Exit to the balcony: design in different rooms with photo examples

To create an atmosphere of comfort in your apartment, using stylish design solutions and a modern approach to decor, you need to think through many little details in the design of certain areas. Each room can be decorated in a different style, and even balconies are now commonly renovated to create a functional space. But what if there is a design for a balcony and an adjacent room, but the exit to the balcony remains an ordinary white “box”? In the article below we’ll talk about how to turn a standard balcony exit into another unique and stylish interior design.

Decorating the exit to the balcony with doors

Interior doors, namely, they are used to design the exit from the room to the balcony, can be hinged or sliding. The choice of a specific design depends on the width of the opening, configuration, area of the room, ease of use and some other nuances.

Swing structures

The swing door to the balcony fits tightly to the frame and easily opens into the room. At the same time, it takes up a lot of space, which also means regularly opening fabric curtains and blinds. If these points do not bother you, you can safely explore the wide range of swing doors.

Double-leaf swing structures made of PVC

What should you pay attention to? Firstly, on the design features. They can be single- or double-leafed. Single-leaf ones are relevant if there is a window block or a separate opening with a width of no more than 100 cm. With a larger size, the price of the product will increase significantly, and more space will be needed to open the sashes. In wide openings and spacious adjacent rooms, it is better to install double-leaf structures. They are made in several variations:

With shtulp. Good for larger openings. They have two independent doors. One of them can be used regularly, and the second - only when necessary. The rest of the time it is securely pressed against the frame using bolts or a special locking mechanism.
Structures with impost. When it is present in the closed state, the sashes do not fit together, but fit tightly to the vertical lintel in the middle of the opening.
Standard two doors. They simply fit together, tightly adjacent to each other.

In this case, swing doors emphasize the classic style of the interior.

Note! Doors with a frame are more expensive than doors with an impost. However, they do not create obstacles for carrying large items onto the loggia.

The difference between the two designs using a window as an example

Sliding doors for balconies

Sliding doors are familiar to many from wardrobes. Similar designs are used to design the exit to the balcony. The doors can be stationary or movable. The latter move on special rails.

To separate the loggia and the adjacent room, doors are most often installed that slide within the opening. If it is small, then one sash simply slides behind the other. In spacious rooms, the number of stationary and movable sashes can increase by 2-3 times.

A much less common option is when the doors move along the walls. However, in both cases, sliding doors demonstrate their main advantage - saving space during operation. They also allow you to create an opening several meters wide! This is especially true for country houses.

Extended opening design option

Depending on the opening mechanism, the following types of sliding structures are distinguished:

Parallel sliding. When the handle is turned, the blades move to the side parallel to the floor.
Tilt-and-slide. They involve tilting the sash in micro-ventilation mode. To move it to the side, you must first pull it towards you.
Lift-and-slide. When opening, the sash first rises and only then moves to the side.
"Harmonic". The design consists of several doors that fold when opened and resemble the bellows of the instrument of the same name.

The best heat and sound insulation is provided by tilt-and-slide systems. Lift-and-slide are suitable for creating wide openings (up to 10 m). If the balcony is well insulated, pay attention to the most affordable and simplest option - parallel sliding doors.

Materials for making doors

Frames are made of PVC (plastic), aluminum or wood. Plastic windows and doors have the best heat-saving properties. Aluminum ones with special inserts are not much inferior to them in this regard, but they are much more expensive. Doors made of wood require regular maintenance, and large structures are also expensive to manufacture.

But if all three materials are suitable for small products, then for wide sliding doors it is better to choose aluminum or plastic. They are more wear-resistant than wood.

Traditionally, the space between the frames is filled with glass - over the entire area of the door or partially. In the second case, it is combined with a blind insert made of the same material as the frame.

PVC door with solid glass

Note! Glass can be either ordinary or with stained glass inserts. They are especially appropriate in the interior style of Art Nouveau.

Frameless doors, the leaves of which consist entirely of glass, are worthy of attention. It can be tempered - a special manufacturing technology or triplex - a “pie” of several glasses connected to each other by a polymer composition.

What is allowed?

What will you be allowed to do?:

installation of sliding partitions (keeping them open is not prohibited);
"French window".

Is it possible to attach a loggia to a room by removing the window opening? A living room can be added by removing the window sill block , but the threshold and partition must be preserved.

Experts also suggest a little trick : if removing the window and door frame is all that is planned, then this can be done without informing the supervisory authorities. In an emergency, you can always put it back.

You can learn about whether it is necessary to legalize the redevelopment that has already been done in an apartment, as well as how to legalize it yourself, from our articles.

Design of an opening without glazing

When combining a balcony and an adjacent room, the window and door unit is completely or partially dismantled. In this case, glazing is not required, but high-quality design of the expanded opening is indispensable.

To finish the opening slopes, you can use almost any finishing material. The main thing is its compliance with the chosen interior style. It could be:

fake diamond;
dye;
ceramic tile;
decorative plaster;
PVC panel, wooden lining.

It is not recommended to use wallpaper, as in these places it will be especially susceptible to contamination.

Expanded opening without glazing

Drywall gives flight to your imagination. With moderate moisture, it becomes more pliable and bends, taking on various shapes. Take advantage of this to design the exit to the balcony in a non-standard way. From the same drywall you can make practical shelves or racks that you will build into the widened opening.

Asymmetrical arch with shelves

Designer's advice. At night, the interior will be transformed if artificial light sources are installed around the perimeter of the portal. These can be lamps, sconces, LED strips, etc.

Spot lighting of an arched opening

Are you decorating a room in a classic or Greek style? You will find gypsum decorative elements in the form of various overlays, columns or small sculptures useful. However, when making the appropriate purchase, correctly evaluate the dimensions of the product in relation to the area of the room.

Redevelopment is not always necessary

A common solution is to simply demolish the wall while insulating the external extension. However, it is not always possible to do this: sometimes it is not possible to obtain permission, and some people do not like this idea in principle. In fact, it is not so difficult to fit a balcony door harmoniously into the interior.

The most important thing here is to carefully choose curtains.

For a kitchen in a modern style, translucent roll-up ones are suitable - however, for this, the exit must be repaired extremely carefully. Thanks to their adjustable height, they completely close the door, allowing you to open the window. Fashionable and practical.

It is not necessary to try to imitate the whole canvas: such a solution is now also in trend.

When choosing curtains for a kitchen with a balcony door, do not limit yourself to roller or Roman ones: a beautiful curtain or tulle is also in the theme. Especially for a room in a classic style - such textiles seem elegant even in Khrushchev.

Blinds will also work: we personally recommend wooden ones. Eco-design is now at the peak of popularity.

Modern idea: Sliding transparent screens with patterns are an excellent choice for a kitchen studio. They can be used to fence off not only the balcony, but also the residential part of the apartment. This creates a separate kitchen area - convenient and practical.

An interesting choice is thin white tulle. It looks elegant covering the exit. In sunny times, the fabric is translucent, creating an amazing airy effect.

However, sometimes the doorway itself becomes a decoration. For example, if a standard door is replaced with a French one. It cannot be called a new product for 2022, but right now it is experiencing a second wave of popularity. Lots of light, convenience, minimum occupied space when open - in our opinion, the ideal option.

Non-standard move: Do you want to visually enlarge the room without bothering with demolishing walls? Remove the door, and turn the tall, floor-length window into its imitation. This will make it seem like you have a large kitchen with a non-standard layout.

True, the reception is not suitable for any configuration - it is very important that there is no balcony window in the room.

Do you have a spacious but not glazed extension? If the kitchen warms up well in winter, you can make a kind of terrace there - so even in an apartment building you can have breakfast in a fresh house. You will have to take care of the appearance of the partition - keep in mind that it is visible from the kitchen, which means it must be neat and stylish.

Framing the balcony exit with curtains

As a rule, curtains are used as a frame for a balcony exit if there is a window-door unit. Otherwise, they may hide the decorative trim of the opening.

What to pay attention to

There are more than ten criteria for choosing beautiful and practical curtains. However, specifically for decorating the exit to the loggia, it is important that they:

They ensured unimpeded movement between rooms and the opening of swing doors.
Easy to clean. When windows are opened regularly, curtains become dirty quite quickly.
They corresponded to the interior style of the main (adjacent to the loggia) room.
They ensured good insolation of the room during the day and its shading at night.

In principle, everything is quite simple. All that remains is to decide which type of curtains is right for you.

Almost weightless tulle easily moves to the side

Types of curtains for balcony doors

Each type of curtain has its own advantages and disadvantages and distinctive features.

Roller blinds are suitable for interior decoration of a room in a modern, minimalist or hi-tech style. They are attached directly to the frame. The canvas is wound on a special shaft and can be fixed at the desired height. This ensures the required degree of shading of the window.

Roller blinds for balcony block

Blinds are also suitable for modern, sleek interiors. They can be horizontal or vertical, greatly changing the visual perception of the room. For a small room up to 12 sq. It is recommended to choose an option with horizontal slats, which will visually expand it.

Don't skimp on blinds if you use them regularly! The movement mechanism of the lamellas must be reliable. The slats themselves can be made of wood, plastic, fabric, metal, bamboo.

Traditional fabric curtains are a timeless solution. Combine them with each other in color, texture, translucency and other characteristics. For classic interiors, fabric curtains made from expensive fabrics with lambrequins, tassels and original stylized holders are suitable. But do not forget about the convenience of opening doors.

If the window and the balcony door have a large difference in size, long floor-length curtains will help visually correct it.

An equally good option is tulle. Dense, translucent and completely weightless - choose and combine to get the desired degree of window shading. Tulle can be successfully combined with roller, fabric curtains and even blinds.

A combination of curtains and tulle to decorate a window and door unit

What is prohibited?

What will definitely not be given the go-ahead when approved?

This:

removal of the battery into this room (can only be moved to the adjacent wall);
dismantling the lintel above the opening (supporting structure);
dismantling the threshold when removing the window sill block;
complete combination of the balcony with the kitchen;
cutting the side walls of the balcony (SNiP “Fire safety of buildings and structures;
creation of an additional loggia (if the apartment is not located on the first floor);
extension of the balcony beyond the level of the facade wall.

Moreover, upon approval they will definitely require a thermal engineering calculation document. Without it, they usually refuse even things that are not prohibited by law.

Is it possible to convert the loggia into a kitchen, that is, to combine them? Kitchen-loggia “without borders” - such an addition is impossible under any circumstances, as is the reconstruction of an apartment “kitchen on a loggia”, if only because the kitchen is a warm room, and the balcony is a cold one.

Find out from our articles about where to start remodeling your apartment, where to order a project and obtain permission to renovate your living space.

Design of rooms with access to a loggia or balcony

When choosing one or another design option for a balcony exit, do not forget to take into account the purpose of the room in which it is located. This point can affect not only the design of the opening, but also the perception of the room as a whole.

Living room design with balcony

The balcony adjacent to the living room provides a good opportunity to increase the number of available rooms. This is especially true for one-room apartments.

Since the living room is sometimes a small but full-fledged room, they try to physically separate it from the balcony, using doors. And this is not necessarily a traditional window-door unit.

Can you boast of a beautiful view from your windows? Then it makes sense to turn the living room balcony into a relaxation room or winter garden. Glass sliding doors are ideal for such projects.

Working from home? Then carefully choose curtains so that the atmosphere of a strict office on the balcony does not disturb the comfort of the family living room.

Please note: in a small room it is better to leave a window-door unit, but use as much glass as possible in it.

Balcony block with high light transmittance

Avoid doors altogether if the balcony has a semicircular bay window or you need a dining area.

Bedroom design with balcony

The opening in the bedroom can be decorated with doors, curtains or finishing materials. The choice directly depends on the purpose of the balcony. Usually there is a dressing room, a resting place or a cosmetic corner, a workplace.

In the bedroom you need to provide high-quality shading while you sleep, so pay special attention to the framing of windows and openings.

If you need a workplace, then it makes sense to keep part of the wall under the dismantled window. It turns into a comfortable tabletop.

The space saved in this way can be successfully used to place a cabinet, rack, chest of drawers, etc. Is the work noisy? Then it's better to leave the doors. They will provide proper sound insulation.

For a relaxation area or cosmetic corner, choose zoning using an arch, strict or elegant, airy tulle or fabric curtains.

Separating the loggia from the main room with curtains

Kitchen design with balcony

The kitchen is not only delicious, beautiful food, but also a lot of smells, dirt, and high humidity. And if your balcony is sufficiently insulated, refuse doors to it altogether or choose a design with a minimum of glass. Taking care of him will not be easy.

If additional square meters will be used as a dining area, then an expanded decorative opening is the best solution. You don’t have to open doors with plates and pots in your hands or constantly pull back curtains.

Arched opening between the kitchen and dining area

Above the section of wall remaining after dismantling the window, you can place a bar counter or a folding tabletop.

Note! If you decide to use curtains to frame the exit, choose non-staining and easy-to-clean fabrics. Avoid 100% natural products. Semi-synthetics are more practical and durable.

Masking a fire hatch in the floor

The fireman's hatch on the balcony is located on the floor and on top of the ceiling for further movement to the roof. However, it is often easier to carefully disguise an area on the ceiling than to do it discreetly in the floor.

If there is linoleum on the balcony, masking the element is quite simple, but with a more expensive coating you will have to carefully adjust the pattern so that it looks neat.

Keep in mind that the fire hatch on the balcony should be easily accessible, and it should open without exerting strong pressure on it. Provide it with an additional handle to make it easier to lock it in the open position.

Preparatory stage of work

Before masking a hole in the floor, it is recommended to prepare the room to make it more convenient for you to work. This way you will perform the technique with high quality, and the decoration will look neater.

To prepare, first select a tool that will be convenient for you to work with: sandpaper, a special solution for coating metal, a measuring level, a tape measure, tools for pouring the solution (trowel, scraper and other means).

Preparing for decoration includes several steps:

First, clear the work area of foreign objects and place repair materials near you to make it easier to use. Before masking the hatch, wash the floors on the balcony so as not to bring dirt onto the metal, which can lead to poor retention of the compounds on its surface.
Inspect the metal covering for rust. To remove it, use sandpaper and special solvents.
After cleaning the surface, cover it with a solution to remove moisture and prevent corrosion.
Measure the parameters of the hole so that you can then select the amount of materials for decoration and masking.
Measure and inspect balcony slabs for defects and height differences. Then assemble the wooden formwork to fill it with concrete. Pay attention to protecting the metal.
Lay the bottom of the formwork with a special metal mesh, and then fill it with mortar, leveling it with a scraper.

After a week, the new floors are completely cured, so they can be used. Remove disposable auxiliary elements and begin decorating the balcony area.

Finishing the manhole cover with floor covering

To carefully seal a fire hatch, first pay attention to the flooring of the balcony so that the hole looks inconspicuous, but is also convenient for emergency use.

The lid is made from ordinary timber. But be careful - select its height based on the width of the concrete so that the hatch does not protrude and does not stand out among the entire surface of the floors on the balcony.

The hole is finished with the same material that covered the main part of the floors on the loggia. Most often, one of two options is used:

Linoleum. It is often used because it is convenient to lay. However, when selecting a design, choose neutral styles. To perform this method, you simply need to glue a fabric layer to the lid, and then additionally cover it with a metal hollow. This is done to preserve the work longer. To do this, take an amount of linoleum 1 centimeter less than the lid on all sides so that the result looks neater.
Tile. It often looks neater than the previous version, but is not convenient when attached to the lid.

Finishing the lid with tiles will take longer. The technique is quite simple, but it is worth considering all the steps:

First, select the workpiece. To do this, the tiles should not have a large gap (at least one centimeter) to make it more convenient to use the lid.
Apply primer to the base of the workpiece. Wait 1 hour for the layer to harden.
Apply glue on top of the primer and glue it to the lid. Apply additional pressure to help the decoration stick.

Sealing the hatch

The lid needs to be sealed to tightly close the passage from the neighbor's balcony. Otherwise, the open structure may be accompanied by precipitation from the neighbors’ loggia onto your area. It is advisable to block access from below to prevent unpleasant contact with neighbors.

The procedure does not take much time:

First, dry the surface you are going to seal.
Cover all cracks through which cold air or moisture enters with polyurethane foam. Make a thick enough layer that there are no gaps.
After the foam has hardened on top, cover it with a moisture-resistant liquid to prevent moisture from entering the loggia.

The main condition for sealing the lid, which forms a direct exit to the neighbor’s balcony, is that the sealant should not be hard. In an emergency, he must quickly move away and open the exit for leaving the apartment.

Insulation and camouflage of the hatch

If you and your neighbors above and below have a closed loggia that is additionally heated, there is no need to insulate the hatch. However, otherwise, you will have to use additional materials to preserve heat on the balcony.

To do this, you will have to make an additional insulated cover over the hatch, which will prevent cold air from entering the loggia. However, it is not recommended to insulate the main cover, as this contributes to a functional decrease in the quality of its operation.

When planning to secure the additional cover, take into account the features that will prevent inconvenience in its use:

You cannot completely cover the evacuation compartment with insulating material, as this violates the fire safety of the living space and may be punishable by law.
To insulate the lid, a layer of polystyrene or mineral wool is laid on its inner part, which is glued to an adhesive base.
Due to insulation, you will have to raise the height of the floor on the balcony by several centimeters, so take this point into account before carrying out repair work so as not to open the floors to lay an additional layer.
Fire hatches, even after insulation, must fully perform their function, so the insulating layer should not be larger than the diameter of the lid itself, so as not to come into contact with the walls when opening.

To ensure that the hole retains its original role, pay attention to proper insulation so that you don’t have to update this layer a year later by adding a new one.

Keep in mind that with an open or unheated balcony that you do not plan to use in cold weather, it is not advisable to add insulation, since it does not play a special role when using a fire exit.

Video: photo collections of ideas for inspiration

Beautiful solutions for rooms combined with a loggia:

Important technical points from the pros:

Despite the small area, the balcony plays an important role in the design of a living space. Turning it into a comfortable room requires you to think not only about the interior, but also about beautiful zoning. Doors, curtains, decorated openings – the variety of available solutions will allow you to choose the best option for you.

Rules for designing a balcony threshold

The threshold on the balcony has its own purpose, although it is often removed along with the block. If a new plastic door is installed, then the void between the old structure and the new one is filled with foam, after which a plastic element is mounted here. It is clear that this material is not designed for loads and is unlikely to last long. So if the design of the balcony includes a threshold, you should choose some kind of reliable design. In addition, a missing threshold will lead to constant drafts in the room.

For example, the threshold can be enlarged and made into a podium for a table, or it can be made in the form of small steps, thereby delimiting the space. In general, a balcony threshold must have a solid base and high-quality cladding made of stone, cement, wood or mosaic.

By following simple rules for designing a balcony opening, you will be able to create an effective solution for your home. Among the existing options, it will not be difficult to choose ideas for decorating a standard balcony opening with a door, or for delimiting the space in the case when the loggia is combined with the main living area. When choosing a decoration method, you need to evaluate both the practicality and aesthetics of the solution, as well as the feasibility of a particular decoration method. Much also depends on which room the balcony is connected to - in particular, more restrained variations are often used for the kitchen than for the living room.

Dismantling the old balcony block

If a room with a balcony and a window (or an attic) has an old block, then you must first think about whether it is worth changing it. If it is more or less intact, then it is better to simply replace the fittings and tint it. However, this is up to the owner himself.

It is necessary to dismantle the structure right up to the walls, being careful not to damage their surface.

After removal, it will be necessary to completely remove the old screed and remove the plaster. This condition is mandatory.

Scheme for measuring individual windows

In brick houses, you can often find grooves under the window sill. They are protected using an ordinary construction hammer (not a rubber one, but an ordinary one). The interior of brick houses can be made in the “modern” style, by the way.