Why did I move to San Diego? The weather. Yes, the glorious climate that keeps San Diego sunny 10 months out of the year was the number one reason that propelled us to this new land. (May becomes May gray and June is notoriously known for its June gloom.) With the weather comes so many other things I sought out for my new lifestyle post travels: the outdoors, more farmers markets than I can handle and a motivation to wake up early on weekends and take advantage of life. Joie de vivre, indeed!
I’ve also turned into that person that enjoys going to Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond on weekends. I blame it on the balcony. Now that we have one, I’m so motivated to make the space beautiful and never want to be one of those people who says “Yeah, we have a balcony, but we never use it.” Right now it’s furnished with rattan Ikea chairs and table, but I’m going to make a little herb garden (with basil and cilantro) and incorporate some flowers, as well as a rug and string of lights.
But god, there are so many things to think about. What kind of planters? Metal may get hot with all the sun we get, but wood can rot. Does plastic look cheap? How do I want to arrange them? Can I fit a small plant stand? Do I want the aesthetic to be modern and simple or more antique to go with the decor in the rest of our apartment?
I threw all these thoughts onto a few inspiration boards. Take a look and let me know what you think. And if you have any gardening experience, I need your tips! I have, what you call, a black thumb.
what a fun collage! I definitely love the thrifted and stacked images.
We just moved into our new place and I’m still trying to figure out how to furnish and decorate our tiny home with the same questions you’re asking. It’s definitely fun to go through this entire process nonetheless. :)
Thanks! I’m leaning towards thrifted planters, but I’m a little worried about a stacked setup because of our dog who will definitely eat the plant (and the pot) if given the opportunity! Good to know you’re going through the same design musings, too :)
I love that you’re so dedicated to using your balcony! And that you’re putting so much thought into making it nice. We also picked San Diego as our home because of the weather but sadly I do not use my balcony. The cat is out there everyday though, so I guess that’s something! :)
I really like the stacked placement of plants and the idea of having a rug out there. So pretty! :)
Thank you! I hadn’t thought about the balcony much, but now that it’s getting really warm, it seems too nice not to use it. I love the stacked placement too, but I’m thinking the dog will definitely eat it all when he goes out there. I’ll think about it. Thanks for reading :)
Cilantro is pretty tough to grow. Usually you’ll get one harvest then it will “bolt” aka grow flowers and die. Basil is easy and so is parsley. They can be grown together in the same pot! Maybe consider a jasmine plant…..fragrant, pretty flowers and can climb the railing. Also, you can always hide a cheapie plastic planter container inside a more beautiful vessel. SD rules!
Oh, I’m loving these tips! And I hadn’t thought about jasmine, but that’s definitely the right flowering plant for us; it’s our favorite scent. Thank you for the tips! These are great.
Yes you are so lucky to have a balcony! You really need to take advantage of it. :)
Yes I do feel lucky, especially after living in a shoebox of a New York apartment for 4 years. :) Now just to furnish it…