Balmain Shady Balcony with Bamboo
A shady balcony really needs to look fantastic as you don’t have the benefit of bright sunshine to draw you out onto it. Use bright and/or reflective finishes to bounce around what light is available. Glass and stainless steel furniture, white pots and even an outdoor mirror if you have a suitable wall. And add plenty of greenery to give the space a feeling of life.
Without much sunshine you are limited in the plants that will be successful however equally if you choose well they should be easier to look after as you don’t have the heat of the full sun drying them out. Many tropical plants are ideal in shady spots. Consider Strelitzia nicolai, Bamboo and palms as feature plants and for smaller plants consider Zanzibar gem, Rhoeo and Liriope. If you love the modern architectural plants then you can use Yucca’s and Succulents assuming your space is not too dark. Just watch the amount of water, allow them to completely dry out between watering.
And finally a shady balcony can often feel cool and harsh, add warmth and softness through outdoor soft furnishings such as outdoor cushions and outdoor floor rugs.