“The balcony is the face of your apartment, the door to the public space. I would not advise you to store bicycles, snowboards, other leisure or household items there, or turn it into a jam refrigerator in the winter. Remember that the balcony is not a warehouse according to its assigned functions,” advises architect Povilas Čepaitis. So how is it recommended to adapt a balcony and turn it into a cozy space?
According to Čepaitis, looking at the history of architecture, the balcony was first seen as a mediator between private and public space, although later many began to use it as a place to store various items.
“Now the attitude towards the use of balconies in Lithuania is changing. We are increasingly hearing that people want to use balconies as a patio, an outdoor terrace and spend quality time there – reading books, drinking coffee, spending free time with like-minded people,” says the architect of Unitectus. “We can see that the culture of spending time in the fresh air is growing, the city is coming alive, and this is starting to be reflected in private spaces – balconies.”
Larger balconies are used inefficiently
According to real estate experts, the standard balcony size in Vilnius is 4 sq. m. Such an area is rational and optimal both for the builder who technologically installs it, and for the resident who effectively uses the entire space.
“It is true that sometimes buyers imagine a comfortable balcony to be much larger. However, as practice shows, an area exceeding 4 sq. m is usually simply turned into a place to store rarely used items,” says Justinas Šavelskis, Sales Manager at Eika.
According to him, apartments without balconies, depending on the location in the city, usually cost about 5–10 percent cheaper, so real estate developers strive to install at least a “French” style balcony.
“When customers inspect the desired apartment, they always evaluate the condition, size, and location of the balcony. This is an important element of the house. There is a particularly high demand for apartments with private terraces. They are usually located on the upper floors of the house. The supply of such apartments in Vilnius is only about 3 percent, and the prices are about 20-25 percent higher than in other apartments in the same apartment building,” says the sales manager.
The arbitrary fashion for balcony glazing is ending
Architect P. Čepaitis is pleased that the arbitrary fashion for glazing balconies is gradually coming to an end and points out that there is no need to equate a balcony with a loggia, which is always covered. In Lithuania, the two aforementioned different architectural elements are often equated.
“There is a positive trend that buyers are using the spaces they bought. The balconies that were in the developer’s and architect’s vision. Of course, outdoor furniture, chairs, carpets, and tables are welcome. It is gratifying that balconies are not repainted or film is not glued to glass railings. This means that residents are becoming more aware and accepting the balcony concept proposed by experts,” says the architect.
In addition to choosing the right furniture, proper lighting makes the balcony feel cozy. Before designing the facade, architects evaluate the lighting. “Lighting must be functional so that there is enough light even when it gets dark, so you don’t have to think about an additional light fixture. If each balcony has a different design of lights, lighting intensity and color, it will create unnecessary chaos for the entire building,” says P. Čepaitis, evaluating the influence of lighting.
The architect also supports growing plants on balconies. However, this is difficult during the winter when the weather gets colder.
“It is likely that as winters get warmer, the use of balconies will increase. If the balcony is architecturally integrated into the facade niche, there is less wind and direct precipitation. In a winter like this, you can put a heater there and relax and read a book,” says P. Čepaitis.
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