With beautiful weather year round in LA, I was determined to make the most out of my small balcony, even though I’m renting and on a small budget. In part 1 of this balcony makeover, I managed to give the balcony a whole new look with a few inexpensive DIY projects: I covered up the tired looking walls in a way that made it possible to use the top for plants and accessories and I also tamed the hot California sun by installing DIY lattice panels that also added some much needed privacy. And I did this all without making any structural changes to the balcony. The transformation is amazing and it’s just the beginning!
How to decorate a small balcony – LA edition part 1
34 Comments
Submit a Comment
Get social
Want more inspiration delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to my free newsletter!
CATEGORIES
New to DIY? Get Isabelle’s curated tool list for beginner’s
Hi Isabelle! I really missed your videos. I checked your website everyday to see if you have any new videos. It’s incredible how you make things so easy with a clear instructions. I love love love your balcony! Can’t wait to see how you did the rest. How long did it took for you to finish the lattice panel and the balcony wall with the reed?
Hi Nesty, Thanks so much! Well, it’s hard for me to say exactly how long it takes because I have to film everything as I’m doing it which takes longer but I would say you can get the walls could be done in one day and the lattice panels are probably a weekend project factoring in getting the materials and painting which takes a while 🙂
Another amazing project. I am so impressed with your creativity and ingenuity. Your balcony looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Suzie, glad you like it!
Thank you Suzie and you’re welcome!
Good job Isabelle.
Thanks Jan!
Hi Isabelle, you are incredibly talented to come up with all ideas which are so easily replicated. You weren’t even born yet back when I was renter; apartment dwelling would have been so much more enjoyable had you been around back then to share your brilliance. Great job on the deck as well as everything else you’ve posted. Keep it up and thank you !
Hi Caryl, Thank you so much for your kinds words 🙂 I truly believe that everyone deserves and can have a home they love, no matter how big or small it is, if they rent or own, or if they have a small budget. I’m so grateful I get the opportunity to share my ideas with you and others, and comments like yours are why I keep doing what I’m doing 🙂 Thanks again, Isabelle
Wow this make over is awesome! The balcony looked so drab before and now it looks fantastic. Beautiful place to sit and relax or have a nice visit with friends. I can not wait to see what you will do next. Keep up the wonderful videos.
Thanks Jenny! I’ve just uploaded part 2 of the balcony makeover, hope you enjoy it! http://www.engineeryourspace.com/how-to-decorate-a-balcony-la-edition-part-2/
I was wondering how you made that lounging storage bench. I would love to build that for my balcony! I absolutely love everything you do, you are amazing! Thanks for such wonderful ideas 🙂
Hi Vanessa, I just uploaded part 2 of the balcony makeover where I show how to make the bench: http://www.engineeryourspace.com/how-to-decorate-a-balcony-la-edition-part-2/. And thank you, glad you like my ideas 🙂 Isabelle
it looks great good job isabelle
Thanks Joey!
You are the best…very clear instructions, detailed, simple, and creative.
I too love love your videos.
gb
Thanks so much Geri 🙂
This is SO what I have been looking for! I’ve been trying to find a way to enclose my balcony FOR OVER A YEAR. I also live in LA, very similar dimensions to your balcony. Do you have a go-to hardware store you like to get your supplies at in the area, or do you just hit the big box stores?
Hi Linsey, I’m so happy to hear my balcony project is giving you some inspiration for your balcony! I’ve tried many hardware stores in LA and I tend to go to the Home Depot on Sunset – it has a good selection of materials and the employees are pretty knowledgeable 🙂
You the best marry me lol, keep it up
Great videos & beautiful work!!! For the balcony project (LA), did you have to get authorization with the manager or city? Thank you for your reply
Thank you! I haven’t had any issues with the manager or city on what I did to the balcony.
This is brilliant, Isabelle. I cannot tell you how long I’ve been looking for classy solutions to create privacy on our LA rooftop patio. Thank you!! Can you offer any recommendations for adapting the privacy screen for a patio that does not currently have any existing columns?
Thank you Lauren! You could placing large wooden planters at the corners of your patio and securing the privacy screens to the planters. As long as the planters are very heavy and the privacy screens not too high, it should hold up fine. Hope this helps! Isabelle
Isabel, i lovvvve all your videos and i am so inspired by you, i wish i have all the tools you have and ofcourse your ability. Bravo!
Thank you Rani!
Hi Isabell. I love your videos with very easy steps to understand. Thank you very much. I need help please I am renting a living room and I am allow to install 2 safe and provisional walls with doors in the open spaces, please I would like to know what kind of material I can use and also the tools I need for than project. Thank you very much in advanced.
Hi Judith, Thank you so much, so happy to hear that you love my videos! It’s difficult for me to give you specific advice but take a look at my pinterest board on dividing walls: https://www.pinterest.com/EngineerurSpace/dividing-wall-ideas-for-studios/ – it might give you some ideas that will work for what you are trying to do. All the best with your project and thanks for watching! Isabelle
Can you link to the Closetmaid closet leveler kit? I can’t locate anything like you show in your video.
It doesn’t look like closetmaid makes them anymore but I found this which is very similar https://www.woodcraft.com/products/cabinet-leveling-leg-with-clip-bracket-4-piece?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn_e90MGq1wIVVW1-Ch2C3AVWEAkYBiABEgIBjvD_BwE
If you google “cabinet leveling kit”, you’ll see some other options as well.
Hope this helps!
Hi Elisabeth.
You are such an inspiration for me. Thank you for this great project.
In my case, I have been thinking about my own balcony. The diference is that I live in Canada and we have a lot of snow here, for at least 5 months a year. My appartement is on the second floor and this year will be my first winter here, so I will see how much snow I will really get. Hopefully I will send you some photos of my balcony ready, during winter. Thanks for your great projects.
HI Eugenia! Thank you so much for your kind words:) I’m Canadian so I know what you mean about the snow but I still think it’s worth it to give balconies some love – it’s great to have the added living space in the warmer months!
Hi there Isabelle. Great work on your projects. I really like how you come up with ideas such as the closet leveler to hang up the wooden lattice against the wall which had no columns. Question, the know the video has to move fast with instructions but do you have written instructions on how to build the DIY projects. I kind of get lost just watching the videos. Thank you.
Hi! Thanks, glad you like my work. If you look at my blog, some of the projects I’ve done in my videos are also in blog format but not all of them. It’s pretty time consuming to do so I’m getting that done a little bit at a time!