It's Cold and Rainy, so Let's Talk About My Balcony

I swear Spring is never going to get here. Except it is raining and maybe that means Spring is here? Basically it is a confusing season because there is just no appropriate thing to wear as the weather whips between rain, snow, cold, wind, sun, etc. Except it is not nearly enough of the last one, because after 6 months of coldness we Canadians just want a little sunshine and start to become very impatient.

Anyway, regardless of the indecisiveness of Mother Nature, I decided to start actively planning my balcony make over (you know, instead of the bathroom reno I keep putting off). A few weeks ago I announced that I had purchased a floor to install out here from Costco. It is a nice faux wood that I think will really warm up the space! FYI- Dirty concrete flooring is not appealing to unshoed footsies. Just thought I should let you know. I think I am going to keep my current table, because it is a nice compact option (I rarely actually eat out there but I have flipped half of the table up to serve drinks to random guests before!).

The table was from Ikea and was called Idbyn, but it looks like it was only sold that one year and there is almost no reference of it on the internets. Kind if a shame because it is an awesome, stylish table and the chairs actually store IN the table when not in use. But one of my chairs got smashy-smashed at a party a few years ago. I think the remaining chair and table needs to be restained this year so I plan to tackle that once the weather warms up and we have a few non-rain days in a row for drying.

The white bench is going to my brother and sister-in-law for their backyard, and I think the yellow chair too because I have my eyes on some neeeeew chairs!

If you remember from my original patio plans 2013 post, I was eying some wicker chairs from Canadian Tire that were $130 each. I have this weird obsession with not going in debt over a balcony, however, so I wasn't willing to drop $260+ on chairs. I would rather invest my $$$ in improving the flooring out there. Thankfully this weekend I was at Walmart in Ajax and I wandered over to the outdoor section and I found these beauties for only $48 each!

I would need to sew some cushions for them, but that shouldn't be too hard (and if you consider that I would probably recover any cushion that another chair option came with, it's a moot point for the budget). I like the clean lines of them, and I love that sub $100 price for two, so I think these may be the winner! I am going to check out a few more places because a lot of websites don't show full stock (even these chairs aren't on Walmart's site).

I am also feeling like I'd like a navy and white striped rug out on the patio. I am a little worried about the white staying white because I live across the street from an airport and I swear those engines are the cause of the fine layer of dirt that constantly lives on the balcony. Therefore I need a different design plan, or a washable rug. Any suggestions?

Another missing piece of the puzzle is the back wall. So you don't have to scroll back up, here is another shot of the glass dividing wall.

It is less see-through in person (thankfully), but I would like to find a way to make it more attractive and warm. I don't think it would be very neighbourly to tie something to it, so it would have to attach on my side or be freestanding. And it can't be permanently attached or I'd probably have to get permission from the board since our building really likes exteriors to be uniform. This is another instance where fabric would be fun, but that darn dirty soot layer would ruin. Also, I am lazy and don't want to build anything :D hmmm....