This Balcony’s $117 Transformation Makes Old IKEA Furniture Feel New
After their son was born, Marina Welles (@lottaaliving) and her husband mainly used their home’s tiny balcony “for old pots and dying plants,” Marina says. It’s a nice size, and it’s covered so you can still sit out there in the rain, Marina says, but she and her husband weren’t doing much sitting and relaxing out there with a newborn.
Nearly two years later, they were ready to turn it into a new outdoor oasis. “We felt like it was finally time to give the balcony a little makeover — especially now that our little one sleeps in his own room in the evenings. It means we can actually sit out there again at night or enjoy our first coffee out there on weekend mornings. It’s become a cozy little retreat for us.”
Here’s how the couple created their dream balcony using old IKEA furniture and some strategically placed greenery — for only 100€, or about $117 USD.
The family’s IKEA furniture got a weather-protective sealant.
Marina’s number-one piece of advice for DIYers? First, look at what you already have. “Most of us already have plenty of decor pieces or lights that can be reused,” she says. “With a fresh coat of paint or in a different setting, they can feel completely new. Then you can just invest in the smaller things without breaking the bank.”
In Marina’s case, she shopped her own home by bringing up some furniture she had in her basement. She sanded the pre-existing IKEA furniture down, and added a weather-protective walnut stain. Marina used two coats “to get an even finish and make sure it’s well-protected against the weather,” she explains.
A trellis offers privacy.
“I think the biggest transformation came from the new lighting and the privacy screen I built using a trellis,” Marina says. Marina loves the privacy and the “cozy atmosphere” the trellis provides, but in hindsight she wishes she would have gone with different plants.
“I planted a climbing hydrangea and a clematis there,” she explains. “The climbing hydrangea actually prefers more shade and needs a lot of water, which feels like a bit too much effort for such a small balcony. Next year, I might look for a plant that suits the space better but still serves the same purpose.”
New lighting added an ambient glow.
To top off her renovation, Marina invested in some soft new lighting with solar lights and string lights.
“What I love most is sitting out there in the evening,” she says. “The atmosphere with the string lights and the solar lighting feels especially cozy. I feel like the small space is used really well.”
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