I have been wanting to spruce up our apartment’s balcony for awhile, so when I read about the One Room Challenge to transform a space in your home I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for that project. This is the first of eight weeks for this challenge, so this post is going to walk through my plan and DIY ideas for our small apartment balcony.
Throughout the challenge I will share tips to complete the DIY projects yourself and ideas to personalize it for your own style and needs.
You can check out the rest of the One Room Challenge projects here.
Challenges for renovating an apartment balcony
Before jumping into the plan for this challenge, I wanted to touch on the main challenges that I will be looking to address with these projects since you are likely facing the same challenges if you want to makeover your own apartment balcony.
Small and limited space
The first main challenge when making over an apartment balcony is that it is a small space to work with. Additionally, the space that exists is all we have to work with. Because I don’t own the land or space next to our apartment, I can’t build outwards or extend on to a yard like you may be able to with a house.
Because the space is small, I want to make each item count and to utilize all of the space efficiently. For example, hanging something on the railing and ceiling or utilizing vertical space.
Unable to make any permanent changes
Another major challenge when revamping an apartment balcony is that you cannot make permanent changes to the structure. For example, I cannot permanently redo the floor, paint the walls, etc.
To combat this challenge, I will be looking to make DIY projects that will have a big impact on the space but can easily be taken down when we eventually move.
Lack of space and tools
Lastly, the third challenge of renovating a small apartment balcony is having a lack of space and tools for completing a project. Not having a yard or garage to work on projects is limiting. Additionally, I don’t have access to larger tools such as a circular saw.
To address this challenge, I will be finding ways to make DIY items for the balcony through tools or tasks that don’t require a lot of space.
How to build a plan for a room makeover
Keeping the challenges of having an apartment in mind, here are the steps I am taking to build out my plan for this room makeover challenge.
1. Document before photos
The first step I took when building out this plan was to get familiar with the space and take before photos. This will not only help me track progress and compare to the “after” photos, but it’s also a good way to review how the space looks now and what you would like to change.
For example, I feel like our space is pretty bland. We recently moved into this apartment and really haven’t taken any time to infuse style or personality into the space. Through these next eight weeks, I am planning to change that!
2. Create a vision board
A vision board can help you visualize the room makeover and plan out what specific projects you want to tackle. When building out this plan it’s a good idea to look at some inspiration photos. You can Google or search on Pinterest terms like “small balcony ideas”, etc. This is a fun step to just get some initial ideas and think about what your aesthetic will be.
In this stage, I recommend thinking about how you want the space to feel and what you will be using the space for.
Next, compile those inspiration photos into a vision board. Your vision board can have photos, words, colors, etc. that illustrate what style you’re looking to infuse into the space. This is also a good way to think about the project holistically to really transform the space vs. just completing individual DIY projects.
Because our current space has a lot of dark tones such as a dark railing, a dark wall, etc. I want to add some elements that will brighten up the space. I also want to use the balcony to enjoy some coffee in the morning or relax with a book, so I am looking to infuse some calming colors into the space. And lastly, my husband and I love nature so I want to bring in some natural textures and plants.
My vision board example is shown above, I personally like using Canva to create a vision board but you can also cut out photos and put a vision board together on paper as well.
3. Make your project wish list
Now that you have your vision board, put together your wish list of projects that you want to complete. I put together an ambitious list of DIY projects that I think will really have an impact on our apartment balcony.
For each project, it’s also a good idea to think through a game plan for accomplishing them while addressing potential challenges. For example, I am planning to make a dog bed and pillow covers but I don’t own a sewing machine. So I will need to use fabric glue and other materials to achieve the look I want.
4. Write a shopping list
Once you know what projects you want to complete, start putting together a shopping list based on supplies needed and what you already own. For example, instead of buying new tables for the balcony I am going to refurbish the tables we already have.
An important thing to keep in mind when making your list is to consider your budget. Because we already have some outdoor furniture, I am planning to keep this transformation to less than $500.
5. Measure, measure, measure
Before heading to the store, an essential step is to measure your space. I recommend not only jotting down the dimensions of the room, but to also measure where things like windows or lights are so you can keep that in mind while planning. In my experience, it’s better to take down measurements you don’t end up needing than sitting in a store wishing you had measured something.
I find it easier to take down a list of all the measurements first then to create a rough sketch of the space. Be sure to take these with you when you go shopping for your supplies!
6. Gather your supplies
The last step when building out your plan is to gather all of the supplies on your shopping list. You can do this week by week for each project or gather everything you need at once.
Now that you have your room makeover plan, it’s time to get started…
With my plan in hand, I am excited to get started on this challenge and tackle a new DIY project each week. Stay tuned for progress updates and tips to DIY your own apartment balcony.
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