Judging from all the Pinterest pages and online listing photos devoted to balconies these days—luxe ones, spare ones, absurdly tricked-outones—the picturesque perches are hotter than ever these days for home buyers and sellers.
Of course there’s nothing new about these inherently romantic platforms: Prince William first publicly kissed his new bride, Kate Middleton, on one at Buckingham Palace,and Shakespeare‘s star-crossed lover Juliet pined for Romeo as she stood on hers.
Now the masses are swooning over this architectural element itself. Read this latest installment of Learning the Lingo to discoverthe many different types of balconies you might encounter as a home buyer—or consider adding on as a home owner.
Hourd
This ancientpredecessor to the modern balcony reveals that these accoutrementsactuallytrace their roots towar, not love. Ahourdwas a wooden scaffolding thatoriginated as an “11th-century anti-siege device”on exterior castle walls. Theywere covered in animal skin or, um, manure to ward off climbing invaders and protect castle defenders as theydropped rocks (or yet more manure) on the insurgentsbelow. Today’s balconies, of course, areconstructed for much more genteel purposes—and significantly less manure.
Faux
These balconies are actually no more than ornamentation in the form of a railing attached to a home’s facade. There is absolutely no outsidespace—no usable decking, nada—to put so much as a toe on.While some may argue faux balconies don’t provide any real use, you can’t discountthe eye-candyfactor.
From the outside, they give the illusion of a balcony while the not-so-faux railing made of anything from glass to wrought iron prevents you from falling out when you fling open a window. Think of faux balconies as flair for your exterior walls.
False
Yep, there is a difference between faux and falsewhen it comes to balconies.A falsebalcony has a railingand a teeny deck, usually around 4to 6inches deep. Because these outcroppings—also called “balconettes”—are contained and don’t addany real square footage to a home, they can easilybeinstalled on existing homes. And while the narrow deck can’t support a pair of smooching royals, it’s ideal for the likes of a fragrant herb garden to help bring a bit of the outdoors in.
These touches of whimsy run from $220 to over $4,000, depending on if you want aluminum or wrought iron.
Juliet
Perhaps the most popular type of false balcony is the Juliet. Shakespeare makes no mention of the young Capuletstanding on a balcony when Romeo asks, “What light through yonder window breaks?” However, traditional stagings of the play always haveJuliet swooning on this small perch.
The Juliet moniker is generally trotted out to describe small, nonprotruding terraces, oftenconsisting of a glazed door with a shallow railing outside it.
French
Another popular false balcony style derives itsmoniker from the french doors that open onto a small deck and whateverscenery lies below. A famous example can be seen in Edouard Manet‘s “The Balcony” paintingon display at Paris’ Musée d’Orsay.
True
What do the pope and Evita have in common? A penchant for addressing the public fromtrue balconies. For you and me, this isa balcony designed with aspacious deck to accommodate lounge chairs forwatching sunsets while sipping wine.
As a true balcony usually extends from the second story of abuilding or higher, there’s usually a sweet view involved, too, like the south lawn asseen from the White House’s Truman Balcony.
These outdoor spacesare a fabulous way to blur ahome’s interior and exterior. And one offa master suiteis considered a swank upgrade, according to Remodeling Magazine.
While prices vary wildly depending on material and size, an average low-key, 4-foot wood one will run you at least$15 to $20 a square foot. Granted,it’s hard totranslate the charm of a balcony into cold cash, but in New York at least, the addition can add thousands to an asking price.
Mezzanine
Defined as a small floor between two main ones in a building, a mezzanine is also a type of balconydesignedfor the inside of a home. Thisusuallyfeatures a large deck or landing that extends out from awall surrounded by a protective railing.
What are essentiallycozy loft areas serve also as popular places for home offices or nooks perfect for asmall pullout guest couch. Groundbreaking designers Charles and Ray Eames added one to their custom home in California.The rest of us have been catching up ever since.
Loggia
While aloggia may look like a balcony at first glance, it’s actually a distinctarchitectural feature. Traditionally not on the ground floor, thus giving an illusion of a balcony, a loggia is set apart byits roof and support structure. Abalcony is suspended off a building and has no overhead covering, whilea loggia is part of the building and shares the roof.
For a stunningexample, check out theDoge’s Palacein Venice, Italy.
