Second floor doors to nowhere

D

DrTravel

Active member
I've noticed this "feature" in a lot of new homes lately. In some second floor bedrooms instead of a window facing the street they have a windowed door that opens inside with a 12-16 inch ledge on the outside - a mini-balcony. You open the door and step outside to a short ledge with a railing. How useful is this? All you can put on the balcony is a plant or two. The downsides: opening the door takes up a lot of space on the inside of the bedroom, you can't put any furniture there (like under a window), if opened the door has no screen to keep the bugs out, what kind of window covering can you use? With a window you have many choices (shutters, blinds etc.) but what to do with this door?

I'm just wondering.
 
Provides more light than a traditional window, great for smokers, and looks good on MLS listings.  Other than that it's a wtf feature.
 
It can provide you with some breeze at night during the hot summer month especially if the room has afternoon sun.
 
These type of Juliet Balconies are usually seen on interior courtyards or walls not facing any other neighbors.

If your kid got bit by a radioactive spider, it might be useful for them to keep their crime-fighting secret from you.
 
DrTravel said:
I've noticed this "feature" in a lot of new homes lately. In some second floor bedrooms instead of a window facing the street they have a windowed door that opens inside with a 12-16 inch ledge on the outside - a mini-balcony. You open the door and step outside to a short ledge with a railing. How useful is this? All you can put on the balcony is a plant or two. The downsides: opening the door takes up a lot of space on the inside of the bedroom, you can't put any furniture there (like under a window), if opened the door has no screen to keep the bugs out, what kind of window covering can you use? With a window you have many choices (shutters, blinds etc.) but what to do with this door?

I'm just wondering.
Click to expand...

It will be useful for your teenage daughter to sneak out of the house to meet her boyfriend waiting below.

Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?
 
WTTCHMN said:
It will be useful for your teenage daughter to sneak out of the house to meet her boyfriend waiting below.

Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?
Click to expand...
I think most fathers like my scenario better.

:)
 
Hated these Juliet balconies. 

Once I was taking an afternoon nap with the door slightly open for a breeze in the spring.  A wasp came in, waking up to a loud buzzing and a wasp in your face - scared the crap out of me and I ran out in boxers to the living room to grab a broom, my roommates gf was chilling there.  Nothing better than to see a grown man running in underwear bc of a wasp.

This was in addition to a few bees that have flown in through the door.
 
akkord said:
Hated these Juliet balconies. 

Once I was taking an afternoon nap with the door slightly open for a breeze in the spring.  A wasp came in, waking up to a loud buzzing and a wasp in your face - scared the crap out of me and I ran out in boxers to the living room to grab a broom, my roommates gf was chilling there.  Nothing better than to see a grown man running in underwear bc of a wasp.

This was in addition to a few bees that have flown in through the door.
Click to expand...

You will always want to install a screen door for these doors.
 
sentosa said:
akkord said:
Hated these Juliet balconies. 

Once I was taking an afternoon nap with the door slightly open for a breeze in the spring.  A wasp came in, waking up to a loud buzzing and a wasp in your face - scared the crap out of me and I ran out in boxers to the living room to grab a broom, my roommates gf was chilling there.  Nothing better than to see a grown man running in underwear bc of a wasp.

This was in addition to a few bees that have flown in through the door.
Click to expand...

You will always want to install a screen door for these doors.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to install screen doors for French doors that open outward? Wouldn't it have to be on the inside of the door?
I agree, I think these Juliet balconies are useless. I have one in my house and think its dumb.
 
nyc to oc said:
sentosa said:
akkord said:
Hated these Juliet balconies. 

Once I was taking an afternoon nap with the door slightly open for a breeze in the spring.  A wasp came in, waking up to a loud buzzing and a wasp in your face - scared the crap out of me and I ran out in boxers to the living room to grab a broom, my roommates gf was chilling there.  Nothing better than to see a grown man running in underwear bc of a wasp.

This was in addition to a few bees that have flown in through the door.
Click to expand...

You will always want to install a screen door for these doors.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to install screen doors for French doors that open outward? Wouldn't it have to be on the inside of the door?
I agree, I think these Juliet balconies are useless. I have one in my house and think its dumb.
Click to expand...

How about that vertical roller screen?  Have to install it on the inside if the door opens outwards I suppose... Or that infomercial screen that hangs, with a magnetic strip in the middle if you want to actually go one feet outside
 
Good luck when the house settles and the door alignment shifts leaking in water when it rains.

 
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