How to decorate a small balcony

What has Covid-19 taught us with related lockdowns and red zones? Certainly at the "home" level, it has made us aware of how important, indeed almost vital, outdoor spaces are. The top is definitely owning a garden or a large terrace. Even having a small balcony, however, represents a real fortune because it allows you to spend time outdoors without necessarily having to leave your home.

But how to furnish it to make it as comfortable as possible despite its small size?

My recommendations are mainly three:

1. think of practical, space-saving and possibly foldable furnishings so that, when not in use, it is possible to recover some space. Therefore, for furnishings, less is more is the categorical imperative but without renouncing design.

Among the HIRO proposals I find the set formed by the Meridio table and the Op stool (design Mario Alessiani ) really perfect in this regard. They are both in steel treated for outdoor use and each of them has a practical gem: Meridio has a convenient space-saving closure, Op has a handle that makes it portable from inside the house to your terrace . A perfect pairing for enjoying a nice frozen drink in the evening after a sultry summer day, perhaps served on the stylish Lamina tray (designed by Mikiya Kobayashi ). Cheers!

2. especially if you live in a big city and your small balcony overlooks other buildings, try to transform it into a green oasis with even scenic plants that will give you the perception of being immersed in nature (and not in concrete!). So yes to planters and vase holders to host them in the best way and which are also a pleasure for the eyes. You can recreate a jungle effect by exploiting both horizontality and verticality, choosing cascading plants in the latter case.

The Altea plant pot (design Gabriele Panciera ) by Hiro is a perfect solution for inserting your green or flowering plants in a real design piece! It comes in various versions so you can choose according to your space: the high one is particularly noticeable because it also has a lower shelf; then there is the low and table version (large and small). Complements also play their part: with the Idro watering can (designer Yiannis Ghikas ) you will also have a beautiful piece to display! And to make the atmosphere romantic there is the Eos lantern, where the light of the candle filters through the holes like the moon into the well. Love is in the air!

3. pay attention to the materials and practicality of the furnishings and accessories you choose : it is important that they are suitable for outdoor use and require little maintenance (wood, for example, is very beautiful but quite demanding: with the sun and the rain tends to get damaged and over time it must be repainted).

The ones you find in Hiro's Outdoor section are made of steel specially treated for outdoors so they will have a long life without the need for treatment! You can also choose them in many colors, including trendy ones such as fossil green, terracotta, vanilla, cinnamon, cornflower blue.

What are you waiting for? All you have to do is choose the products and transform your outdoor space into a decidedly wow environment!

* Article by Barbara Machin @pilloledidesign