Apartments

Balcony Materials and Finishes for Apartments

Select materials by where they will be installed, how they are cleaned and what can be repaired when one part wears.

Living room inspiration: conversation seating with a clear central table.

Compare the options

Set the brief: Mark high-touch, wet and impact-prone surfaces separately before picking finishes.
Compare: Ask suppliers for care instructions, repair options and a full sample with exposed edges and joints.
Before buying: Price installation, replaceable pieces and long-term maintenance alongside the initial material cost.

Worked example

Children and pets use the same lounge seating that hosts formal guests.

Compare removable, washable upholstery covers with repairable woven samples, and test cleaning on an offcut before choosing.

How to test it

Put the sample beside its adjoining materials and test the agreed cleaning method on a spare piece.

Apply it to this space

Layout: Keep one continuous walking strip and group planters at the least obstructive edge.
Detail: Use weather-tolerant lightweight seating and a dedicated drying zone that folds away.
Trade-off: Dense planting adds privacy but reduces light and usable width.

The Elixir portfolio

Photographs for design inspiration