Lucky are those who have a balcony. Especially in summer, of course, as an enlarged piece of living space with direct access to fresh air. Breakfast in the warm rays of the morning sun, coffee in the hot afternoon, and cosy get-togethers until sunset. All without having to leave the comfort of your own space! But in the cold of winter? Not so much. And yet, the balcony offers fantastic usable space to immerse the gloomy winter evenings in an atmospheric and festive ambiance with elegant and inspiring decorations.
Let there be light!
Where darkness quickly sets in due to the short winter days, warm light is the be-all and end-all to raise the mood in the rooms (and outside!). Classic LED outdoor light chains, candles, or modern and elegant eye-catchers such as light rings to hang up can be installed without much effort and energy costs (the selection of solar-powered variants is enormous!) and immediately forgotten again. With the help of timers, the lights and lanterns turn on exactly when it starts to get dim and cosy in the day. Warm white lights in particular radiate warmth, but pure white and coloured light bulbs can also be real eye-catchers and cherry-picked highlights to look at – not only in your own living room but also for everyone who walks past your balcony. And, let’s be honest, fairy lights will always be the best part of Christmas decorations.
Utilising the railing
But there are other things too, especially for when it’s not dark enough for the lights yet! The railing in particular offers a great surface for garlands. Simply swung tightly around the railing or the poles, they already come wind- and weatherproof, or can be quickly made secure with the help of, for example, zip ties. Especially natural materials like fir branches, jute and foraged materials like pinecones look beautiful and the whole area can be treated as an impromptu Christmas wreath. Light nets are fantastically effective here and favourite decorations such as Christmas baubles. Christmas fruits or little wooden figurines that are well tied with twine round off everything.
There is no such thing as bad weather – just wrong clothing!
Anyone who creates a cheerful little place should also be able to use it, surely. And even when the winter evenings are cold, nothing beats the feeling of comfort of Christmas decorations all around you and the upcoming joy of the festivities. Hats, gloves, coats – but also snug blankets and pillows covering your balcony furniture help to be able to enjoy the fresh, crisp air in the coming months without getting too cold. Or rather, to help enjoy, the delicious cocoa with some whipped cream. Or spicy winter coffee. Or mulled wine. Mmmmh, mulled wine!
