HOME AND HAPPINESS (5/5): BALCONIES AND OUTDOOR AREA
- Malika Vaidya
- Oct 11, 2020
- 6 min read
With spending a majority of our time at home due to the current global scenario, the little pockets of outdoors in our homes have become a source of respite for us. Having a green space around us has proven to have a positive effect on one’s psyche. A study by a Denmark university found that childhood exposure to green spaces significantly reduces the risk of developing psychological disorders in adolescence and adulthood. People living in the city have higher neural activity, which is linked to higher stress levels, which in turn can increase the risk of developing psychological disorders.
Apart from public green spaces such as parks and gardens, one can bring the outdoors in with the help of well-designed balconies, backyards and gardens. Balconies and gardens act like an extra room in the house and are great places to relax, enjoy a book, have a beverage, enjoy some ‘me’ time or even have a private moment.
GARDENS
Whether one has a small garden, large garden or a long and narrow garden, a good garden design can be achieved irrespectively. The key to a good garden design is to first identify the ‘need’ or use of the garden. Whether, one is going to use it as a kitchen garden, outdoor dining space or just a simple sit out area.
Next, one needs to pay attention to the shape of the garden. The most prominent shape in a garden is the lawn area. Whether it is a rectangle, square or a circle doesn’t matter. What matters is the how the edge or the shape is defined, as it sets the tone for planting border plants and helps one to create zones.
In small gardens, the boundary walls and fences play an important role in defining the garden. One can beautify these elements by growing colour coordinated climbers on the fences to add a depth and layer to the planting zone. One can even whitewash and paint it to give a fresh and clean look. But please, do check with your neighbours first if you share the garden boundary with them!!
PLANTINGS
Planting shrubs is a great way of defining the borders of a garden. Flowering plants add colour and can be punctuated with box shrubs toad an element of ‘break’ to the bed space. A combination of two or more flowering plants and box shrubs can be selected and repeated to achieve a harmonious look. It can even be punctuated with off season plants for an evergreen look for the garden.
Shrubs of Plants such as Mogra (jasmine) or Prajakta (Night Jasmine) can be planted near a seating area where one can enjoy the scent of its flowers. Both these plants produce masses of small white waxy flowers with a great scent, making them ideal for planting.
Maintaining gardens is a water intensive activity. Hence, one can plant low maintenance plants such as Neel Chitrak (Plumbago), Golden Thryallis, canary bush, Sawani (Crepe myrtle) or Bougainvillea that require less water to thrive and are acclimatised to the Indian climate.
Trees are a great way to frame a view and provide shade. Mature trees block out glare, filter noise and air pollution and can be used to hang lights and decorations. A growing trend is multi- step trees which provide beautiful layered canopies.
PAVING AND CREATING LEVELS
The layout of the paving can set the direction for the garden. One can experiment with colour and pattern of the stone, from simple rectangular layout to intrinsic designs with cobblestones. The colour and texture of the paving can be coordinated with the planting.
If the garden is uneven or sloping, decking is a cost-effective option to achieve split - levels as it can withstand heavy foot traffic.
FURNITURE
Small gardens can opt for foldable furniture or benches which can be tucked in a corner when not in use. Larger gardens can go in for full dining sets with matching chairs and picnic benches, swings, beach chairs, etc. if the garden space permits then One can even add barbecue sets, fire pits and a swimming pool too.
LIGHTS AND MARKERS
Lighting is an effective way of creating an ambient atmosphere. Outdoor lighting in gardens is as important as indoor lighting in a house and should be layered as one does indoors. Whether it is garden lanterns, string lights or pendant lights hung from the trees, brings a character and create an atmosphere to the garden.
Other elements that help to bring a character to a garden are pergolas which provide shade and help frame a space. Bamboo stems create a canopy and draw focus within a space and can be used effectively as natural screens and space dividers.
Ornaments are an important part of a garden space and should be nestled within the vegetation to give a seamless look to the area. The element of water can be incorporated by adding a water feature such as a fountain or a water spout. Boulders in varied sizes can be added to punctuate zones and set off the green of the plants.
BALCONIES
When designing a balcony, one needs to first identify what the space is to be utilized for. Is it going to be used for entertaining guests or as a family space or a private space or as an activity/ hobby zone or as a small garden? The location, proximity, size and orientation of the balcony is to be taken into account second. If the balcony is adjoining the living room, it can be used as a patio to entertain guests. Whereas, if it is adjoining the master bedroom, it can be converted into a private and intimate area.
The size or area of the balcony will dictate the spatial layout. Whereas, the orientation will determine the time and duration of usage. For example, an east facing balcony will be ideal to use in the early mornings to exercise or enjoy a cuppa. Whereas, a south facing balcony will be difficult to use during the day as it will receive continuous radiation but can be used as a drying area during the day and a relaxing zone post sunset. One can then proceed to personalise the area by adding some furniture, plants and décor items.
Large balconies can be used as an outdoor party space with a mix of formal and informal seating. The balcony can then be used to host parties or even be used as a family lounge area. One could add a touch of greenery to this space by hanging small plants in corners or go complete opposite and have a large potted plant as a centrepiece.
One could designate areas for furniture and plants by having a corner for seating and using a part of the floor space as a garden. But do keep in mind to allocate areas for plants according to their sunlight needs i.e keeping sun loving plants in the area that receives maximum sunlight while keeping succulents and others in relative shade.
One could forgo seating completely and opt for a swing in the balcony. One can also invest in swings which can be disassembled like hammocks, which will give one the freedom to utilise the balcony space in various ways.
A combination of a coffee table and comfy arm chairs along with some plants for a balcony attached to the bedroom or other private areas of the house is an excellent way to create an intimate balcony space.
Vertical planters are a great way to save floor space in the balcony and also add a garden feel to the area. One can also opt for artificial grass to enhance the garden feel.
Effective lighting can liven up the balcony in the evening. One can opt for floor lamps or hanging pendant lights for a warm and cozy ambience. Or one can have LED string lights or concealed lighting for a well lit and clean ambience.
PRIVACY
A good balcony grill design ensures privacy without losing the view. From simple wrought iron grills to intrinsic jali patterns or even glass panels, one can choose from an array of materials to use while deciding on the level of privacy. Jali patterns can be used to filter out the sun and passively cool the balcony whereas a glass panelled railing offers a sleek look to the space.
COLOUR
One can play with a variety of colours and textures in the balcony. Adding a bright piece of furniture such as an armchair or an ottoman in complementing hues to the green of the surrounding plants can brighten up the balcony area. One can also have an accent wall to inject that pop of colour to the space.
Other pieces of décor such as a water fountain, little trinkets or even sculptures help to bring the space together.
As we have seen, sky is the limit when it comes to designing balconies and gardens. With a variety of options on the market, it is important that one chooses the right material and overall feel that reflects one's personality, creating the perfect outdoor space for self!
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