A small balcony makeover for my wife.

[@DanielTitchener]

I know, I know… I’ve said a million times, how much I hate fake plants and plastic! I still hate them, but in this case it was the lesser of two evils. Exposed wood can warp like crazy in wet and changing environments like Vancouver and gardening can get laborious and expensive. Despite it being artificial, it's maintenance free, easy to clean and provides the "vibes" we desperately need to spend more time outside. We're busy parents, so I think it accomplished its mission!

[@maxresdefault_]

Honestly I don't really see the problem, your balcony looks fantastic and you never have to maintain the patio or plants!

[@spotterofgold]

Well done and congratulations!

[@Jayl__]

Plus it’s not worth getting ornamental real plants outside given the Canadian weather. Half the time it’s like winter . If it was all year warm, real plants makes sense

[@VirginDollars]

you do no wrong. this is beautiful.

[@lucianomunoz]

ma duuude I live in vancouver too, I really wanna do a makeover of my balcony but the shape is really irregular, im at the beach towers if you know those, any advice?

[@-Chiel]

This looks like a completely different space after you redid the balcony. What a glow up!

[@minorchord]

Great project! I wish you did this kind of project more often. I really like how the plants also add more privacy since you could kinda see your neighbors' things in their balcony (even if the glass is not completely see through)

[@vizbit]

Bravo!!!

[@TheSushmaHomeSellingTeam]

One of the great skills we can enhance is our makeover skills so we can apply what you did here. You're very sweet. 💖💖

[@SarahsAtticOfTreasures]

As a Wife, I wish my husband would do something like this. WOW

[@L1ttlefl0w3r]

So sweet! Having an enjoyable outdoor space is so important!

[@NicollasVerneck]

This looks incredible, I have a sunroom that was neglected because my dogs brought too much dirt to it that you could not even see the floor anymore, I had just pressured washed yesterday and this video gave me inspiration to make it look cozy

[@victoriachen667]

I actually live around the same neighborhood as you and also am redoing my balcony! Totally agree about forgoing the wood decking, Vancouver is just too wet, the wood color stain just wears off the tile very quickly. Great to see a video from a Canadian creator, using products available in Canada

[@MargieVarner44]

I have a area rug that is for all weather and it works great.

[@JaredCzaia]

Nice work Daniel. I think your success here is due to understanding the limitations and capabilities of a balcony space like this. You leaned in hard into what it can be and kept out everything that would get in the way of that. I love wood and plants but I can appreciate the rationale behind your choices.

[@EdwinYee]

This is exactly what I had done to my small balcony several years ago with the click-tile turf and wood from that giant Swedish furnishings store. I’m happy to report that the weather hasn’t warped the wooden tiles in Vancouver; it still looks as good as when I first installed them! Paired with the Edison string lights along the railing, I turned this outdoor space into a cozy nook. The rechargeable lantern you featured is a nice touch!

[@victoriabiel5861]

Very well done! I lived in two condos when I was in Toronto. One had a balcony that was unusable because of the constant gusty winds and very noisy surrounding highway traffic. The second condo I lived in was much better. I was able to actually put patio furniture outside. The main problem was the occasional winds that would lift the furniture pieces and throw them off the balcony. By our condo regulation, all furniture was to be attached by rope or chain to avoid this periodic and potentially dangerous problem. I now live in a country cottage with a lovely deck and no longer need to worry about losing furniture due to frisky winds. But for anyone living in an apartment or condo, it definitely makes a difference to furnish and enjoy the balcony space.

[@loisbolton1800]

Oh my, you do love your wife!! What an amazing job. Thank you IKEA & Article for excellent & practical design. 💖

[@coysmccoysface4221]

How lovely my man. What a nice surprise for her and what a nice space to chill at the end of a day. 👍🏻

[@samanvayasrivastava559]

This looked very comfortable and clean and modern… loved it .. great work 😊

[@peterzeller5736]

So awesome Daniel. As much as I appreciate your redesigns in CAD its great to see an actual physical transformation of a space.

[@firestick4991]

I need to show this to my husband. He’ll have a laugh, because he’s been wanting to build my pergola all summer! To be fair, I did design a 10 foot tall, by 12 feet long, and 4 foot deep space. We just got all the supplies. But with winter approaching, we’ll probably be building it in the spring! 😝 I came up with the idea in May.

[@winnied87]

So simple and yet the balkony looks more lively and cozy.

[@longloismariam7767]

Such a kind hubby ! Beautiful and simple ideas🎉

[@austin.paquette]

I've recently started adding to my balcony that's more than just a plain table and folding patio chairs and its so nice to have. It's literally an extended part of your home that less than 10% of people seem to prioritize.

[@ModernRemade]

You're awesome Daniel! Killer transformation. I can tell your wife really appreciated the upgrade. So cozy!

[@laurareichert]

this really couldn’t have come at a better time!! i‘m redoing my terrace now - thank you for the beautiful inspo!!

[@Mooregirl]

Daniel, I watched this video about 20 times trying to do my front balcony. Love you guys from Vegas.❤tfs

[@ML-yn1zz]

Lovely results! I guess you have nice neighbors, they don’t mind the lights. You have great taste!

[@emzylaslo4848]

This was a great video - I have the same size balcony and have just used it for drying my clothes! Never considered it's also a "space I'm paying for". Those solar lights really make the space

[@Impala_Lily]

How beautiful! I especially love what you did with the faux bamboo plants by fitting that up-light. Will be stealing your idea for my patio!

[@CharronMcLeod]

Love the use of the click tile in both panel and "grass". A simple but very effective sprucing of the floor!

[@RiddimKingdom]

I lived in downtown Vancouver for 10 years until moving to London and I agree, they really don’t think about utilising their balcony space and it can feel quite unhomely when most of your neighbours use their balconies as storage. You did a really lovely job

[@janp9960]

... just picked up the coffee and croissants ... I'll be right over! Sooooooo inviting! 🥰

[@kjcalosa]

its amazing how much room and living space you were able to insert here :D

[@9catlover]

it's so cosy. fresh air is so important for mental health...and you've made it so inviting. i would definitely work there or read a book. For me i'd want a laptop table. It's lovely

[@lordbaron104]

Looks brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing 😊

[@cathybenish9871]

This is super cute - you did such a nice job! The "plants " and the up lights are perfect!

[@myyoga8spa]

I love it usually I love real plants But I find it way cleaner and less bugsy 🐛🕷️ when using fake plants I love how simple and clean your balcony looks, just sit and enjoy the view ❤

[@islandyyt]

Great transformation. A couple of flower pots on the opposite end of the balcony would look lovely too.

[@vonbooysen]

Such a great example of just doing the best thing to get the job done - sure it's fake plants and plastic, but look at how it's let you unlock the space without adding even more work to your lives! Really enjoying the "making real life better" content instead of just being super idealistic all the time, awesome work.

[@jamesdeano8093]

i don't know why but the way you explain the entire process make it even better. You're a true inspiration and storyteller

[@The144Workshop]

I was doubtful, but you pulled it off. That's a very nice upgrade.

[@monicakeller7494]

Great job!! I love how you thought of your wife’s needs!! Nice job!!!

[@AndoCommando1000]

We have a really big balcony (especially considering the rest of our apartment isn’t big) in Zone 2 in London. And we have analysis paralysis over how to decorate it. As a result, we’ve ended up not doing anything with it yet for over a year after we moved in. This video gives us some great ideas.

[@Nelia2705]

Especially with big spaces division can help making it feel cozy. A vertical planter or wooden shelf could for example help to divide the space and look really nice with some plants, gras, macrame and/or lights in it. You could also try and look for big balcony make overs to get more inspiration 🙂

[@achew317]

This is absolutely BEAUTIFUL mate! Wow, super inspired. Thank you!

[@conniebruckner8190]

How lovely and thoughtful in many senses! Well done! ...and I'm going to see if I can find that kind of lighting for our loggia too.

[@alexandrafontaine8111]

Hi! I have exactly the same set up as you in Quebec city. On the other hand, I am located on the ground floor. Additionally, I also have the exact same fake Ikea bamboo seedlings in concrete planters. Be careful in times of strong winds. Mine flew one street longer. I have put large rocks in the planters since to hold the fake plants in place. Your balcony is great! Bonjour from Quebec! 💁🏻‍♀️✨🇨🇦

[@greenmoss9079]

Oh that looks so nice and looking at something green always helps a person unwind. Good for you 😊😊

[@d26s10]

Excellent! Husbands, take note. This is how you win brownie points 😝 😂 The uplights and fake bamboo really make this space. Enjoy your new ‘room’ guys.

[@susanr5546]

This is a delightful balcony. I hope to do some things like this now that our weather is warmer and sunnier. What a delightful thing to do for your wife!

[@fannycraddock99]

I love it, so warm & inviting. I'm going to do that with mine.

[@castnut]

Love your vids as they are calm and straight to the point.

[@KalleFlodin]

It turned out really cozy! 😍

[@chiquicat1]

She’s definitely a keeper. Love your work mate. My ex-wife was never satisfied, no matter how hard I tried - she wanted a bigger house (not sure who would pay for the bigger mortgage, lol)

[@jesusbaby5530]

"If you can't find me,you know where I'd be " That says it all

[@lanegraamericana]

This is beautiful! I’m moving into my new apartment on 8/8. Thank you for the tip on the solar lights!! I’ll be getting some for my balcony makeover.💡🥰

[@desigirl8785]

This is so cute and cosy ❤ so glad you did this for your wife and you! It looks beautiful 😍

[@2023edition]

Whata fantastic Job, Daniel! Tiny balconies are ma favs.

[@lynnmanning2795]

So so nice. Thanks for your talent!

[@saissevictor]

mate, article is just the best! my sofa is from them, best purchase ever! awesome space!

[@Soberryful]

OMG thank you for sharing your idea with us ! Your place is lovely, I can see myself sit and study there with a cup of coffee :) I was looking for planters and solar lighting ,that gives me a lot of ideas to give some love to our backyard

[@GunnCon]

love the transformation, enjoy your space this summer!

[@RiLelBeautyBlogger]

I only think that with the amount of rain Vancouver has, the furniture will never dry out. Tell us later how it goes. I am moving to Vancouver soon and will be glad to use this video as my inspiration for a cozy balcony for evenings! Great design!

[@coughfee_beans]

Interesting. I just moved and I was thinking of getting some fake grass like you did but for the whole balcony. I didn't think of doing a mix with something a little more firm which seems like a much better idea for our dinning table since it's quite a high one with tall stools instead of chairs. It probably wouldn't work as well with grass. I really agree with you though. Most people don't seem to utilize their balcony to its full potential. Besides the concrete floor, I made sure to make it cozy ASAP.

[@Aviclex]

How timely! I'm currently trying to do up my balcony with plants. Extremely challenging cos I'm in Tokyo! Imagine the space or the lack of it! There's also a fire escape in the way. Yours is truly a lovely makeover for a well deserved lovely wife!

[@yippeehaha24-y1y]

Nice! I have a tiny balcony off my apartment - maybe 1/2 or 1/3 the size of yours. Would love to see a video for us renters who have an even smaller balcony.

[@oooollllmmmm0987]

Engineer my space have great renter friendly ideas for really tiny spaces. Including balconies.

[@leah__gail]

LOVE the outdoor up lighting!! Brilliant idea! 🌞 Hope you’re both enjoying the space. 🥰❤️

[@maiwiam2327]

Just came across your channel now - thank you algorithm!!! So excited to watch all of your videos now🤩🤩thank you for reminding me how fun design/architecture can be!

[@colin3190]

LOVE THIS!!!! This is incredible!!

[@OP-mz3hr]

Really beautiful makeover

[@VidimusWolf]

Absolutely fantastic project which you can bet we are heavily taking inspiration from for our balcony!

[@Geoffwarnes]

Outdoor living is highly underrated - great job in creating such a welcoming and calming space. Beware the gap under the lower rail of the balustrade… a bit of insect screen mesh, double sided tape under the ‘grass’ and plastic tie-wires to that rail will preclude dropped items bouncing through or small toys being accidentally kicked through.. I had a visitor once drop a folk fall 21 floors to the Porte Cochere below..

[@kevjapan]

Great job! During lockdown I did my balcony up- used the same Runnen decking that you did- it's been a game changer! Like you said if you pay for the space you may as well make the most of it- especially if you can do so without totally killing the budget.

[@bmolitor615]

GVRD balcony here - it's sooo worth it to work on it some to get that extra almost/kinda/mostly three-season room. I've had two radically different balconies, and have really enjoyed working out really effective, beautiful, and useable three-season room solutions for them.

[@anagaba]

It feels so nice to see your progress! You have a beautiful house!

[@trankowe]

I would really love to see your apartment inside with the paintings and tv because the last video you did, you had just moved in

[@DanielTitchener]

👀

[@olesia008]

It's a really great present for you wife. Good job 👍

[@pageremick5504]

KUDOS from an Interior Designer! Well done! Well thought out for now, and for the future. Simple, but elegant and very practical.

[@barbarar5869]

Love this project. I would have never thought of using the fake grass, and I think it's such a great idea and will definitely use it in the future. I would however have chosen to buy real plants.

[@ondine217]

It's a terrible idea. Outdoors spaces get easily dirty. How are they going to clean this thing that they plan to go barefoot on?

[@user-pf5xq3lq8i]

No spiders. His wife wont sit there if there is spiders. Think before you type.

[@barbarar5869]

@@user-pf5xq3lq8iDo spiders hide in real plants but not in fake ones? Maybe you need to think before you type

[@donnalewis4895]

Well done! What an inspiration for others. In a year let us know if anyone else takes your idea and use it.

[@abelstefanovargasrodriguez6225]

From Peru, I follow you and I like plenty of your videos. Thanks for sharing what you know. Glad to be part as your subscriber on KZbin!

[@TanBurishere]

Great job!! Looks so cozy especially at night.

[@kaizen_5091]

I really like the choice to split the type of floor tiles with a portion faux grass tiles. It's choices like this that elevate a space and give a point of difference.

[@emsvincoffee5184]

Very cozzy and calming 😌

[@HanaaNay]

Beautiful project. Love it 😊 great job 👏

[@JonathanAlmeida]

Daniel, where did you end up placing the solar panel for the lights? We're in a similar situation where we got some nice solar lights for the balcony but we're lacking a lot direct sunlight. Having the panel is a spot that had the best amount of light also made the panel visible to us when we sit outside which we weren't keen for.

[@user-pf5xq3lq8i]

Where are the solar panels? He refuses to tell us!!!

[@steejk1]

Hey. Fellow vancouverite here - great job! Question - how do you clean the fake grass? Our balcony here gets dirty pretty quickly with pollution, and it doesn’t seem so easy to wipe down…?

[@alexandrucovaliov8989]

This video is right on time. We are moving to an apartment that is... so-so. Requires some renovation in some places and us to figure out how to squish our belongings into a 2bed apartment that before were used in a 3bed house :) . The most important is the view from the balcony and same as you I was looking for some inspiration on how to make that space as much as comfortable as possible and on the same time to be used as meeting room where we can plan our family activities and the life in general :D

[@sylvienormand1291]

How sweet of you. Very nice !

[@garlicgirl3149]

I agree...we pay for any outdoor situation you may have in an apartment, house, or even someplace paying a mortgage. Utilize it.

[@justinwang8876]

You know, I accidentally clicked on this video when looking for one of those cursed animated design videos, but your editing and voiceover kept me hooked for the whole video. I have a really short attention span so this is really impressive

[@nataliemorgan3541]

This was great! I also have a balcony and have over the years decorated in many ways. I love the planter with the faux trees as it works when there is not enough sunlight. Great job!

[@irwinbarrer]

Wow! I have neglected my balcony since I moved in a year ago because I did not know where to start. Now I know! Thank you, I always enjoy your videos but this was personal!

[@stephanie1044]

Gorgeous! You are lucky to have such a good local option in Article.

[@persvendsen2359]

Beautiful done Daniel 🙌🏼

[@promilagonsalves4297]

I had the same Pinterest pics pop up in 2019 when I decided to redo my balcony in Toronto and looked around for inspo 😂

[@ToriKlassen1]

I’ll be interested to see how that plastic decking holds up after next winter. Also - careful about winter storms - you may be to tie down that furniture cover more than you expected!

[@bingebinge3722]

The Article stuff looks awesome!

[@Bandied]

Daniel love your videos and could you explain your thinking about (apparently) blocking a door with the sectional? Also you might want to check w your neighbors to make sure they aren't being bothered by the solar lights coming on every night whether or not you are using the space.

[@joyfaithlove]

Absolutely gorgeous space, so happy Nisha has a space for herself! Well done Daniel! (:

[@bloochoob]

I’d have weatherproof deck furniture with removable cushions and cushion seats that I could grab and take indoors when it started raining, as the damp and humidity and cold weather would eventually seep into the couch outside even if it has a rain cover. the damp atmosphere will still get underneath the floor edges

[@Awengtis]

A tip from someone who had similar tiles on the balcony for years in Germany: After about two years, the UV rays destroy the supporting substructure. It does not matter whether there is wood or plastic above it, but the substructure becomes brittle. After about four years we could dispose of everything.

[@JoJoSXMGyal]

I'm guessing your part of the city don't have pigeons and have steady weather. Here in the Netherlands rain is usually accompanied by heavy wind so that couch would be filled with dirt, wet and probably full of pigeon poop. And the poof will probably fly off during the heavier wind time. I could only dream 😔

[@richardjecooke8036]

Yes, same in Cape Town. I would love to copy this exactly, but one stormy night, or one week of pigeons and starlings, and I'd have to scrub the entire thing for hours.

[@IdolEyes84]

Looks great! Easy, affordable, safe(ish) for kids and good for renters. No watering of plants or outlets. We have a little one as well, so we just don’t put any furniture out on the balcony. I wish they made the clear fence taller, it would feel so much safer or added shutters so air and light could be let in, Yet closed for privacy and safety. We can’t attach anything easily and are renting too. Any ideas on how to keep our high rise view while renting ,yet make it more child safe (like fence height extension) nothing to attach it too on the concrete side or ceiling. Thanks!

[@mikedonovan4768]

Nice one Mate. The view of the greenery outside is really nice, which makes your endeavour more worthwhile. 🙂👍