Finding harmony in the balcony

Varsha Sara Babuji explores the benefits of sprucing up your balcony and prepping it up for the monsoon

When the rain pours down with gushing winds, Divya Aneesh slips into her balcony with a hot cup of tea. Decked with lush greenery and vibrant decor, it is just the perfect place in her apartment to experience the sounds and sights of nature. In fact, Divya’s dream balcony came to life recently. Her passion for greens and the absence of a nature-friendly family space helped this IT professional realise the potential of her neglected balcony.

“Most people don’t use their balconies wisely. People use it as a warehouse to store their brooms, brushes and other items,” says Divya, who first spruced up her balcony in January. Since then, she has made many variations to the space catering to her family’s needs and hobbies. “I created a reading nook for me and my husband. All my plants are kept in ceramic pots. I made a ladder shelf for my pots and I also put rugs and beds in my balcony,” says Divya, a resident of Whitefield. “I didn’t spend much on the re-decorating. I reused the items available at home,” adds the working mother.

Anuradha, a resident of Thanisandra also believes in cost-effective balcony re-decoration. “Most of my décor is DIY or old stuff revamped or repainted. If I see a piece of furniture that is thrown away, I just polish it and use. I also use whiskey bottles to grow plants. The cushions and rugs that I use are all handmade by local village artisans,” says the fashion designer.

Additionally, with the ongoing pandemic, Divya admits that her balcony is a lifesaver. Apart from acting as a leisurely family space, the balcony has become a comfortable workspace for her and a breathable play area for her son.

Reena’s balcony

“In the lockdown, I felt it was a blessing for me. I cannot take my kid to the common play area. If I had not created this space, my son would have been really bored,” states the mother of one. Deepika, another decor enthusiast, claims her balcony brings out a sense of positivity during these tough times. “This place has been a stress buster for all of us. Mornings and evenings, our chai time is spent on the balcony. There is no way we would want to have our tea inside. An hour or two here when the weather is good outside makes you very happy,” she says.

However, with the onset of monsoons, these ardent decorators state that it is important to pay additional attention to the elements used in the balcony. Moreover, experts in this domain also agree with this key aspect.

Furnishings: “Preparing for monsoon is a whole new chapter. Whatever furniture you are keeping in the balcony, make sure it is well polished or painted. Exposed wood or polish that has been worn off would definitely get damaged. So, you can either opt for metal furniture or you can go in for wood furniture which is properly treated,” says Shefali Pandey, a decor consultant and furniture manufacturer. She adds, “If you feel like there is no proper drainage for the water to go out from your balcony, it’s advisable
to have furniture that can be easily moved.”

Likewise, furnishings such as cushions and rugs should be easily removable and washable. “Nowadays, dhurries are in fashion. They are pocket-friendly and can be machine washed,” says Shefali, the owner of GoBoho Decor.

Decor by Deepika

Plants: Similar to furnishings, greens that retain water should also be protected from excess rainwater as their roots are prone to rot. Therefore, changing their placement is advised by experts to prevent over-watering.

“The first thing that is done as soon as the monsoon begins is the shifting of all plants that flourish in the rains. They will all go outside. The rest, like the aloe vera and other succulents that don’t require water every day will go inside. You can have one wall with shelves for plants that cannot be put
outside during the rains,” says Reena Vira, an architect and home decor specialist.

Shefali adds, “Have plants which are more forgiving in nature when it comes to over-watering. Keeping those in the balcony would be a better idea at some point.”

Divya’s cosy nook

Besides taking these measures, a balcony is not ready for the monsoons without the drama and pop of some colour. “Right now monsoon is a combination of hot weather and unexpected showers. Pastels would go best as they are soothing to the eye when it is really hot and it also adds a lot of colour to your gloomy days. With pastels, you can also mix and match a lot of colours,” says Shefali. Adding bright coloured elements such as wind chimes, rugs, planters and ceramic pots sourced from local shops can set the
monsoon mood, says Deepika.

Décor enthusiasts and experts conclude that the main prerequisite for anyone to own the balcony of their dreams is just a streak of creativity.