25 Christmas Balcony Decorating Ideas for a Festive Outdoor Space

Decorate your balcony for Christmas with string lights, garlands, wreaths, ornaments, mini trees, and cozy table settings to make the most of your outdoor space during the holiday season.

Whether you are decorating a small city apartment balcony, a Juliet balcony off the second floor of your home, or a spacious townhouse balcony fit for outdoor entertaining, there are plenty of options to make your space look festive from the outside and feel warm and welcoming from within.

Get inspired with these balconies decorated for Christmas in a range of styles and settings to suit your decor style and your mood.

Layer Cozy Textures

Layer your outdoor seating with thick cozy throws, pillows, and blankets to keep you warm while you enjoy a romantic Christmas toast with your favorite person.

S.U.S.A.P hung a trio of metal stars on the wall and decorated each end of the balcony with candlelight. A mini flocked tree decorated with dried orange slices and LED lights ties it all together.

Ribbon-Wrapped Fire Pit

Tie a ribbon onto your balcony railing for a festive look. John McClain Design used vivid blue ribbon to coordinate with the midcentury modern Christmas colors of the interior. Double ribbons add festive cheer to the small fire pit area.

Juliet Balcony Wreath

Decorate a Juliet balcony with a simple wreath. My 100 Year Old Home embellished the wreath on the modest balcony above the front door portico with a red ribbon to match the poinsettias and greenery decorated with red ball ornaments on and around the front door.

Outdoor Christmas Table

If your balcony is large enough for a sit-down table and you live in a mild climate, consider hosting an outdoor holiday meal.

This balcony dining table from John McClain Design is dressed up for the holidays with cloth napkins and fresh flowers.

Scandi-Style Balcony

Add Scandinavian vibes to your Christmas balcony with a tree decorated in nothing but simple lights, like this boho-style Finnish balcony from Emmi Tampere of Home DIY Home Style that is decorated with wood and woven furniture and accents.

Green Balcony Garland

If your balcony is large enough for an eye-catching retro fireplace, keep the holiday decor simple and natural, like this outdoor space from AHG Interiors.

The brown wood railing is draped in a long pine branch garland that smells great and suits the outdoor setting, while the orange-red metal midcentury fireplace looks suddenly Christmassy.

Larger-Than-Life Santa

Make your city center apartment balcony stand out with an oversized Santa in all his sartorial splendor surveilling the street below. Keep the rest of the balcony decor simple with string lights and maybe a bare tree.

Add a Dash of Red

For a casual holiday feel, light some pillar candles in hurricane lanterns on the balcony floor, or place them on a wall shelf, like this outdoor space from Jess Bunge for Emily Henderson Design.

A simple dash of red like a plush throw pillow on an outdoor lounge chair will add subtle Christmas vibes, and shiny copper goblets take on a festive allure during the holidays even if they're used year-round.

Dangle Some Jingle Bells

Decorate a compact balcony for Christmas with double garlands on the top and base of the wrought iron railings.

Add twinkly string lights, shiny ball ornaments, and a pair of big red bells hanging from the front corners—just be sure to attach them firmly so they don't fall off onto unsuspecting revelers below.

Mix Flowers and Mini Trees

Mix flocked mini trees and red lillies to add a natural element to your outdoor holiday table, like this festive balcony table setting from John McClain Design.

Set a Holiday Tea Table

Invite a friend over for holiday tea on the balcony decorated with simple greens on the top railing to add a festive touch without blocking views.

Add a mini tree in a teacup holder on a gold tray and bring out your favorite red-and-white Christmas mugs to create an easy breezy holiday tea table for two.

String Lights and Greens

Mix fresh green branches with large warm string lights for a minimalist and low-key take on decorating your balcony for the holiday season, like this black-and-white outdoor space from S.U.S.A.P

Try a Formal Topiary

Keep your balcony holiday-ready by choosing a shiny gold bistro table and an elegant topiary (real or faux) that works any time of year but will suddenly look like you chose it just for the holidays, like this pint-sized balcony from Caitlin Higgins for Emily Henderson Design. Amp up the Christmas vibes by embellishing the topiary with bows between the green bundles or adding tiny LED string lights.

Decorate With Branches

If your balcony has a view of snow-capped trees, keep your holiday decor simple and understated.

S.U.S.A.P hung a wire star from the covered roof and decorated the far end of the balcony with a natural twig wreath and dried branches.

A painted crate side table is decorated with pine branches laced with a star ornament and a scented candle for extra coziness.

Mix Silver and Gold

Mix silver and gold accents on your balcony dinner table so that it glitters, gleams, and sparkles without looking too calculated.

John McClain Design chose mismatched silver and gold votives with high sides to ensure that the flame doesn't blow out in the breeze. Soft gold cloth napkins and woven silver placemats add subtle sheen and softness to the bare wood outdoor table.

Shared Christmas Balcony

Decorate a large shared balcony on a home or multi-family building with a simple but striking garland for a cohesive look. This top floor balcony is embellished with a simple draped green garland, neatly spaced red bows, and gold ball ornaments.

Lighted Christmas Balcony

If you are decorating a single-family home balcony, use lighting to create a festive feel. Large warm string lights illuminate the facade of this A-frame home in the Catskills of New York from AHG Interiors.

The otherwise bare balcony is bathed in indirect light from string lights hung along the A-frame and carried onto the front and side lawn. The top railing of the wrap-around raised deck is lit with smaller LED lights that would work on a freestanding balcony as well, giving the property a welcoming and balanced glow and tons of holiday curb appeal.

Festive Throw Pillow

Give a powder-coated metal bench an instant holiday makeover with a bright and festive throw pillow, like this outdoor space from Thistlewood Farms.

Mirrored Solar Lantern

Instead of LED string lights, illuminate your Christmas balcony with solar mirrored lanterns that will charge up during the day and sparkle through the evening, like this cozy outdoor space from blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona.

Gingerbread House Wreath

Hang a festive Christmas wreath on the front of the balcony that complements the style of your home.

This gingerbread house in Oak Bluffs, MA on Martha's Vineyard is decorated with a traditional wreath embellished with pine cones and berries and tied with a bright red ribbon that adds a classic Christmas feel to the Victorian cottage-style home.

Christmas Balcony Bar Cart

Wheel a holiday bar cart onto your balcony when happy hour rolls around. Decorate it with simple greens and gold-dipped glasses for a festive touch, like this bar cart from blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona.

Maximalist Holiday Balcony

Use matching Christmas decorations on your front porch and second-floor balcony for a cohesive feel, like this Christmas facade from Thistlewood Farms.

Matching wreaths are tied with red bows in every window, with greenery swagged on the top of the balcony and front porch railings. A large wreath hangs on the front of the balcony to create a focal point for the maximalist design.

Use Modern Christmas Colors

Decorate a modern space by tweaking your Christmas color palette.

Inspired By Charm decorated this small balcony with red flowers, green plants, a chartreuse-and-white striped throw blanket, a decorative black-and-white patterned pillow, and a torch light on the side table.

All these elements come together to create a subtle Christmas feel that is versatile enough to work year-round.

Mini Basket Tree

Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona added a potted mini tree in a decorative basket and a cozy knitted throw pillow on a small bench to cozy up her small holiday front porch, a simple idea that could easily transfer to a small balcony.

Ledge Lined With Lanterns

Line a thicker wooden balcony ledge with decorative lanterns to create a cozy feel at night, like this space from S.U.S.A.P.

Be sure that lanterns are weighted down and not left unattended and, as a safety precaution, don't try this holiday decorating trick if your balcony is on a high floor facing the street.

Read the original article on The Spruce.