A narrow balcony cannot be furnished like a square balcony. It needs to be thought of differently: in terms of length, height, and lightness. Here's how to truly make the most of it.
The narrow balcony is by far the most common configuration in Parisian buildings and large cities. Seventy, eighty centimeters deep, sometimes less, and two to five meters long. Not enough for a table and two chairs facing each other. Not enough for a floor planter without blocking the way. But largely enough to create a useful and pleasant space, provided you don't apply the same recipes as for a deeper balcony.
Understanding the constraint: a narrow balcony is lived in differently
Before looking for solutions, it's better to accept a reality: on a narrow balcony, you don't sit face to face. You sit side by side, looking outwards. This isn't a constraint: it's another way of occupying the space, often more pleasant in practice.
A narrow balcony is lived in lengthwise. Furniture aligns along the railing, circulation flows in one direction, and plants occupy the vertical space rather than the floor. Once this logic is integrated, the right choices become obvious.
Furniture along the railing, not perpendicular
The classic mistake on a narrow balcony: placing a table and two chairs on either side. The result is that you can no longer pass. The correct configuration: a surface attached to the railing, with two stools or light chairs aligned side by side.
The Balconie from Extra Terrasse was designed for exactly this type of situation. It hooks onto the top bar of the railing without drilling or screwing, creating an immediately usable horizontal surface without encroaching on the depth of the balcony. It thus completely frees up the floor. For seating, light chairs work very well. Avoid armchairs with wide armrests that take up depth on both sides.
The railing as a living space in its own right
On a narrow balcony, the railing is not just a safety barrier. It is the main usable surface. It can accommodate planters, a shelf, and hooks for hanging small items.
This is the philosophy that guides the entire Extra Terrasse range: objects designed to utilize the railing rather than the floor. The Balconnières hook on without drilling in six colors, and the Balconie creates a dining or storage surface without sacrificing any floor space. Together, they transform the railing into a real outdoor workspace.
Think of it as a living corridor rather than an outdoor room
A narrow balcony is a living corridor: a space you walk through, along which you settle for a moment, but which you don't fill like a room. This corridor can be very pleasant: a wooden slatted floor that warms the atmosphere, Balconnières in a row on the railing creating a green backdrop, and a Balconie at one end for eating with a view. Simple, coherent, effective.
The floor: the too-often overlooked asset
On a narrow balcony, what you put on the floor is disproportionately important. A treated wood or composite slatted floor laid on the slab visually transforms the space in minutes. It warms, it unifies, it gives the impression of a chosen surface rather than a endured one. An outdoor runner rug produces a similar effect for a lower cost and emphasizes the length of the balcony without cutting it off.
In summary
To enjoy a narrow balcony, you have to accept its own logic: furniture aligned lengthwise, the railing fully utilized thanks to the right products, fluid circulation, and a well-maintained floor. It's not a diminutive balcony: it's a separate type of space, with its specific advantages.