Small Balcony Setup: Ideas Renters Can Undo, Garden or Not
Set up a small balcony you can enjoy and undo when you move: rules to check first, floors, shade, privacy, furniture and plants, real or artificial.
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To set up a small balcony you can enjoy and undo when you move, check your lease and weight limits first. Then add a floor, somewhere to sit, privacy and some green, real or artificial. Pick pieces that clamp or click in place so nothing needs drilling, and keep the railing edge clear.
You do not have to garden to get the full use of a balcony. This section has two routes in, and both lead to a space you can sit in by evening. Pick the one that sounds like you, or mix them.
Two ways to set up your balcony
Growing route: a balcony full of plants
You want things that grow, and maybe something to eat. Start by checking how much weight your balcony can take, then pick containers to suit each spot.
Not a gardener? A balcony that needs no watering
You want a place to sit outside with coffee or a book, without plant care. Start with the floor and the furniture, then add privacy and greenery that never needs water.
The two routes mix well. A rug, two folding chairs and one pot of herbs by the door is a finished balcony too.
Before you buy anything: the renter’s checklist
- Lease and HOA rules. Rules on screens, plants and flooring vary from building to building. Read yours, and ask when it is unclear.
- Weight. Ask your building manager before adding anything heavy. Our balcony weight guide explains why no one else can answer.
- No drilling without permission. Choose clamps, hooks and freestanding pieces.
- Nothing over the edge. Everything stays on the inside of the railing.
- Drainage. Find the balcony’s drain and keep it clear; use saucers so water does not run onto the unit below.
- No flames. Grills and fire pits are outside this site’s scope, as are candles and heaters; ask your building and local fire department.
Plan it in one afternoon
A small balcony comes together in a few decisions, made in this order:
- Measure. Note the depth once the door is open, the length, the railing height and where the drain sits.
- Decide what the space is for. Morning coffee needs one chair in the sun. Dinner for two needs a table. Growing tomatoes needs a sunny wall and room to water.
- Do the floor first. Tiles and rugs go down before anything stands on them, and they set the look.
- Add seating. Folding pieces leave room to move; check them against your measurements.
- Add privacy and green. Screens go on the railing’s inside face, with plants or faux greenery in front.
- Finish with shade and light. An umbrella for hot afternoons, solar lights for evenings.
Draw a rough sketch with the door swing marked. It stops you from buying a table that blocks the door.
Floor: tiles, rugs or artificial grass
A floor covering changes a bare concrete slab faster than anything else. Interlocking deck tiles click together and lift out when you move. IKEA’s RUNNEN tiles, for example, come nine to a pack, each 11 3/4 inches square. The maker says they suit hard, even surfaces such as concrete or wood.
Outdoor rugs are lighter still. IKEA says its MORUM polypropylene rug is approved for outdoor use in moderate to warm climates with rain, and should dry completely after cleaning. Our balcony flooring guide compares tiles with rugs and artificial grass on weight, heat and drainage.
Interlocking deck tiles for balconies
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Privacy, plants and somewhere to sit
Each goal below has a low-maintenance answer and a growing answer. Pick one per row; both work on a rented balcony.
| Goal | Low-maintenance option | Growing option | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block the view from next door | Fabric or bamboo screen on the railing | Tall containers or a trellis of climbers | Privacy screens |
| Green without watering | UV-resistant artificial plants | Tough plants matched to your sun, in self-watering pots | Artificial plants |
| A place to sit | Folding bistro set or a wall-mounted folding table | Bench with storage for tools and bags of mix | Small balcony furniture |
| Greenery up high | Artificial hanging baskets | Hanging planters on secure hooks | Hanging planters |
Wall-mounted pieces save floor space but need permission first: IKEA says its ASKHOLMEN wall table must be secured to the wall, which means drilling. Freestanding furniture avoids the question entirely, and it comes with you when you move, so you are not leaving a bracket and a set of holes behind.
Shade and light for evenings
Shade makes a south- or west-facing balcony usable in summer. A clamp-on umbrella grips the railing; a small umbrella in a weighted base stands on the floor. Close either one when the wind picks up, and follow the maker’s instructions for fixing it.
For light without an outlet, solar string lights charge by day. Our sister site covers solar lights for balconies and apartments. If you are thinking about panels on the railing, the same space raises the same lease questions as plug-in balcony solar.
Clamp umbrellas and balcony shade
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Set up the space: every guide
How much weight can a balcony hold?Photo: Roy Googin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Frequently asked questions
How can I decorate a small balcony as a renter?
Use things that come back out when you move: click-together deck tiles or an outdoor rug, a folding bistro set, a privacy screen tied on with zip ties and planters that sit on the floor or hook over the inside of the railing. Check your lease or HOA rules first, and ask before drilling anything.
Can I have a nice balcony without gardening?
Yes. A floor covering, a small folding set, a privacy screen and a few UV-resistant artificial plants give you a finished space with no watering. You can add one easy real plant later if you want to.
What should I check before setting up a balcony?
Read your lease or HOA rules, ask your building manager about weight before adding anything heavy, find the balcony's drain and keep it clear, and leave the railing edge free of anything that could fall. Grills, fire pits and heaters are a fire-code question for your building and local fire department.
How do I add shade to a small balcony?
A clamp-on umbrella fixed to the railing or a small freestanding umbrella in a weighted base are common choices. Close any umbrella when the wind picks up and follow the maker's instructions for fixing it.
How do I light a balcony without an outlet?
Solar string lights charge in daylight and need no outlet, as long as the panel gets some direct sun. Battery lights work on balconies that stay shaded.
