one of my deceased succulents (RIP) and a stunning light I found online that gives off a bulby glow. This light came in a 2 pack for $20 and I was able to find perfect homes for both – one outside and one in my living room.
Bottom shelf – This is where I decided to put my faux candles. These things were the best buy. They have a “flicker” setting so they really do look like real candles, and a timer so I don’t accidentally leave them on all night. I love that they came with a remote so I can operate them from afar, and that they are all different heights. It really adds to the diversity on the shelf.
Bar Cart Turned Plant Cart
I then pulled my old bar cart out of storage and decided to convert it into a plant cart. It is perfect for plants that can’t just bask directly in the Texas sun. We also use it for its original purpose when we are chilling on the patio and want a place to put our drinks.
I decorated it with the remainder of the faux candles that didn’t look natural on the plant shelf, and then with a sound machine. For only $12, this was a great buy! It blocks out the sounds of the city at night and makes it feel like such a great vacation spot. (It hadn’t come in yet when I originally snapped that photo).
Plant Baskets
For plants that can bask in the sunlight (hello, my sweet sunflower seeds), I bought these baskets to go on the patio railing. Originally I wanted a planter box, but when looking at pricing
Blanket Ladder turned Ivy Wall
Last and finally, I pulled our blanket ladder from inside and put it behind the bar cart for some extra greenery. I then draped faux greenery down it on all levels for a beautiful look. Though I originally only bought one pack of these faux ivy vines (three in a pack), I ended up going back and buying a second pack. Adding additional ones made the ladder look more full, and allowed for me to add some to the plant shelf as well.
Seating
Though my plan is to build a bench long term, right now our only furniture out on the balcony is the table and chair set I bought for my last apartment. They are sturdy, don’t take up too much room, and allow me to work outside on nice days. Plus for the price, they make a great starter set.
Let's See this Small Balcony Oasis!
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Small Patio on a Budget
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