How to choose and place a rack on the balcony?

In a small apartment, a spacious balcony is often a great gift, because you can place a lot of useful items on it or, on the contrary, remove unnecessary ones. There is always an opportunity to make a cozy area there. And often shelving is needed for this. It is imperative to consider how to choose and place these structures on the balcony correctly.

Racks on a balcony or loggia are used today by many apartment owners who want this space to look habitable and comfortable, and also perform useful functions. They can be very different and are intended for almost any purpose. You just need to choose the right ones, focusing on the overall design and size of the room.

The presence of shelving on the balcony has a lot of advantages:

• the space will always look neat;

• all things can be compactly placed;

• you can choose any design and construction options;

• there is a chance to unload other rooms in the apartment;

• the other part of the balcony will be freed up for arranging a recreation area due to the competent location of storage systems.

The disadvantage of placing such structures on the balcony can only be that the balcony must be glazed, since precipitation, temperature drops will have a bad effect on any material... And things will not be completely intact if, for example, the shelves are open.

If there are shelves on the balcony, then you need to keep their contents in order, otherwise no design will help make this place comfortable and pleasant looking.

The rack on the balcony can be of a variety of designs. For the most part, they differ in appearance and capacity.

Open balcony racks are the simplest design. In fact, these are shelves on which you can place anything you want. The main thing is that it looks appropriate and fits into the overall space. If things need to be hidden, it is better to consider a storage system with doors. There are also combined options. Some of the shelves can be open, and some - hidden behind the doors.

A rack cabinet will allow you to store shoes and clothes that are rarely used on the balcony. For example, it can be quite certain things intended for fishing or some other activity. In the same cabinet, if desired, you can store any other things, books or tools.

Here, designs can be with opening doors or sliding doors. Wardrobes with roller shutters are often convenient. This saves space very well. Ordinary blinds will do, and if you want, you can even do with curtains. This will already depend on the style in which the overall design of the balcony is made.

This type of design can save space. If you place a rack in the corner, the rest of the space can be used at your own discretion. Moreover, it can be both very high structures, up to the ceiling itself, and low ones, which only reach a window or the middle of a wall. In this case, in a similar corner version, you can store any things, and place beautiful plants at the top.

Nothing limits the owners of the balcony when choosing the height of the rack. Prefabricated structures can, in general, have different heights, and this option can be beaten. High shelves on one wall and low ones located around the perimeter of the entire loggia will look equally good.

When choosing the height of products, you need to focus not only on appearance, but above all on convenience. It is necessary to take into account how comfortable it will be to use, for example, too high structures. Items that are used more often should be placed on the lower shelves.

Shelves can be made from a wide variety of materials. If you have certain skills in carpentry, then you can make the simplest racks from wood or timber. In hardware stores, there are blanks that can only be fastened together and covered with a special compound.

But it's easier to buy a finished product. The stores sell all kinds of shelving options.

• Metal. Such a rack can be placed on the balcony if it is completely glazed and precipitation is excluded. With high humidity and water penetration, the iron rack can become rusty, which will not improve the overall appearance of the room. This option is well suited if the balcony space is decorated in a loft or high-tech style.

• Wooden shelving is more traditional. You can buy any option, in stores there are enough products of different sizes and types. But the tree also needs to be treated with moisture-proof materials if the balcony is not properly insulated. This option is suitable for different styles, and you can place anything on such a rack.

• Plastic. Such a rack is the simplest option, it will withstand moisture and temperature extremes. Plastic racks are the most budgetary option, with the help of such racks you can competently organize the space on the balcony and create order.

When choosing a rack, you need to focus primarily on what function the rack has to perform, and what is the general style of the interior.

Metal racks are suitable for storing tools, building materials. Books, crafts, photographs within frames will look good on wooden structures. For flowers, plants, seedlings and greenery, plastic structures are more suitable. Wooden ones may also be appropriate, but they have to be well treated with a moisture-repellent agent, and then varnish.

For jars of jam and pickles, a wooden rack would be an ideal option. But here it should be borne in mind that the temperature on the balcony should be optimal so that the products do not freeze and do not lose their taste.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the quality of the workmanship of the rack. It must be stable and all shelves must be well secured. Consideration should also be given to the load that will be distributed across the shelves.

Many on the balcony equip an additional room, or make the balcony a continuation of the room. Then they focus on the design of the room.

When arranging a library, it would be wiser to install two high shelves on two side walls, and put a sofa or comfortable chairs with a coffee table in the center.

If the balcony will act as a pantry, you can place the shelves around the perimeter without making them too high to reach the cans.

When a play area for children is placed on a well-insulated balcony, the best option would be to install plastic low racks, and place books and toys there.

For the tea drinking area, low structures are also suitable, partially with closed shelves, where all the necessary items can be placed.

If there is not much space on the balcony, the shelves can be suspended, and the space on the floor will be occupied by a sofa or a table with armchairs.

The rack can occupy only one side wall, for example, if there are flowers on it. And the shelves can be staggered.

To present in more detail how you can equip the space on the loggia with the help of shelving, it is better to turn to specific examples.

• A very simple version of the shelving, but it looks very stylish, does not take up much space. Any decorative details, books, flowers can be placed on the shelves.

• Plastic shelving is designed for storing any items. The surface of the shelves is quite wide, and the containers allow you to hide things and not spoil the appearance of the room.

• A lovely seating area with rugs and pillows is ideally complemented by a wooden shelving unit. Pictures, toys, plants - everything looks harmonious. The large window makes the space very bright. If you lower the blinds, you can create the perfect place to relax and even sleep.

• A very interesting and rather strict design of the balcony resembles a working area. The high rack has a closed shelf and an open part; there is another rack under the window. All things are in perfect order. White and gray tones, diluted with brown, give a strict look to the room.

• On a narrow balcony, there is also a chance to arrange a completely comfortable seating area. A small shelving unit looks unobtrusive and allows you to place any items that are appropriate in this place, for example, books or flowers. There was also a place for a table and an armchair. White adds visual space to the room.

• The corner version looks very compact, but at the same time it allows you to place all the necessary tools and other things on the shelves. The wide bottom shelves act as a work table. Sitting on a chair near the rack, you can do any kind of work.

• A small metal rack with flowers will add a touch of comfort to a small balcony. Two people can have tea at a folding table.

• A more spacious balcony allows you to place a wide structure on which both flowers and books can be placed. The seating area is also more spacious and very cozy.

• A very original solution allows you to make the most of the small balcony area. The shelves are located at the top, but at the bottom we managed to make two folding chairs. A white compact table with a lamp can serve as both a workplace and a seating area.