Balconies provide advantages for any multi-story dwelling. They enlarge the living space and afford you access to the outdoors. However, a balcony isn't always convenient to construct. Enter the Juliet balcony, which is essentially a railing across a large window. This type of balcony doesn't feature a platform like a traditional balcony, so they are often easier to install.
Find out all about Juliet balconies, including if one might be right for your building.
Balconies themselves date back to 17th-century architecture. However, the Juliet balcony became a popular aspect of architecture in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. The name, of course, comes from Shakespeare's famous romantic tragedy,
Romeo and Juliet. Specifically, the name relates to the scene in which Juliet stands at a window asking, "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though, Romeo?"
Well, interestingly enough, Shakespeare didn't include a balcony in his play - balconies didn't even exist in England in his time. Rather, later playwrights incorporated a mini-balcony onto their stages to make similar scenes work. When such mini-balconies became widely used in the iconic Romeo and Juliet scene, the Juliet balcony was born.
While the Juliet balcony has its origins in theater, it's an architectural element now. To that end, the design has to work with the rest of the building's façade.
For instance, the famous Juliet balcony in Verona - which was added to the building after Shakespeare's play became famous - is made of stone. Naturally, that material won't work with every house's façade. Traditional railings are commonly made of wrought iron or other metals. However, for modern buildings, designers sometimes use tempered glass.
Safety should also be a primary concern. You'll want to check with your local building codes to see if they have any regulations related to balcony railings. Quite often, the regulations will be related to gaps between rails and the height of the railing itself.
Finally, you may need to widen a space or even create a new opening for your Juliet balcony. Many builders attach the railing in front of French doors. However, any oversized opening should work. You'll want to ensure the new or widened opening works well with the façade of your building. Likewise, it
should facilitate the flow of your lifestyle inside the room.
Why add a Juliet balcony instead of a traditional balcony? Well, the platform of a standard balcony takes a lot more work and engineering than a railing in front of a widened opening. What's more, a whole balcony is more obtrusive to a building's façade than a simple railing.
The Juliet balcony also allows you to create the illusion of space. A safety barrier in front of an oversized opening helps the whole room feel like an extension of the balcony. What's more, you can choose larger opening on the upper floors because you'll have that safety barrier, an especially important consideration if you have children or pets. Juliet balconies are very popular for urban buildings where outdoor living space is at a premium. The railing allows you to open up to the outdoors without taking up any more real estate. You can use the small space provided as an area to grow container gardens that flourish in the sunny outdoors. Finally, a Juliet balcony can be a distinctive addition to your home's façade. This enhancement is especially true of historical style homes because you can tap into the romantic connotations associated with the famous love scene in
Romeo and Juliet.
A Juliet balcony is an ideal addition to your home if you want to increase your living space to include the outdoors but don't want a major renovation. Examine your upper-story rooms, and determine if you might have a good locale for a Juliet balcony. When you're ready for a distinctive railing, contact
Capitol City Iron Works.
