Summer is almost here!! The sun has finally decided to put in an appearance and the weather is getting better! It’s time to take a look at your exterior space, your terrace or balcony and take full advantage of the upcoming beautiful summer days and evenings.

1- Use porcelain tiles for your floor

Porcelain is a kind of ceramic that is baked at very high temperature (1400°c), making them more dense and robust. Porcelain tiles can definitely be installed outside, provided that there’s cement under. They are ideal for a balcony floor or even for your terrace. Their enamel layer allows endless ornamental designs. They can also imitate natural stones or even hardwood. These kind of tiles are often chosen for terraces because of their natural aspect which visually adapts to the outside.

If you prefer a more contemporary style for your terrace, patterned tiles can also fit! This will give a creative and colored look.

Same for your balcony! Let’s embellish your exterior with a touch of fancy!

Does arranging a terrace by yourself scare you? No worries, if you follow the right steps and you have all that you need to realize an outdoor patio, with Schluter systems, you won’t have to be worry about it and you will get a perfectly waterproof space to enjoy Summer months.

2- Create countertops

Have you ever dreamed of an exterior kitchen? Installing a countertop outside on a terrace may cause some apprehension about the robustness and the maintenance… Fortunately, there are now ultra-compact surface countertops that exist. They are perfectly adapted to the exterior! As we explained in a previous article, an ultra-compact countertop is a sintered stone composed by minerals that have been baked at 1200°c and compressed. These countertops have a lot of advantages and are very robust! Moreover, you’ll undoubtedly find a design that you love since there are many possibilities! These ultra-compact countertops can remind you of marble, quartz or even granite. Just imagine…

3- Embellish your walls and low walls

Don’t leave walls and low walls behind! For these, bricks and stones can be a good option. Wall stones are very popular for outside, especially in the countryside. But there’s nothing to stop you from installing some in your yard in town! This will give a you a country style, a lunchtime escape from the city…

Regarding bricks, they are as trendy in town as in the countryside! Install them on your house or flat facade, or even on low walls in the garden. This will certainly give a lot of charm to your exterior! Bricks can also be painted, namely in white for a more modern look or simply opt for our white brick veneer. The series Briquettes.

5- Decorate with mosaics

Using mosaics to embellish your exterior, your terrace or your balcony is an excellent idea, but you have to be a little manual and have the soul of an artist! Have you ever seen these small DIY tables made of mosaics? Wouldn’t they be perfect on your balcony? Luckily, you can find tutorials on the internet that will help you to create these little beauties. Click HERE to see a tutorial video!

A note of caution; think about bringing in your table  during the cold Québec Winter. To make irregular mosaics or in the shape that you want as showed in the picture below, simply break tiles or use pliers especially made for this!

You can also use entire small tiles like the owners of the microbrewery and lodge La Brouërie in Sutton did for their restaurant tables.

Finally, for the highly motivated, decorate your terrace with porcelain mosaics by creating the designs of your choice. Remember to keep in mind that the lower layer must be cement.

You now have several ideas to embellish embellir your terrace or your balcony! Are you ready to welcome our beautiful Summer?