Decor Diary: Balcony Update for Spring & Summer
First, let me start this post by mentiong this outdoor decor project began this Spring and, although I had ideas about switching things up for mid-Summer, it has become quite a vision of enjoyment for me. The theme was to be Tropical Oasis and I feel I hit the mark. Lush with various shades of green set off by vivid pops of pink color. It's giving Hawai'i Hideaway, using only budget-friendly items. Nothing I purchased to create this look is over $40!
For the past three years I've used my trusty reversible outdoor mat of gray and white, which was an impulse purchase I was lucky to randomly find. It was also neutral enough to transition from season to season, regardless of whatever color theme I decide to go with. Initially, I was looking for a mat in beige and brown tones, but the gray/white design worked well with the coffee brown wicker seating set I picked up from Big Lots. During the same shopping trip, I stumbled upon a group of gray basket weave nesting trays at Ross. It was a winning and workable combo that has served me well over the years, but it was time for a change; something more vibrant, but still understated. Luckily, I found that in a 2-sided outdoor mat of green and beige from Home Depot. Reversible 2-sided outdoor mats have been extremely hard to find at affordable prices, which is one of the reasons I had the gray and white one for so long. Besides being hard to replace, these mats tend to be expensive ($75+) when found online. Every time I've purchased one (found an orange designed set in Five Below for just $5 - each, which I bring out every Fall) it was an impulse buy found in a clearance bin for $20 or less. Sadly, I've not been as lucky to find the replacement I've been looking for, so I decided I'd splurge a little to get exactly what I wanted. Turns out, I didn't have to splurge an obscene amount when I found the perfect mat at Home Depot. At $40, the price wasn't too bad. For someone used to paying $10-$20, $40 was a stretch, but I was desperate and relieved it didn't cost nearly $100.
*Note: As of the publishing date of this post, I've come across reversible mats in blue and turquoise tones in places like Ross and dd's discounts for $20 or less - medium to large sizes!
Now, the seating cushions on my balcony have always been pretty neutral in either beige or gray, which works well with the other colors - usually pinks, purples, yellows and oranges- I tend to use throughout the year. This past Christmas, I ventured out to acquire a set in red - caught on sale - and instantly realized how vivid colors on my seating really adds a warmth to my decor beige and gray tones failed to do. My decor felt so much more festive with the red! So, for Spring/Summer I decided to look for green cushions to coordinate with the new mat versus going with my trusty beige. It was then that I realized the green on green items I was accumulating was going to give my balcony a very jungle-like vibe and I wasn't sure how that was going to play out. By turning to Pinterest for ideas and inspiration, I found myself drawn to green themes with touches of pink, specifically fuschia and magenta tones. For my indoor decor, I went with softer, dusky pinks, but for outside I wanted the color to POP!
Amazon has been my go-to for inexpensive pillow covers that instantly transform a space, so a hunting I went in search of pillow covers containing that pop of pink. At first, I found very kitschy options emblazoned with flamingos. And I thought that was the direction I wanted to go until I spotted a very tropical floral design full of pink and magenta hibiscus flowers. That was the moment my tropical oasis was born; purchasing complimentary items from Amazon, Dollar Tree and dd's discount to add the finishing touches.
Last Spring (2021), when I was searching for a mauve patterned throw blanket, I received something from Amazon that was closer to magenta than mauve. So glad I didn't give it away because it fits in perfectly with this year's tropical theme.
All in all, I'm satisfied with the sanctuary I've created. I truly feel transported whenever I step outside. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Photo Shoots I've done with my balcony serving as a tropical background:
GET THE LOOK
click on the photos below to be taken to the website where I purchased the item (or similar):
*Note: The pink anemone Turkish glass plate was purchased at Dd's Discount for $8.99 each ( I got 2) and are unavailable online. Similar items online range from $25+ $15 shipping. I just had a moment of gratefulness for having found them at the price I did. Didn't realize how expensive they normally are, per plate. WOW!
**All faux floral items and stems (except for the pink and green hydrangeas pictured above from Amazon) are from Dollar Tree ot Dd's Discounts.
Creating the White Rocks and Succulents Display
These are some of the photos I used from Pinterest as inspo for a white rock feature to brighten and break up all the green-ness.
My initial idea of just scattering the white rocks onto a couple of rectangular platters to create a continuous walkway of rocks didn't pan out, so I decided on containing the rocks and adding them to every planter and pot on my balcony. And it truly did brighten things up. Mission accomplished!
Click on the right arrows of the photos below to see how I created the look.
Items to create the display are all from Dollar Tree.
5 Flower and Garden galvanized metal tubs
12 bags 0f White Rocks
7 Green styrofoam blocks
10 Faux succulent mini flowers/with flower pots (I "planted" the faux succulents with their pots, but I would suggest taking the stem out of the pots they come in and sticking the stem straight into the styrofoam instead)
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