How to Make an Apartment Balcony Private?

Who wouldn’t want to move into the heart of a hustling bustling city in a spacious apartment offering a breathtaking city view?

Well, people who don’t like their privacy invaded would. Privacy issues are prevalent with living in apartment buildings.

You have multiple neighbors, increasing the chances of some of them being very nosy, some being too noisy, and the list goes on.

In addition to this, some might even peep through their keyholes, windows, and balconies to get a view into your private space.

Nobody wants that. So how do you make your outdoor space, like a balcony, more private and enjoyable for you without your neighbors getting a peek at you relaxing?

Well, fret not, as you have come to the right place.

Top 10 Effective Ways to Have a More Private Balcony

While there are endless numbers of ways you can make your balcony more private, we have picked the most straightforward, effective, and accessible ways of doing so.

You can DIY most of them and find things at your nearest IKEA or Home Depot to help you out.

So put on your creative hats, and let’s get started, shall we?

The OG Room Dividers

One of the best, most accessible, and easiest solutions to enhance the privacy of your balcony is to use your room dividers.

Just like you place the room dividers indoors to help separate your sitting area from the dining and kitchen, you can place the room dividers on the edge of the balcony, where it exposes your area the most.

It should make for an excellent solution for the privacy of your balcony because it won’t compromise your air and sunshine. However, it will greatly privatize the whole area, leaving your balcony to your devices.

Helpful Tips:

  • Choose wooden or bamboo dividers for a natural aesthetic appeal.
  • Ensure they are sturdy enough to stand the ground and not get knocked over by the wind.

Privacy Screens along the Edge

Just like the room dividers function, you can use privacy screens for the same purpose.

The advantage of privacy screens over room dividers is that they are installed to the edge of your balcony, preferably where your balcony is exposed the most.

This way, it is a more permanent solution than a temporary one, and also one that won’t run the risk of getting knocked over by the wind.

Likewise, it would let rain and shine in but enhance your privacy to enjoy your balcony all to yourself.

Helpful Tips:

  • Choose a screen pattern that naturally covers up the space.
  • Choose a weather-proof material or paint coat to help the screen’s longevity.

Tall Plants to the Rescue

Tall potted plants like bamboo palm, parlor palm, elephant ears, or climbers on a trellis-like money tree and vines make for an excellent choice for solving privacy issues on your balcony.

It is one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly methods to resolve your balcony’s privacy issues.

However, one downside to it is that you have to wait for the plants to grow to an appropriate size.

But you can always buy pre-grown plants in their planters or fake trellis vines to get the job done as quickly as possible.

Helpful Tips:

  • Ensure the health of your plants; otherwise, you’ll be welcoming insects and pests into your home.
  • Choose sturdy plants that are not highly demanding of weather conditions and maintenance.

Outdoor Curtain Installation

Another effective way to increase your balcony’s privacy is by hanging outdoor curtains along the edge of your balcony.

It is best to DIY curtain railings so that they are placed according to the half-circle shape of your balcony’s edge.

Additionally, choosing your curtain material wisely is essential as it will be exposed to the sun and other weather conditions.

You don’t want to choose a fabric that isn’t heat resistant and becomes a fire hazard or as the light of a fabric that keeps flying around with the wind. You can also get waterproof curtains.

Helpful Tips:

  • Choose a plastic plus polyester mix sheet to make outdoor curtains.
  • Choose a neutralizing color that is both opaque and doesn’t get dirty easily.

Fake Ivy Everything

Fake ivy makes for an amazing and affordable choice to make your apartment balcony more private. The best part about it is that you can place the faux ivy however you want.

For instance, you can make curtains out of them, wrap them around your balcony rails, or place it along with a trellis with fairy light for a cozier and better aesthetic appeal.

It greatly enhances the whole vibe of your balcony while allowing you maximum privacy. Moreover, you don’t even have to worry about its well-being because it is fake.

Helpful Tips:

  • Use an expandable lattice for more movement and easy installation.
  • You can choose different colors or different styles of fake vines too.

Roll Up Outdoor Bamboo Shades

Whether you call them bamboo chicks, curtains, or blind roll-ups, one thing is for sure, and that is that you know what we are talking about here.

It is one of the best ways to ensure the privacy of your balcony without compromising the rain, shine, or comfort of the outdoor spaces that you so dearly enjoy.

It is highly affordable, lightweight, and easy to install. To use, you simply roll it up the usual way of rolling up blinds and take in nature just how you like it.

It is sturdy and weather friendly and comes in many design patterns to enhance your area aesthetically.

Helpful Tips:

  • Make sure you have an overhanging edge to attach these to.
  • Try choosing a design that both looks good and is practical to serve your privacy purpose.

DIY Balcony Railing Screen

Many balconies have railings instead of a solid edge rounding it off, and those railings do further create a private nuisance.

Hence, this time you can DIY your way to acquiring privacy as well as great aesthetic appeal.

All you need to have is a waterproof plastic sheet that would do well against the weather and drape it over the railings for covering.

Next, you can place anything from potted plants to décor baskets to weigh over the sheet, and ta-da! You have your very own DIY balcony railing screen.

Helpful Tips:

  • Choose a color that doesn’t get dirty as often to minimize maintenance and upkeep.
  • Avoid overcrowding your balcony with pots and baskets. You can also use clothes pegs.

Mesh Net Enclosure

An easy-breezy solution to balcony privacy invasion – a mesh net enclosure. No more compromising your comfort and privacy on the balcony because you like rain and shine.

And neither enjoying the rain and shine at the expense of your privacy. Simply install a mesh net curtain and create an enclosure that ensures your privacy while letting the rain in and the sunshine on your balcony.

Moreover, you can choose a thick or thin mesh net, include different color options, and keep it clean with a hose or spray on a regular basis.

Helpful Tips:

  • If you choose a thin mesh net, you can keep bugs and flies out.
  • You can get the mesh net fitted to the edge of your balcony instead of the curtain style too.

Weather-friendly Canopy

You must have seen weather-friendly canopies as fixtures over storefronts. It allows for shade around the storefront area for ease of customers outside and inside.

Similarly, you can also get a weather-friendly canopy installed at the inside edge of your balcony. It is easy to pull up when you want to lay in the sun or when it is raining.

On the other hand, you can put it down at night time or when you want to let the sunshine in. It is easy to clean and customize based on your balcony’s aesthetics.

Helpful Tips:

  • Get a lever mechanism installed, so it makes pulling the canopy up and down easy.
  • Try using temporary fixtures if you are renting the apartment.

Strategic Umbrella Positioning

Umbrella makes for a great barrier when it is raining and also allows for shade at the beach, under the sun.

So doesn’t it automatically makes it the perfect thing to use for your privacy on the balcony?

However, the idea is to strategically place it in a horizontal manner across the balcony instead of installing it upright.

You would want to position it so that it opens to provide cover-up from the front to your balcony indoors.

The best part? You can choose from many colors, designs, patterns, etc., to suit your style.

Helpful Tips:

  • It is important to note here that an umbrella may only serve as a temporary solution.
  • It won’t be a good option if you are looking to cover the entirety of your balcony.

In Conclusion,

Hopefully, our tips and tricks provide some helpful privacy solutions for your apartment balcony.

To be honest, there are many options one can make do with as per their requirements without compromising your outdoor space entirely.

Although we understand that every balcony is not identical, there possibly can’t be a one-size-fits-all solution that works best for everyone.

So the idea is to make the most of what you choose and make it suitable for your balcony as per your needs.

Furthermore, make your choice keeping in mind that outdoor space is subjected to weather conditions like rain and sun exposure.

So you don’t want something that compromises safety or won’t last long enough and on the other hand, let the rain and shine come through.

Good Luck!

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