The pool deck gets all the attention, but plenty of Australians do their sunbaking three floors up. If your only outdoor space is an apartment balcony, the right balcony sun lounger turns a strip of concrete into the best seat in the building. The trick is that most sun lounges were designed for poolsides and resort lawns, not for the narrow run of tiles between a sliding door and a balustrade.
This guide covers the compact end of the lounging spectrum: low chairs, reclining lounges and slimline sunlounges from our sun lounges and bean bags collection. We look at why lounging is easier to fit upstairs than dining, which format suits which balcony, and how to follow the sun through the day.
Lounging asks less of a balcony than dining does
A dining setting needs clearance behind every chair so people can stand up, plus a walkway past the table. A lounger needs none of that. It sits along the balustrade or against a wall, nobody walks behind it while it is in use, and it only has to work in one direction — reclined.
That changes which measurement matters. For dining, depth is the number that kills orders. For lounging, it is length: a full-size sunlounge stretches out roughly as long as the person on it, so you want a clear run of floor about two metres long. Most balconies have that along the balustrade, even when they are only 1.5 metres deep.
If your balcony cannot spare a two-metre strip, you are not out of the game. You simply move down a size, to a reclining lounge or a low chair that gives you the same angle to the sun on half the footprint.
What makes a good balcony sun lounger
Three things separate a lounger you use every weekend from one that becomes a clothes horse. First, you must be able to move it on your own. Balcony sun is a patch of light that shifts through the day, and a lounger you can lift one-handed gets repositioned to follow it; one you have to drag does not.
Second, it should fold, stack or tuck away. A balcony is a small room without a cupboard, so anything that flattens against a wall when guests come over earns its keep twice.
Third, think about height. A lower seat feels natural on a balcony because it keeps your sightline under the balustrade rail, which makes a small space feel more private. The trade-off is getting out of it — if your knees vote no, choose a full-height option instead.
Four compact ways to catch the sun
The entry point is the Italia Chair ($155), a compact single chair available in a choice of colours. It suits the balcony that can only spare a corner: park it facing the morning light, and move it out of the way with one hand when you need the floor back.
One step up, the Reclining Sunlounge ($252) does what the name says. The back adjusts, so the same piece works for reading upright with a coffee and lying flat at midday. It is the format we point most apartment owners to first, because it delivers proper lounging without demanding a permanent two-metre footprint.
If your balcony is more veranda than ledge, the Cape Cod Chair ($575) brings the beach-house look upstairs. It is a piece you position once and keep, so give it the corner with the best view rather than the best sun.
And when the balcony genuinely has the length, the Tampa Sunlounge ($699) is the full poolside experience, upstairs. Run it parallel to the balustrade so it borrows your longest dimension, and the rest of the floor stays walkable.
| Format | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Low chair (Italia Chair) | The smallest balconies and tight budgets | Lower seats are harder to get out of |
| Reclining lounge (Reclining Sunlounge) | Sitting up or lying back in one piece | Needs its full floor space when reclined |
| Fixed armchair (Cape Cod Chair) | A permanent corner that looks furnished | Does not tuck away for parties |
| Full sunlounge (Tampa Sunlounge) | Balconies with a two-metre run of floor | Check the length against your balustrade first |
Chasing the sun on an Australian balcony
In Australia the sun tracks through the northern sky, so a north-facing balcony gets the longest run of light and a south-facing one gets the least. East-facing balconies are morning territory; west-facing ones earn their keep after lunch and cook in late summer. None of this changes what you buy so much as where you point it — which is the strongest argument for a lounger light enough to follow the light.
Height brings wind. On upper floors a light chair can move on its own in a decent gust, so lean or tuck your lounger against the wall when you are not using it, and never leave loose cushions out in a blow. Strata rules can also have a say in what lives on a balcony and how it looks from the street; the detail varies by state and scheme, so check your by-laws or ask your owners corporation before buying anything permanent.
And if the same strip of tiles has to earn its living as a dining spot instead, that is a different problem with different maths. Our guide to balcony furniture sets for a 1.5 m deep balcony runs the clearances for tables and chairs, and our balcony sets collection covers the dining side of the space.
Balcony sun loungers — frequently asked questions
Will a full-size sun lounger fit on a balcony?
Usually, yes — along its length. Most sun lounges stretch out to roughly the length of a tall adult, and most balconies are longer than two metres along the balustrade even when they are shallow. Run the lounge parallel to the railing, then check how much depth is left for walking past.
Which direction should a balcony sun lounger face?
North, if you have the choice. In the southern hemisphere the sun sits in the northern sky, so a north-facing balcony collects sun for most of the day. On an east or west aspect, plan around the half of the day your balcony actually gets, and pick a lounger that is easy to angle toward the light.
Can I leave a sun lounger on the balcony all year?
Yes, but it will last longer with a little help. A covered balcony shields furniture from most rain, yet sun and salt air still reach it, so wipe the frame down now and then and bring cushions inside between uses. On an exposed balcony, a fitted cover or a spot inside over winter pays for itself.
What can I use instead of a sun lounger on a very small balcony?
A low chair or a reclining chair gives you the same angle to the sun on about half the floor space. You lose the leg-stretch of a full lounge but keep the posture, and a small footstool closes most of the gap.
Shop the range
Start with our sun lounges collection for the full-length options, or browse the wider sun lounges and bean bags range for low chairs and softer seating. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free on orders over $100, and most orders are dispatched in 3 to 10 business days.
