Beginners Guide to Balcony Design: 14 Common Questions Resolved!

If you had the choice, would you choose to hire a professional interior designer for your home balcony design, or would you choose to give it a go on your own? While the DIY approach may sound more exciting, it can easily turn into a nightmare if you make a few basic balcony design errors! 

Just one bad plant or rug can turn your front balcony design into a soggy mess that nobody wants to deal with!

But fear not! I’ve answered all your burning balcony design questions and provided you with a step-by-step guide to help you craft your space. You’ll also learn important details such as your balcony’s weight capacity, your preferred plants and much more!

PSST!!! This post may contain affiliate links. Basically, a win-win for you (awesome product) & us (a lil’ coffee fund). ☕️

Top Insights

1. How Do You Start Your Front Balcony Design? 

To create your own house balcony design, check out the space you have and what you plan to use it for! Then, measure your balcony accurately and note any abstract spots. Finally add some durable balcony tiles and pop in some plants, seats and hanging baskets to complete the look!

Here’s a step-by-step guide you can follow: 

A. Assess Your Balcony:

Before you can start building your balcony design, you’ll need to have a look at how much space you have and what size it is! Here’s how you go about it:

• Size & Shape: 

Measure the length, width, and height of your balcony. I think most Indian balconies are around 1.2–2 meters wide, which is perfect for placing some plants and seats. Also, take into account any sliding doors, French doors, or balcony decks that could impact where you put your furniture.

After that, analyse your balcony’s shape. If it’s squarish, you can create cosy conversation areas. But if it’s rectangular, you could use L-shaped furniture or slender, hanging planters.

• Sun & Shade: 

If you’ve got a balcony that gets blasted by the sun all day, you’ll want to have some shade sails, skillion roofs, awnings, or even some climbing plant screens like pothos, bougainvillea, or star vine. 

But if your balcony faces east and gets some nice morning sun, you might want to go for a semi-covered setup with pergolas or roof jalis.

• Neighbourhood Privacy: 

If you have poky or nosy neighbours, you could think about putting up screens, slatted walls, or vertical overhangs. But if your balcony has some messy or random spots, just wrap your trellises and flowering creepers around them for a lush and organic enclosure on the sides.

B. Define Your Balcony Use:

Gone are the days when people used balconies for storage and drying stuff. In 2024, balconies have emerged as upcoming hotspots for dining, outdoor bars, worship places and many more! 

So, once you figure out how you want to use your balcony, you can choose the right furniture. If it’s for dining, you can get tables, grills, and countertops. If it’s for a bar, you can set up built-in wineries, shelves, and high tables, and so on.

C. Add the Flooring & Wall Finishes to Your Balcony Design:

Nobody loves a simple, whitewashed balcony, right? So, to make it more creative, consider adding designer concrete, wood or any other balcony tiles ideas from our list. As for the wall finishes, you can go with metal panels, granite or quartz walls, laminates, or even a full vertical garden!

D. Pop in the Accessories:

The last step to really amp up an open balcony design is all about the accessories! Indian balconies look great with a variety of traditional elements like jalis, jute carpets, bird boxes and hanging baskets. 

But, you can also add some modern elements like metal planters, screens, steel benches and string lights for a dreamy, eclectic vibe!

2. How Much Weight Can You Put on Your Balcony?

Small balconies usually hold the weight of around 7–10 people (20 – 45kg per square foot). But if your balcony slab has visible cracks, discolouration, sagged reinforcement or buckled railings, then it’s best to get it restored before putting any furniture or decking on top. 

Also, remember that old, 15-16 year old balcony construction is relatively weaker and can hold only 5–6 people, with some lightweight tiles, seats and racks at the most.

3. How Can I Cover My Balcony in India? 

You can cover your balcony design by using commonly available retail solutions like retractable awnings, shade sails, bamboo blinds, polycarbonate roofing panels, glass enclosures, etc.

If you’re feeling extra creative, you can also try making your own curtain frames, custom slats, or hanging trellis partitions. And don’t forget about reed mats, recycled sail cloths, or corrugated plastic sheets – they can add a unique touch too!

4. Which Colour is Best for Front Balcony Design? 

Generally, when it comes to balcony walls, it’s best to go for colours that are easy on the eyes and low-maintenance. Cream, Beige, Yellow Ochre, and Light gray are great choices. 

If you’re into a nautical theme, you can opt for Hazy Teal or Azure emulsion paint. For those who prefer a more bold and vibrant look, Red, Dark Gray, and Yellow are the way to go! On the other hand, if you’re a fan of the countryside aesthetic, Brown or Light Olive walls would be perfect. 

Just make sure not to use the same colour for the railings, as it can create too much contrast. Instead, go for bare metallic colours or simple shades like White, Brown, Black, or Gray.

5. Is a South-Facing Balcony Okay as per Vastu-Shastra? 

No, a south-facing balcony is often associated with negative energy and potential health and wealth issues. However, you can easily counteract these vibes by incorporating some Vastu remedies such as pyramids, wind chimes, small flowerpots, and using light wall colours.

6. Can I Convert My Open Balcony Design Into a Bedroom? 

Sure, you can totally turn your balcony into a bedroom if you really want to. But, it’s not the best idea because of the strong winds, weight issues, and building regulations. 

However, if you’re determined, we recommend getting permission from your local authorities and using lightweight plasterboards, 3D sheets, or wood and metal panels for the walls. Oh, and don’t go overboard with the furniture – a simple bed and a few shelves should do the trick.

Quick Tip: Use liftable tatami or foldable beds and tables for a practical and space-efficient balcony furniture arrangement.

7. Which Ceiling is the Best for Your Modern Balcony Design? 

There’s no best balcony design ceiling as such, but you have a few options to consider depending on your needs. If you live in a sunny area, you can go for heat-reflective PVC, light wood, or polycarbonate panels to diffuse the light.

On the other hand, if your balcony gets a lot of rain and humidity, you might want to consider using glass, fibreboard, or treated wood panels. And if you live in the tundra regions, insulated mineral wool, foam, or glass wool balcony ceilings are best!

Caution: Avoid using dark or oxidized balcony ceilings, as these absorb light and make the space feel gloomy.

8. How Do I Nail My Small Balcony Design? 

You can totally transform your small balcony into a cosy oasis by adding some cool stuff like a vertical garden, hanging baskets, bird boxes, or even a herb garden. 

But if you’re aiming for a small modern balcony design, I’d recommend going for some sleek string lights and metal furniture to go with a simple concrete setup. 

And if you’re into that spiritual stuff, why not add some mandalas and fragrant plants around your Indian seats? Or hey, the ultimate addition would be a compact barbecue grill on the railing because, you know, food is always a good idea!

9. What is the Rule of Balcony Construction?

The Building Code of India says that if your balcony is 2m or higher from the ground or floor, it needs to have walls or railings that are at least 1.2m tall. And make sure there are no grills or foot supports that kids can climb on. 

Besides, the balcony ledge should be pretty narrow, like 100-150mm, so no one feels like sitting or lounging on it.

10. Can I Start My Own Hydroponic Balcony Garden? 

Yes, you can totally start your own hydroponic garden without any hassle. All you need are some plastic bottles, containers, boxes, or PVC pipes. Once you have them, ask a professional to install a wick, water culture, or drip hydroponic system. Then, add some rock wool or perlite and plant easy-to-grow greens like Kale, Purslane, Kulfa, or Lettuce.

Quick Tip: Combine 25ml calcium nitrate, 8.3ml potassium nitrate and 17.5ml magnesium sulphate solution to optimize the growth of your hydroponic plants.

11. Which is the Best Garden Box for My House Balcony Design?

Personally, I believe that the ingenious 8-12 inch raised garden beds are perfect for growing all those beautiful flowers and herbs. But if you don’t have much room, you can totally use hanging or railing baskets made of terracotta, concrete, or plastic. You can even stack up some planters or use window pots. 

And to make it even more stylish, you can cover these pots with knitted crochet, macramé, bamboo, rattan, or wicker covers. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can try using wooden crates, terracotta saucers, painted glass jars, or even old tires. The options are endless!

12. What Do You Need on a House Balcony Design? 

Using your balcony as an extra storage space for your tools and equipment is absolutely fine! However, it would be great to have some chairs, seats, or benches for comfortable lounging. 

Additionally, adding shade sails, awnings, or screens can provide privacy, while planters can bring in some greenery. Don’t forget to include lights and mirrors to brighten up the space. For easy storage, consider Ottomans, wall-mounted shelves, bins, baskets, or open racks.

Lastly, make sure to have the right drainage and waterproofing solutions in place to prevent your space from turning into a swimming pool!

13. How Do You Arrange Pots on a Balcony? 

So, when it comes to your balcony garden pots, you can totally get creative with how you arrange them. Think about the leaves, colours, and heights of each pot. For a cool look, you can try grouping the taller pots towards the back and bringing the smaller ones to the front.

Additionally, mixing the pots in groups of three, five, or seven can create an organic and asymmetrical vibe. To add height, consider using tiered branches or railing planters. Enjoy the process and have fun experimenting!

14. Which Plants Are Best for Your House Balcony Design? 

Flowering plants such as Rose, Hibiscus, Ixora, Jasmine, Adenium, Bougainvillea, Marigold, Peace Lily, and Gardenia are excellent options for your Indian house balcony. If you prefer leafy plants, you can consider Ferns, Spider plant, Money plant, Song of India, and Jade. 

And if you have a taste for herbs and food plants, you can grow your own Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Squash, Oregano, Tulsi, Carom, Chillies, or Microgreens. You can also pair them with mosquito repelling citronella, lavender, basil or peppermint plants to keep those pests away!

Conclusion

I hope this guide solves all your potential doubts on your house balcony design and gives you a starting point in terms of the weight, plants and colours. But, if you want to ditch all the furniture and curate a lovely balcony oasis for yourself, you might find some inspiration in the 20+ balcony garden ideas or 16+ balocony tiles ideas I’ve curated for you! 

External Resources

• Learn How to Decorate a Balcony Space From the JD Institute of Fashion Technology
• Know Why You Need a Balcony Garden from UNSW, Sydney.
• Explore Balcony Gardening with Lingayas Vidyapeeth