SCIENTIFIC VASTU | BALCONY | An Architect Explains

A Balcony is a platform that projects from the wall of the building and is surrounded by a railing, balustrade or parapet. A balcony is generally located on the outside of a room and separated from it by a door. So when the door is opened, the room opens up enlarging the living space and offering a large aerial view to the outside. A balcony adds aesthetic value to a building and thus increases the market value of the house.

balcony railing

A balcony is used for a variety of purposes such as: a relaxation area for yourself or your pets, for reading a book, for carrying out gardening, for sunbathing, snoozing etc.  Therefore, it is important that the energy in a balcony should be relaxing and comforting.

So, is there a way to make the balcony a relaxing, happy place? Well, according to Vastu Shastra, the right placement of the balcony, the door, furniture, lighting and the colours can ensure that the balcony becomes a space full of positive energy. To know more about making your balcony a vastu compliant space, read on….. 

balcony-view-vastu
A balcony offers a large aerial view of the outside.

Listed here, are some of the Vastu Guidelines for a Balcony. Since Vastu Shastra is a science, every guideline is based on logic and reasoning.  As an Architect, I have attempted to explain each of these guidelines rationally and scientifically under the following headings, so that you have a choice and can decide what you want to follow or don’t, instead of looking at Vastu as a superstition:

What is the best location for a balcony according to Vastu?
What are the vastu guidelines for furniture in a balcony?
What are the Vastu guidelines for plants in a balcony?
What are the Vastu guidelines for the roof of a balcony?





 

WHAT IS THE BEST POSITION FOR A BALCONY ACCORDING TO VASTU?
  • Best position of balcony: North or East
  • Avoid: South or West

Balconies should be in the East or North part of the house: They should not be to the South or the West sides of the main building. The Scientific Reason A Balcony is a good place to sit out and sun-bathe. So, the ideal position for this will be in the North, where there is constant useful sunlight and the East where there is morning Sunlight. The West and South sides are too hot to sit and hence should be avoided.

balcony-use
A Balcony is a semi shaded place suitable for sunbathing or working

 
WHAT ARE THE VASTU GUIDELINES FOR PLANTS IN A BALCONY?

Small plants can be placed in the North-East of the Balcony: The Scientific Reason Plants need sunlight to thrive and so should be placed in the North-East, where there is constant, morning sunlight. However if they grow too tall or grow up a pillar, they will obstruct the light into the Balcony and so should be kept short.

Keep only small flower pots in the Balcony: Flower pots with Creepers should not be kept in the Balcony. The Logic – Big flower pots and pots with overflowing creepers tend to obstruct light into the Balcony.

balcony-plants-vastu

 
WHAT ARE THE VASTU GUIDELINES FOR FURNITURE IN A BALCONY?

Heavy furniture and seating should be placed only in the South-West part of the Balcony: The Scientific Reason – The North and East parts of the Balcony should not be obstructed by heavy furniture, so that the useful sunlight can stream in and light up the whole place and the room that is attached to the balcony.

balcony-furniture-vastu

A swing should be placed in the East-West axis: The Scientific Reason – This way, the person sitting on the swing, faces either North or South and thus the sun will not hit him in the face directly.

The floor of the balcony must always be lower than the floor of the main building. The Reason- Since a balcony is exposed to the outdoor elements, there is a chance of rain entering the main house. So it is advisable to keep the balcony floor a step lower.

 

WHAT ARE THE VASTU GUIDELINES FOR THE ROOF IN A BALCONY?

Height of the Balcony roof should be less than the roof of the main building: The Logic – A Balcony is a small space and will look proportional only if the roof is a bit lower than the rest of the building.

balcony-roof-vastu
The roof in a balcony should be lower than the rest of the rooms.

The roof of the balcony should slope towards North, East or North-East. The Reason- This way, the balcony roof will not obstruct the useful sunlight from the North, East or North-East, from entering the main building. 

Avoid using asbestos or tin roof for a Balcony: The Logic – A tin or asbestos roof absorbs and traps heat within a space, making it uncomfortably hot for the users.

This post was about the Vastu guidelines for the design of Balcony. The Balcony is usually accessed from the Bedrooms. Read the Vastu guidelines for the design of these spaces here:

If you want to make the rest of the rooms of your house/apartment Vastu compliant, then go to:



For a concise Vastu guide and evaluation of your Balcony, please refer to the post on my blog: House construction in India

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