Window to the world

“What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo to Juliet as she appears at her balcony .

Balconies are one of the most romantic spaces in a house. It's the window to the world around us yet not just a window standing in between. It is one that protects and projects us to the beauty around us.

Balconies often become the hang out or cozy corner. But does flanking towels and clothes off the laundry line and a bike with two flat tire sound like a balcony near you? As close as one beyond your own balcony door?

Why don't you roll up those selves and make a move? Making up your mind as to what you want the space for. This is the first and biggest move. Whether you're making a private retreat or an outdoor dining room the space should spring from your imagination. You can go with something as simple as plants and a few chairs, or you can unleash your fantasies and be bolder or more playful than you might inside the home. Once you narrow down on the function -dinning, book nook, romantic retreat -define the livable space. Add your furniture appropriate to the function, a porch swing, a winker rocker, or a chaise lounge or so on.

A simple colour palette that repeats throughout the balcony or patio is easier on the eye than a riot of shades and hues.

Use throw pillows, potted flowers or a piece of art balanced on an easel to add an unexpected splash of color. Mix textures.

Concrete paving stones can mask a bland cement floor. Add a small rug for warmth and luxury.

Massed plantings of pots filled with the same shrubs or flowers--bamboo, ficus, decorative grasses, daisies--add the illusion of abundant space. Add privacy with a strategically placed tree, a few panels of lattice or linen curtains draped over an arbor. Mix and match lighting--candles for the table, a spotlight for a piece of art, an up-light to add drama to a tree, strings of tiny white lights for romance.

If something doesn't work, get rid of it and try again. A balcony or patio is the perfect place to try out your sense of style and give in to flights of fancy. Most of all, enjoy.

The writer is an architect who is passionate about the spaces she designs as well as dances in