Balcony or Solarium?

J-P · Post by **J-P** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:23 pm

In our quest to move / downgrade / find a job, we have found a few apartments that fit our bill and our budget.

1 complex is close to work and has a solarium.
the other complex has a nice corner balcony.

Both are the same price.

Balcony pros & cons: I LOVE to BBQ. Being in Canada that limits me to 6 months of the year.

Solarium pros & cons: I love to experiment with plants. I could use this all year round and do some pretty amazing stuff. But no BBQ

What do you guys (and gals) think?

Muffuletta · Post by **Muffuletta** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:32 pm

Will always take cooking over plants.

Post by **RTR** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:32 am

I am a plant nut. Our house was designed such that plants are an integral part of the furnishings. They are and have been for decades a non-trivial part of our lifestyle.

But we can grill year-round in the kitchen as well. We don't do that as much now as we used to do. The grill is relatively high maintenance and we are getting lazier with age.

geronimo69 · Post by **geronimo69** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:28 pm

RTR wrote:I am a plant nut. Our house was designed such that plants are an integral part of the furnishings. They are and have been for decades a non-trivial part of our lifestyle.

But we can grill year-round in the kitchen as well. We don't do that as much now as we used to do. The grill is relatively high maintenance and we are getting lazier with age.

I agree... You could do some kind of crazy bio-tope in the solarium... plants, fish, reptiles... craziness!

Get a George Forman for the kitchen, or even a gas oven.

purplecandle · Post by **purplecandle** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:46 pm

Con~
If you have a balcony your wife could push you over it

Pro~
If you have the balcony you would probably save money and time not buying plants.

Post by **RTR** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:11 pm

We will not discuss how much money I spend on the decks every year - and I buy few plants - I have the plants already, but just the annual potting costs $$$. I use several dozen large bags of potting mix every year for the tropical bulbs, corms, tubers and baby banana plants. There are disadvantages to being addicted to elephant ears and its cousins (Colocasia and Alocasia) Crinums, cannas, and bananas. It takes a lot of plants for over 1200 square feet of decks a story and a half above ground on 3 sided of the house,

The kitchen stove is a Jenn-air, you just pull out a two-burner tray and drop in the grill. The only disadvantage is that you can't smell the steaks inside the house, only out on the North Deck or down in the yard.

Flutter · Post by **Flutter** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:16 pm

purplecandle wrote:Con~
If you have a balcony your wife could push you over it

Trust a woman to think of that option!

Lil' Swimz$ · Post by **Lil' Swimz$** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:17 pm

Uhhh definitely the solarium! THAT'S so cool! I would dig one!!

Can't you just take the barbeque to the park?

J-P · Post by **J-P** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:28 pm

can't really take the bbq tot he park. It is a full outdoor kitchen

Lil' Swimz$ · Post by **Lil' Swimz$** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:30 pm

Oooh! See I was thinking of something like this:

(image from http://www.istockphoto.com)

That's a picture of you grilling at the park

J-P · Post by **J-P** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:56 pm

it is closer to:
http://www.gatorpit.net/backyard_pits/party_gator.htm

but I also have a deep fryer for turkey and a smaller side BBQ, steak grill, and an upright smoker. Ohh... and a sink and 2 side burners for pot and pans

PolishPuff · Post by **PolishPuff** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 1:27 pm

I would go with a Balcony J-P

FADE2BLACK_1973 · Post by **FADE2BLACK_1973** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:58 am

J-P, I voted Balcony. can't beat the fresh air while you just get away from it all plus could add afew potted plants. The Solorium sounded good too if your into plants and it looks like half here that voted are, even some that voted for the Bolcony.

J-P · Post by **J-P** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 4:20 pm

I personally would choose the balcony. Here at the house we have a nice deck that my wife NEVER uses. Ever. Ever ever. I only use it when I am on the Bbq. I believe I would use the balcony more. The solarium would give us additional physical floor space that could be used year round.

Unless I can some how vent the bbq outside somehow via the solarium

Post by **RTR** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:49 am

As our house has a lot of glass, the decks (which are supported balconies due to the lot's slope) are extensions of out living spaces. Thus they are in constant visual use - adding visual space and greenery and flowers in season to our living areas. They also are used physically by us individually and certainly for and by our guests. We both developed that habit log ago when we were high-rise city dwellers and have never given it up. Life with plants and flowers and whenever possible the outside world itself is our personal choice and style.

But personal lifestyle is always an individual choice.

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