Top 10 useful inventions for the balcony

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

For most of our compatriots, the words "balcony" and "warehouse" are synonyms. The shortage of useful space and the tradition of outside storage of things doomed these architectural and structural elements to an inglorious existence. “Don't go out, everything is jammed there” or “Put on your slippers, it's dirty there” are the most common phrases pronounced after those who try to cross the threshold of storage of bags of potatoes, bicycles, car tires and much more. So what to do? It's hard to combine utilitarian features with aesthetics on three or four square meters. Yes, it's hard, but not impossible! Design innovations that have appeared in recent years easily cope with this task. Let's study the market?

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An empty balcony, a wooden floor … close your eyes, open - a table and two benches appeared, close again, open - everything disappeared. How so? Focus from Chinese designer Sandy Lam, who designed the unique Spaceless balcony system of integrated furniture. If you wanted to drink tea or work, they pulled the inconspicuous handles and laid everything out. We decided to free up space - they made a couple of manipulations, and the transforming kit again "dissolved" in the floor. Ideal for those who want to make the most of the resources of limited space.

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The German designer Christian Lessing came up with a similar idea. True, his furniture appears and disappears from vertical surfaces: a steel frame with guides is attached to the wall, then shelves, mini-tables, seats, flower stands and much more are hung in random order. All this is quickly disassembled and hidden if there is a need to "unload" the balcony. For lovers of eco-style, a second version was created with a wooden panel and removable elements. And if in the first case there are still doubts that this can be done with your own hands, then the second copy is perfect for copying. So - go ahead, to fight for free meters!

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Imagine that you are looking at a large wooden cube - 350x350x350 mm … only these are actually six chairs assembled into each other!

However, if the option with the game of "furniture" hide and seek is not to your taste, but you want something visible, but unusual and functional - you are welcome to the studio of the Japanese Naho Matsuni. His strong point is stools! What's so interesting about that? Judge for yourself. Imagine that you are looking at a large wooden cube - 350x350x350 mm … only, in fact, these are six chairs assembled into each other! The idea is not new, "cubism" in the field of design is fashionable today, and something similar was presented by Lebedev's studio a few years ago. But Naho Matsuni finalized the concept and created his own variation, presenting it at the Salone Satellite in Milan. The main feature in the design is that in each stool, one of the pairs of legs is replaced by a square-face similar to a seat. This is such a standard of compactness from Naho Design!

Up the quarry … up the shelf ladder

How do you rate the usefulness of a thing? Danny Kuo, a Dutch designer of Chinese origin, calculates it in terms of footage, practicality and capacity. And in all three dimensions, her new development Staircase will be among the first. Know-how looks like a regular two-half meter cabinet, but all nine drawers are converted into steps. If you want - push and sit, if you want - climb them for things that are difficult to reach from below. And how many things fit there! Moreover, the shelves were immediately created both as boxes and as steps: the first are hidden inside the second, that is, they are pulled out (opened) separately. So it is convenient and safe to use the designs. Try it!

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Well, if point solutions are not for you, then you should pay attention to the My Balconia project by Gusto. Their trick is an integrated approach. "Usefulness" is squeezed out of every centimeter of the balcony area. If this is a bench, then check to see if it transforms into a table. If it's a shelf, find out if it folds into something completely flat. And how many unusual balcony devices they have: flower pots with special recesses for mounting on the balcony railing, unusual lamps and candlesticks designed for use in non-glazed areas, as well as all kinds of hanging shelves, tables, mini-grills and much more. </ P >

Cheap and cheerful

Would you say that all this is too fashionable and advanced? And you, for example, prefer simple solutions. Something close in spirit to tourist "inventions": you need a table - find a stump, you need chairs - find a log … Well, there will be a suitable option for you too! "Natural" furniture is created by Japanese designer Sakura Adachi. Her furniture sets are actually beautifully sawn wood chocks. It turns out functional, beautiful and compact. Everything ingenious is simple.

As you can see, many manufacturers are concerned about finding solutions to the problem of placing things in tight spaces. Every year something new and useful is invented. So if you have not yet joined the stream of those who are actively engaged in the refurbishment of their loggias and balconies - it's time to start the process. Our article will help you navigate the world of design innovations and will give you a starting point. Well, then yourself!