The kind owner tries to rationally use the living space of the apartment and making a wardrobe on the balcony with his own hands is a matter of honor for him.
After all, throughout earthly life, things accumulate that are a sin to throw away, and there is no longer any free space in the closet. Therefore, handy owners create masterpieces of furniture craft.
Brief overview of the article
Design features of balcony cabinets
Respect to the mature apartment owner who receives the revelation to make a wardrobe with his own hands on the balcony. First, you should familiarize yourself with the options for existing designs of compact storage for household items.
A built-in wardrobe is the most successful option for limited space, because every inch of the balcony is used. A massive corner storage structure with wide swing doors will fit perfectly into a trapezoidal balcony.
Cabinet Installation Tools
In order to build a cabinet on the balcony yourself, you will need quite a lot of tools:
- metal ruler, level, plumb line, square for carpenters;
- wood saw, plane, hacksaw, chisel;
- a set of screwdrivers, a hammer, a hacksaw for metal;
- drill, screwdriver;
- construction pistol.
The cabinet frame is made in a rectangular shape. It is recommended to fasten the timber using metal corners. If you drill holes in the timber itself, it will lose its strength.
Preparatory stage
In order for the result of a mature solution to turn out as expected and delight with its originality, you should decide on the configuration and perform certain preparatory work.
The dimensions of the design space on the balcony are taken with high accuracy, working drawings and a sketch of the future cabinet are made on paper.
Craftsmen who are distinguished by intelligence and ingenuity can use computer programs in the absence of paper. Now you can inspect the plumbing and carpentry tools, and, if necessary, adjust and sharpen the cutting knives.
Shape and dimensions
The appearance of the cabinet, including its dimensions, will depend on where it will be located - near the wall, on the wall or in the corner.
If it is not intended only for pickles in jars, then you can save material and useful space by installing a rack and securing it with brackets on a metal profile.
If you plan to store wheels, bicycles and sleds on the balcony, then you need to calculate the size so as to fit everything you need there. If you will be storing tools, then a small cabinet under the window is enough.
In most cases, the height of the cabinet is 2.5 m. If space is left at the top for a mezzanine, then it is 1.8 m.
The depth should be at least half a meter if you plan to store clothes, otherwise you can stop at 0.3 m, especially if you have a narrow balcony.
Storage Internal Contents
A good design idea would be a closet on the balcony, which has a small compartment with a rod for safe storage of outerwear. It is better to store small but necessary household items in drawers. Things will always be accessible and neatly placed in their proper place.
If you make a wide window sill on the balcony, in the resulting niche you can attach several open shelves for storing small items.
To add aesthetics to the balcony closet, you should use a successful design technique and provide several open shelves for placing flowers.
Metal cabinets for balconies
What other furniture is good for a balcony? Metal cabinets are used, although less frequently. Their advantage is the undoubted durability of the material and resistance to weather conditions. They will be a great addition to balconies or terraces decorated in a minimalist or industrial style. Metal cabinets can be very spacious. The material is durable, so it will last until you get tired of it. In addition, the cabinets are available in very large quantities. The walls or shelves of this design are thin, so the furniture will be optimally spacious.
It is worth remembering that uncoated metal conducts temperature well, so if the furniture is placed in a sunny place, it may heat up. The disadvantage is also the rather poor selection of colors. An improperly maintained or low-quality cabinet can also rust over time.
Selection of source material
Leading furniture manufacturing companies offer a wide selection of materials for making cabinets yourself at a very affordable price.
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At the forefront is waste from large wood processing enterprises. Pressed boards are skillfully decorated with natural veneer or polymer film to protect the environment.
The use of technical plastic materials will not be considered a mortal sin. The material gained popularity among wide sections of ordinary workers. Natural wood for balcony cabinets is usually used by wealthy owners.
Balcony designs and their capabilities
The possibility of equipping a balcony with storage systems primarily depends on its design. It’s also useful to think in advance about what you plan to store there.
- Open balcony. It is almost impossible to organize storage systems for things here. But this is a great place for a flower garden and even a small garden in an urban environment.
- Glazed but not insulated balcony. This is a more functional space where frozen semi-finished products can be stored in winter. This is especially convenient if the balcony is adjacent to the kitchen. But in the summer, due to the increased temperature and humidity, it is difficult to store food and fresh vegetables there without special equipment. But skiing and snowboarding will be a great place to spend the summer season there. The choice of furniture materials for such a room is also not great - you cannot use chipboard, MDF or solid wood due to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. The most reliable options are furniture made of metal or plastic.
- Glazed insulated balcony. Here you can safely organize places to store seasonal clothes and shoes, bicycles and car tires - that is, all items and products that can deteriorate or crack due to sudden changes in the environment. The requirements for furniture are the same as for all premises - functionality and aesthetics.
Door options
In a burst of creative inspiration, it is not a sin for a craftsman to consider various options for making doors for his original work. For economical use of balcony space, a sliding door design is appropriate. The doors move on rollers along a monorail attached to the frame.
Hinged doors will allow you to quickly and quickly inspect the contents in the closet. They require additional space in front of the cabinet front. The most rational solution is considered by specialists to be folding door leaves, which are fixed with guide strips.
Stages of preparing a balcony for arranging a dressing room
You must first carefully insulate the balcony. The windows are glazed and screed is laid on the floor. To make it comfortable to change clothes in the room, it is recommended to install a heated floor. It should be remembered that it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature on the balcony. At low temperatures, things quickly become damp, and mold appears on the walls. An electric heated floor is suitable for heating.
Important! On loggias and balconies you cannot install heated floors or install radiators based on water heating. Such heating requires approval of the project by the relevant authorities.
To hang things on hangers, you should provide 1-1.5 m of space along the wall. If the dressing room in the apartment has three-sided glazing, with only one window facing it, then this method of placing things will be inappropriate. Things on hangers will limit the access of lighting to the adjacent room. For a wardrobe, it is better to choose a space without windows; it can be found on any loggia.
Useful tips
A self-made balcony cabinet will allow you to gain invaluable experience as a craftsman and save money, which can later be used to pay for the manufacture of the next product. When performing design work, you should pay attention to a multifunctional piece of furniture on the balcony.
If desired, the closet can easily be transformed into a small sofa or a comfortable place for remote work using a personal computer.
All wooden parts should be treated with water-repellent compounds before installation. Do not neglect the possibility of installing support corners for fastening shelves made of non-ferrous metal.
Balcony with wardrobe in different styles
The interior perfectly reflects the character of the people. For some, the balcony design is elegant and restrained, for others it is full of energy and bright accents. Loggias often attract attention with their modern design, allowing you to relax and unwind in a cozy environment. Balcony design is a play with color, shape, structure and equipment. What role can frame furniture, which is a wardrobe, play in interior design? Each stylistic direction has a specific list of rules and canons. Versatile white and steel indicate that the balcony is decorated with an industrial style, giving off austerity, while Scandinavian harmony radiates warmth due to the wood, thick blankets and soft pillows. In balcony interior design, all items can be part of the perfect combination, so choose the right front for a wardrobe or traditional storage using photo inspiration and helpful tips.
Scandinavian style
Scandinavian style is characterized by a subtle color palette that further illuminates the interior. A functional extension with facades in light pastel shades of gray and white, as well as a design imitating finely cracked wood, will be an excellent base for bright additions. This trend loves natural materials and creative design, so the balcony cabinet should be made in the decor of oak, maple, walnut or ash. Simple geometric designs are most often kept in their natural tone or painted white to ensure complete consistency with the rest of the arrangement. In such interiors, unnecessary decorations, fancy motifs or patterns on the fronts of furniture are not used.
Classic style
Supporters of the traditional trend should prefer wooden cabinets if there is a desire to create a balcony in the form of a living room or office. The classics are dominated by the usual solutions: oak, elm, walnut or ash, which go perfectly with the warm brown tones that dominate the room. Traditional designs also feature stylish glazing that looks chic and elegant, showcasing phenomenal china inherited from grandma or a sizable book collection. The use of glass will add sophisticated charm to the interior.
Minimalist style
If minimalism reigns on the balcony, the closet should also be characterized by simplicity, which is associated with a reduction in decorative patterns and muted colors. Everything should be in accordance with the principle of “less is more”, it is better to abandon frilly decorations and focus around economical design combined with functionality. Furniture should have smooth, shiny or matte fronts in one color. The color of the wardrobe facades should also not be a matter of chance, and in addition to individual preferences, it is worth considering the size of the room. Small spaces are visually enlarged when transparent glass facades are chosen. The surfaces will reflect light, providing a sense of optical magnification. In spacious interiors, you can play with color, using both cold beige, gray, warm pastels, and intense burgundy or brown tones.
Industrial style
When brick dominates the wall and metal accessories complement the interior, this is a sign that the space has a trendy industrial style, which is quite relevant on balconies today. The wardrobe in this version has something of minimalism, that is, without unnecessary decorations, radiating elegance and being simple. Since this composition is dominated by muted colors - from white, gray, to black and beige, it is worth choosing one of them to decorate the facade of the cabinet on the balcony. The lack of shine will result in the interior taking on a more natural tone. Materials that imitate concrete or show uneven wood textures will look great in shades of gray and graphite.
Glamorous style
Since the glamor trend loves to shine, it is worth using glass facades or choosing options complemented by a mirror, which will enhance the aura of exclusivity and provide incredible attractiveness. Furniture with reflective surfaces in delicate shades of vanilla or beige will not only visually enlarge the space, but can also add a touch of warmth and harmony to the balcony. 3D fills with geometric or plant motifs are also interestingly presented, so the room no longer needs decorations, and the surface of the facades will turn into a non-trivial decorative accent. The irregular texture, influenced by plenty of light and shimmering glamor style elements such as crystal chandeliers or gold and silver accents, will create an interesting visual spectacle.
Fresh design ideas for balcony cabinets
Limited space on a small balcony will not interfere with the installation of a pencil case. Usually it is installed at the entire height of the balcony, and the abundance of shelves of different sizes allows you to store the most unexpected things.
To decorate the facade, slabs from the fine fraction of waste from wood processing plants are usually used.
If the balcony is an extension of the kitchen, the cabinet doors can be made of frosted glass. The shelves will house utensils that are not used every day for cooking. The lower doors of such a cabinet can be made of inclined slats for better air ventilation.
Kinds
Depending on the size of the balcony, you can choose a built-in or cabinet structure. A built-in wardrobe takes up little space, which is especially important when installing it on a small, narrow balcony or near a door. A cabinet cabinet is a standard cabinet with four walls and doors. In addition, there are corner designs. They are larger in size, suitable for installation on spacious loggias, but also more spacious.
Based on the type of doors, there are several types of loggia cabinets:
- cabinets with hinged doors;
- compartment designs with sliding doors;
- cabinets with accordion doors;
- Roller cabinets - the doors look like blinds and open by sliding them upward.
Swing
Harmonic
Coupe
Roller shutters
Depending on the number of doors, loggia cabinets can also vary:
- two-door designs - can be either sliding or hinged;
- four-door - usually used when it is necessary to divide internal sections for storing different things, for example, household supplies for the winter and tools. These are sliding wardrobes for balconies and hinged structures;
- Roller shutter types of cabinets with one door.
But it is not necessary for the closet on the loggia to have doors. This could be an open storage system consisting of shelves.
Two door
Three-door Four-door
By functionality, balcony storage systems are:
- wardrobe closet on an insulated loggia. It is a complete wardrobe for storing clothes. Often such a design has a seat attached to the side and located under the window of the room adjacent to the balcony. This design is designed for convenient use even in winter;
- cabinet for storing conservation, tools, equipment. May have many shelves, doors and sections, depending on size;
- a cabinet used as a freezer in winter: it is located under the windowsill of the loggia.
The functionality of cabinets often depends on the size of the balcony, the degree of its insulation, and the purpose of using the loggia: for example, if an insulated loggia is used as a workplace, the cabinet will be filled not with jars of pickles, but with books, folders, and documents.
Assembling a corner cabinet model
Specialists call the design of a corner cabinet on a spacious balcony a good option. The product impresses with its size and capacity for different-sized items.
A good idea is to construct a corner cabinet frame from an aluminum corner. An unheated balcony is subject to sudden changes in temperature and humidity conditions.
Load-bearing structures made of wood cannot always meet the requirements of operation in such conditions. It is advisable to install decorative ventilation holes in the lower and upper parts of the corner cabinet doors.
What material is better to choose for a loggia?
Over time, furniture on unheated loggias is exposed to external factors: humidity, UV radiation, mold. The best solution in this case is to insulate the balcony, but if this is not possible, you should choose wear-resistant materials. Manufacturers offer the following cabinet options:
- plastic;
- Chipboard/chipboard;
- wood;
- metal.
The photo shows a balcony with a double-leaf wardrobe made of PVC panels.
Solid wood furniture is more expensive than plastic, but is less resistant to moisture (if it is not treated thermowood). Plastic can become deformed over time due to temperature changes, and metal products are susceptible to corrosion. Most often, furniture made of laminated chipboard or MDF is installed on balconies: the top layer of plastic protects the chipboard from wear, and if damaged, budget models can always be replaced.
