The chair is from Pier One, and I just love it. It's mahogany, and the quality was surprisingly high for a Pier One piece. The chippendale back is charming, as are the details on the legs. The pillows and rug are from Home Goods, and the Chinese garden stool used to be a living room side table (let's hear it for indoor/outdoor!).
A detail of the chair.
The matching pots are by Tahari Home.
I pulled out some bamboo branches and florist wire from Christmas, and created a trellis. The little jasmine plant will hopefully grow up it, and in the meantime, it helps camouflage an adjoining balcony.
There's still space for a second chair, pulled out from the living room, to have a friend over and enjoy a cup of coffee and a sunset.
Finally, Smithsonian Magazine has a fascinating piece on the origin of the balcony, which began as a Medieval device of war for pouring cauldrons of hot oil on enemies, an activity now generally frowned upon by building management and home owners' associations.
