Handpicked Enclosed Balcony Ideas for Apartments to Inspire You: The Best of Home Decor Cosy Design

When you gaze upon your balcony, do you feel like it’s just a junk room or a forgotten space in your apartment? You are not alone. This is a problem faced by millions of urbanites worldwide.

They have a small balcony or terrace connected to their apartment, but don’t know how to make it functional and stylish. The great thing is that with a little bit of home decor cozy design, an enclosed balcony of any size can be transformed into the most sought-after room in your apartment.
In this ultimate guide, we have handpicked enclosed balcony ideas for apartments that can inspire and guide you, ideas that are functional, fashionable and fit for contemporary city living. We have all the inspiration you need for creating a cozy reading nook, an indoor garden or even a home office with a view. After reading this article, you’ll be ready to turn your underutilised balcony into a space that is uniquely yours and suited to your ways of life.
So, let’s get on to how you can turn your apartment into a stylish living space with clever design, good choices and a passion for home decor cozy.

Discover the Full Potential of Your Glassed-in Balcony

To begin your journey of transforming your apartment, you first need to understand your space. Often, people don’t realise their balcony’s full potential because they have not properly evaluated it. Your sheltered balcony is not just an additional room – it is a new dimension to your home.

Measure Before You Dream

Before you start renovating your balcony, measure it. Take a tape measure and record the length, width and height of the area. Take note of the location of the doors and windows, as well as any other permanent fixtures, such as pipes or railings, that could affect the furniture placement.

Knowing your space measurements helps avoid the biggest furniture-buying blunder – purchasing furniture that doesn’t fit. Every extra centimetre counts in small spaces, and can be the difference between comfort and discomfort. Your measurements can also be used to ensure you have enough clear space to move freely.
A rectangular balcony will work differently to a square one. Long and narrow spaces require furniture that is laid out in a line and has a low profile. With a square balcony, you can go for a seating area in the middle. There’s a lot of potential in both balcony shapes with a cozy home decor approach.

Define Your Needs

The next step is to consider what you’ll use your balcony for. This is the beginning of your design process, as you must consider this when making future design choices.
Are you looking for a cozy nook to relax and read after work? Do you work from home and need a place to work without distractions from the rest of your home? Maybe you’re an avid gardener and would like to have your own little garden. Or perhaps you just want a cozy place to sit and sip your coffee as the sun rises on the city.
Make a list of your must-have items. This will be your compass to guide you through the design process. When it comes to decisions about furniture, lighting, or storage, you can return to this list and determine whether a decision is meeting your key needs. This is how we get to achieve a good home decor cozy design.

Pay Attention to Light and Weather

Light is a potent design element in interior and outdoor design. The orientation of your balcony is crucial for determining the amount of sunlight it gets and when. A south facing balcony will have the most sun throughout the day (great but you need sun resistant materials and plants). If your balcony faces north, it will be shadier and cooler, so you’ll need to choose different plants and may need additional lighting to set a warm mood.

Take a week to sit and watch the light and shadows on your balcony from sunrise to sunset. Take note of where shadows appear, where the sun shines and how the light shifts on cloudy days. This will help determine where to position furniture and what plants to grow.
Wind exposure is also crucial. If your balcony is high up or exposed to strong winds, you will need furnishings that are wind-resistant. Wind can lift lightweight objects and turn them into potentially lethal missiles in high winds, so stability and durability are key for a balcony design in a high-rise apartment.

Our Top 20 Enclosed Balcony Ideas for

Apartments to Inspire You
That’s all well and good, but what about design ideas for your enclosed balcony? This collection of enclosed balcony ideas for apartments to inspire you will give you plenty of options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Build a Reading Nook You’ll Fall in Love With
There is nothing like a special place to read. Not the living room couch you share with your family or the bed where you fall asleep three chapters in – but a purpose-built reading space designed to be enjoyed, just for the sake of reading.

This is the ideal space to set up this retreat in your enclosed balcony. The first thing you’ll want to do is install shelving from floor to ceiling. This storage option maximises your book storage while freeing up floor space. Opt for shelving of weather-resistant wood or powder-coated metal to withstand the semi-outdoor conditions.
Choose a deep, upholstered armchair. Choose a chair with weather resistant upholstery that won’t absorb moisture and grow mold or sag when wet. Place the chair next to the window where the sun’s light will shine onto your shoulder.
Include a small side table within easy reach for your reading lamp, coffee or tea. Lamps are important for reading nooks. An arc floor lamp or LED reading light can help light up this nook after sunset.
And finish this space with a cozy throw over the back of the chair, some coordinating scatter cushions, and a small plant on the windowsill. This is the epitome of home decor cozy – a tiny, beautiful, personal retreat created for your enjoyment.

Create a Small Home Office to Enhance Productivity

The rise of remote work has changed the way we use our houses. Nowadays, we’re expected to multitask and home office space can be a heavy cross to bear in a compact apartment. And your enclosed balcony provides an ideal solution.
A balcony home office is an excellent solution because the physical distance between your office and the rest of the apartment helps to create a mental distance as well. Entering your balcony home office, your mind automatically enters a work mode. When you return to the house, you’re home. This mental cue can help you work much more effectively, and feel less stressed when you are not working.

First, choose a slimline, wall-folding desk that can be easily stored away. This is ideal for small balconies as it eliminates the space needed for a large freestanding desk. Add in a comfortable, ergonomic stool or a small chair that can easily find a home when you are done working.
If possible, set up your balcony office so that you can enjoy the daylight and have the window at your side when you are working, rather than in front of or directly behind you where it will cause glare on your computer screen. A monitor riser, cable management system and noise-cancelling headphones are also useful items to have without taking up too much space.
A pegboard is a good option for storage. You can add hooks, shelves and storage containers to store stationery, headphones and plants. It will keep your essentials on hand and maintain a neat and tidy look that promotes productivity.

Create a Miniature Indoor Garden Oasis

If you are a plant lover who finds solace and joy in caring for plants, converting your glassed-in balcony into a garden oasis is one of the best home decor cozy projects you can do. No matter how small your balcony, you can transform it into a green oasis which can be a welcome reprieve from the urban jungle.
The trick to a thriving balcony garden is to think up. Using vertical plantings, such as hanging baskets, wall-mounted planters, multi-level plant stands, and pots on the balcony railing, you can grow many plants without using up much valuable space. You can also attach a trellis to one wall and allow climbing plants, such as pothos, philodendron, or even a small jasmine vine to fill the air with its scent.
Select plants based on your balcony’s light exposure. For sunny balconies, succulents, herbs, lavender, and geraniums will do well. If your balcony is in shade, consider snake plants, ferns, peace lilies and spider plants. Plant different textures, heights and tones of green for variety and contrast.
If you have room and funds, consider adding a water feature. The soothing trickle of water adds a magical touch to your plants. A tiny table fountain can be surprisingly soothing, and will create a sense of distance from the rest of the city.

The Right Flooring for Your Enclosed Balcony

Flooring is a key aspect of balcony design. It can help your balcony feel like a natural part of your living space, or make your furniture and decorations look awkward and ill-fitted.
Snap-together Deck Tiles for a Fast, Reversible Transformation
Interlocking deck tiles are a revolution for renters and those looking for a temporary makeover. The tiles lock together without glue, so you can simply snap in a new floor in a couple of hours and dismantle it just as easily when leaving.
Deck tiles come in wood, stone and composite, and can transform the design of your balcony. Wood finishes provide an organic feel that works well with greenery and wicker furnishings. Stone tones offer a more urban look that works well with a minimalist style.
Weather-Resistant Area Rugs for Warmth and Comfort
If you have a hard-floor balcony and are happy with it, then the easiest way to add some colour, texture and warmth to the room is to lay down a weather-resistant area rug. Contemporary weather-resistant rugs are constructed from synthetic materials that are resistant to water, UV rays and mildew, making them ideal for balconies.
You will want a rug that will delineate the dining or sitting area, but not overwhelm it. In a small space, if your rug is too big it can overwhelm the space, making it feel closed in, and if it is too small it can be lost in the space. Generally speaking, your rug should be a bit larger than your furniture grouping.

Luxury Vinyl Plank for an Indoor Appeal

To make your balcony an extension of your indoor living space, consider installing luxury vinyl plank flooring. Today’s vinyl planks are designed to mimic the appearance of real wood flooring, with realistic wood grain patterns and warm colours.
Vinyl plank is waterproof, durable and easy to maintain – perfect for a semi-outdoor environment. It’s also lightweight and thin, a crucial factor for balconies where weight can be an issue. Using the same vinyl plank flooring throughout your balcony and living room provides a seamless transition between them, making your apartment seem bigger, more open and connected.

Thinking Up: Smart Storage for Vertical Spaces

Floor space is at a premium in a small balcony. When you begin to think up, you open a new world of storage and display solutions that can help keep your balcony neat, functional and stylish.
Wall-Mounted Shelving Units
Mounted shelving is the go-to storage solution for balconies. They enable you to showcase plants, books, lanterns and ornaments at eye level and higher, pulling the eye up and making the space feel taller and wider. Opt for shelves constructed from durable, weather-resistant materials such as powder-coated steel or pressure-treated wood, and make sure they are securely anchored to the wall to support the weight of your display.
Populate your shelves with a combination of useful and ornamental objects. A shelf of potted herbs, a row of small succulents and a few decorative items like lanterns or books will add both function and aesthetic elements to the display.

Hanging Organizers and Over-Door Storage

Hanging storage is a great way to store seasonal items such as extra cushions and blankets, gardening gloves and tools. These fabric or mesh storage pockets can be hung from the balcony railing, a privacy wall or even the back of your balcony door, taking full advantage of a space that would otherwise be wasted.

Storage Furniture with a Hidden Storage

Probably the most valuable home decor cozy addition you can make to a tiny balcony is the purchase of multi-functional furniture. For instance, a storage bench offers comfortable seating while also hiding plenty of storage in the bench’s seat. An ottoman that opens up to a storage compartment can be used to conceal throw pillows, books, or even gardening equipment when used as a foot rest or coffee table.
This type of furniture helps de-clutter, save space and provides an efficient, tidy look that’s characteristic of good small-space design.

Lighting Solutions to Brighten Your Balcony

The biggest mistake that people make with balcony design is overlooking the importance of lighting. If you have a great looking balcony but poor lighting, it becomes useless after dark, which means you’re only using your balcony half of the time. Good lighting, on the other hand, can transform a balcony into a dream space.

Use Layers of Lighting for Best Results

Lighting designers always use multiple layers of light. First, there’s ambient light, which is diffused light. On a balcony, for example, this might be a line of warm fairy lights hung from the ceiling, a lantern-shaped pendant, or a number of small wall lights.
The second layer is task lighting, which is utilitarian. If you read on your balcony, you need a lamp that is positioned right to help you read without eyestrain. If you work on your balcony, you need bright light with a cool colour temperature to keep you alert and focused.
The third type of light is accent lighting, which draws attention to a particular object, such as a beautiful flower arrangement or wall decoration.

Solar String Lights for Easy Ambience

Solar string lights are a favourite and smart lighting option for balconies. These lights automatically charge during the day from the sun and automatically turn on at sunset, creating a romantic ambiance without any electricity bills or installation fees.
Stretch them across your railing, integrate them into your greenery or hang them in a canopy pattern to create a magical canopy of stars that makes every night on your balcony a special event.

Smart LED Strips for Customizable Mood Lighting

For tech enthusiasts looking for complete control, smart LED strips are a great option. These strips can be easily installed under shelving, on railings or under bench seats and can be programmed via your phone to change the colour, intensity and even beat to the music.
You can choose to set the mood on your balcony to a warm amber for a relaxing night in, or to bright white for a productive working space, or even to a specific colour to suit the mood of your entertaining. It’s this versatility that makes smart lighting a great choice for home decor cozy design.

Choosing Furniture That Meets Your Needs

Each item of furniture in your enclosed balcony should be there because it deserves to be. In a compact space, there’s no place for furniture that is decorative but not functional, or functional but not decorative. The ideal furniture for your balcony is both.

Foldable Bistro Sets for Maximum Flexibility

A bistro set with a foldable table and chairs is a great furniture option for small balconies. When you want to have a picnic, lunch, or dinner outdoors, or entertain a guest for coffee, you unfold the table and chairs and set them up in minutes. When you want to use the balcony for yoga, reading, or simply want to have an empty floor, you put it away and lean it against the wall.
Choose rustproof and durable bistro sets made from powder-coated steel, aluminum or weathered rattan as these can withstand the elements without corroding.