Five Ways To Turn Your Apartment Balcony into a Summer Haven
Ditch the sweltering city heat for your very own urban retreat this summer.
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Summer means long days, beach outings and lively nights, but when the heat makes it unbearable to even venture outside, create your own slice of paradise in the comfort of your home.
With the festive season around the corner and no sign of the cost-of-living crisis slowing down, turn your balcony into a vibrant destination for leisurely catch-ups over home-cooked spreads and refreshing tipples. With the help of Weber, we've pulled together five ways to elevate your outdoor living space, so you can while away the hot summer days without working up a sweat.
The Weber Lumin
A good barbecue is a quintessential summer experience, but it's often too tricky to turn that dream into a reality when you're stuck on an apartment balcony. Legendary barbecue brand Weber has you covered with the Lumin — a compact electric barbecue designed to be set up in smaller spaces.
Don't let its size or lack of gas fool you. The multi-functional Lumin packs a punch and is able to deliver a range of cooking methods, from grilling to steaming and smoking. Simply plug the barbecue into any electrical outlet and you're ready to don your apron, crack open a cold one and get barbecuing.
Pillow Loungers
If you're living in the vicinity of the city, it's unlikely that you'll have space for anything bigger than a single recliner (if you're lucky). But you can still bring the beach to your balcony with Business & Pleasure Co's pillow loungers.
Crafted from UV and weather-resistant Pleasuretex fabric, the Reclining Pillow Lounger boasts five adjustable settings and is easily transportable for any picnic, pool or beach needs. If you have a little more room to play with, the Modular Pillow Stack is the versatile hero to solve all your outdoor comfort needs. Arrange the pillows to suit any occasion, whether it's a cosy sofa, reading nook, sun-bathing deck or additional seating for guests. Both loungers come in a variety of sunny colours to bring a dash of Euro summer to your home and can be folded flat for storage.
Cocktail Trolley
Between cooking and lounging, you won't want to make the long trek back into your apartment for drinks. Round out your outdoor set-up with a cocktail trolley, which can double as storage, a counter for meal prep or a display shelf.
Brighten up your aperitivo hour with Fenton & Fenton's all-weather aluminium and powder-coated outdoor bar cart, or keep things fresh with the Heller Alfresco Cooler from Temple & Webster. The latter comes complete with an 80-litre capacity for ice and drinks, as well as a drainage plug and tube for easy cleaning. To really impress your guests, we'd even recommend grilling or smoking fruit on your Lumin to create a seasonal cocktail with a smoky twist.
Outdoor Rugs
An outdoor rug might seem counterintuitive, but Ruggable's garden and patio rugs are a colourful way to tie your space together.
The outdoor range is stain, water, fade, mould and mildew-resistant. The best part? Your rug can be thrown into the washing machine when it inevitably gets a little dirty. Whether you're looking to create a Mediterranean escape, jungle oasis or coastal haven, there's a print and style to suit every aesthetic.
Greenery
Experience the great outdoors, no matter your outdoor dimensions. Make even the smallest balcony feel ever-so-slightly bigger with some lush greenery.
Don't have any semblance of a green thumb? Opt for artificial plants, like these click-and-fix artificial turf tiles from IKEA, luxe faux botanicals from Pottery Barn, or smaller hanging plants from The Plants Project. You won't ever have to worry about killing a fiddle leaf again.
Find out more about the Lumin at the Weber website.
