Get Comfortable in the safety of your elevated garden.

So you’ve made a move and let go of your House and changed your lifestyle to condo living.  You’ve got a new sense of freedom in your life. Maybe having a downtown home allows you to walk to work, restaurants, and the theatre. Or you are thrilled at being able to lock the door and get away whenever you want. Maybe it’s access to luxury amenities, just an elevator ride from your front door. Or all of the above. Any way you look at it, it’s a change that hopefully does a lot to help you live your life the way you want to.

If you come from a single-family home, you might have had to downsize keepsakes and clothing. The outdoor furniture that was perfectly gorgeous on the patio or deck "at ground level" at your former home is likely too big to fit on your balcony. Oversized outdoor furniture can dominate your balcony, making the space less attractive and smaller. 

Or you may have been dreaming of a big sectional for your balcony only to realize that the sectional you crave, let alone the lounge chairs or table, will just be too big. You have to adjust your thinking to furniture that is in scale with the dimensions of the balcony.

While at it, think a bit deeper. Balconies and terraces can be very windy, depending on your location. We’ve heard too many stories about lounge chairs and chaise lounges being blown around or perish the thought. Yikes!

So I’d like to offer some guidelines on choosing furniture that will resist getting shifted by the wind.

That's when the wind’s lift can propel your heavy piece of furniture to the railing and tip it over. A wind lift can pick up a jet plane. Your outdoor furniture is not immune to the power of the wind ...

Another thing to consider is airflow. Furniture with a “skirt” that extends almost the ground or furniture designed to be solid right down to the ground, without legs, is more vulnerable to being moved and lifted by the wind. That’s because, once it tips, the skirting of the furniture, or the solid base, acts like a sail and makes it even easier for the wind to lift a piece of furniture. 

It's best to look for outdoor furniture that allows the wind to flow under, around and through as much as possible. That means an open structure, such as an open weave, the very “in” rope look, mesh or slats for the seats and backs of your furniture. Visible legs are another asset to enable the wind to flow past the furniture instead of being blocked by it. 

Finally, understand how the wind moves on your balcony or terrace. A gust of wind strikes your building much like the water from a firehose – it will hit the vertical surfaces and then shoot up and down and be directed to the sides in all directions along the facade of the building.  The wind that blows against the windows of your condo often flows up and over and then down into the calmer area behind the balcony railing, near the floor of your balcony. That can make wind more likely to lift items placed closer to the building.

You can experience this by standing outside in different positions on your balcony, including crouching low to the balcony floor close to the building or the railing. Even in a moderate breeze, you should be able to feel how the wind moves within your balcony space. Another way to understand how the wind affects your balcony is by recalling how the winter snow or autumn debris is blown off some areas and drifts up in other parts of your balcony.

One way to reduce the potential impact of wind, especially the stronger winter storm winds, is to stack your furniture for the winter season (if possible) and tie it together with bungee cords or strong twine. This will make the whole assembly much heavier and less likely to shift in typical wind conditions. And be aware that your furniture covers, if not very secure, can be a very effective “sail,” so make sure your covers are tightly secured around your furniture.