Measure the space before you buy anything

A compact balcony is usually narrower than it looks once you have factored in the door swing, the drainpipe and the spot where the rain comes in. Before you start browsing, take a tape measure outside and note three figures: the full depth from the wall to the railing, the width between the two end walls, and the clearance you need for the door to open fully. On a typical UK apartment balcony, the usable depth is often between 90 centimetres and 1.2 metres, which is enough for a chair and a small table but not much more.

It also helps to note which end catches the morning sun and where the prevailing wind hits. That will decide where you sit, and therefore where the furniture should live. If you are working with a Juliet balcony rather than a walkable one, a single folding chair and a clip-on table may be the whole brief.

Foldable bistro chairs: the practical heart of the scheme

For a narrow balcony, a folding bistro chair is hard to beat. Look for a seat height of around 44 to 46 centimetres, which puts your knees at a comfortable angle for a standard table, and a seat width of at least 40 centimetres so you are not perched. An aluminium frame keeps the weight down and will not rust, while powder-coated steel is a little heavier and generally more stable in a gust. A chair that folds to 10 or 15 centimetres deep will slot behind a door or into a slim storage cupboard when the weather turns.

When you are trying them out, check a few practical things:

• The fold mechanism should move smoothly and lock firmly, without pinching your fingers.
• Armrests are worth having if you plan to sit for more than twenty minutes, but they add width, so measure again.
• Feet should have plastic or rubber caps to protect tiles and reduce scraping noise.
• Stability under load matters more than the marketing suggests; if it flexes noticeably when you sit down, it will not last.

Two chairs are usually the realistic maximum on a compact balcony, and one is perfectly respectable. A single good chair, angled towards the view, will be used far more often than two squeezed in side by side.

Cushions that survive British weather

Bare metal or slatted wood is fine for five minutes and uncomfortable for thirty. A weather-resistant cushion transforms the experience. Look for covers in solution-dyed acrylic or a tightly woven polyester with a water-repellent finish, and interiors made from quick-dry foam rather than standard upholstery foam, which holds water and turns sour. Ties at the back, or a velcro strap, stop the cushion sliding off in the wind.

Colour is where a small balcony becomes a room. If your outlook is mostly grey brick and sky, a deep teal, a warm terracotta or a soft ochre cushion against a neutral frame gives the space a deliberate feel. If you already have greenery, pick up the colour of the foliage rather than competing with it. A single strong colour, repeated in a cushion, a small planter and a lantern, reads as considered rather than cluttered.

Bring the cushions inside when rain is forecast, or keep a lidded waterproof box on the balcony so it is a ten-second job. Cushions left out through a wet fortnight will grow mildew, and no amount of washing quite removes the smell.

The side table that earns its space

A side table needs to do one job well: hold a mug, a book and a small plate without wobbling. A round top of 40 to 45 centimetres is usually the sweet spot on a narrow balcony. Folding versions are the obvious choice, but a small nesting set of two is often more useful, because you can pull one out for a guest and tuck it away afterwards. Clip-on tables that hook over a railing are excellent where floor space is genuinely tight, provided the railing is the right shape and thickness.

Stability matters. A lightweight table in an exposed spot will end up against the railing at the first gust, so choose something with a bit of weight in the base, or add a small paving slab underneath the feet. A sturdy stool can double as a table and as extra seating, which is a sensible trade on a balcony of a metre and a half.

Warmth, shade and light

Comfort on a balcony is rarely about the chair alone. A folded fleece throw in a storage box extends the season by weeks on either side. A small outdoor rug in a flat weave makes bare tiles feel less like a utility area and stops the chair legs from scraping. Shade matters as much as warmth in July; a simple sail or a parasol that fits into a weighted base will make a south-facing balcony usable in the middle of the day.

For evening drinks, a battery-powered lantern or a string of warm-white lights does more for atmosphere than anything you can buy in a furniture shop. Keep the light low and warm; cool white makes a small space feel like a car park.

Looking after it through the seasons

At the end of summer, wash cushion covers according to the label and let them dry fully before storing. Wipe metal frames with a damp cloth and check the fixings. Wooden furniture benefits from a coat of suitable oil before winter. If you can, store folding chairs and cushions indoors over the coldest months; if not, a breathable cover beats a plastic sheet, which traps condensation. Come March, a quick clean and a fresh cushion will have the balcony ready before the first warm morning.