We hear it from clients all the time: their new outdoor flooring has given them more usable square footage than they had before.

Developers and builders seem to have ignored this space over the last few decades. But as we urbanize, living closer together, and more and more of us choose to live in the smaller spaces that our condos tend to be, the awareness is changing about the possibilities that our balconies or decks present to us.

We Canadians are known for our outdoor spaces… those grand, expansive prairie plains, sparkling lakes and streams, ancient rock formations and majestic mountains, and the seashores snuggled up to three coasts. In Vancouver, you may be able to gaze on the Lions and the North Shore peaks, Burrard Inlet or False Creek. In Toronto, you may be see the masses of green from the plethora of urban trees, or the wide-open water-meets-the-sky view of Lake Ontario. Or maybe it's towers and traffic and hustle and bustle you see and you love the energy and adrenalin and action.

No, your balcony or rooftop isn’t going to magically plop you in the midst of those natural or urban scenes like the latest hologram technology. But it can help create a little urban slice of our own “outside in the city”. We believe you'll appreciate those views more when you can enjoy them from your balcony instead of through the glass inside. Yes, we can make our often-tiny little urban outdoor space inviting, appealing, and an extension of the taste and style we’ve created inside our homes.

It’s kind of like an optical illusion, except that it’s real.  Think about sitting inside your condo, looking out at your balcony. What do you see? How does it make you feel?

If you have an unfinished – aka concrete – balcony chances are good you see something cold and uninviting. Chances are that it makes you feel like staying inside.

Now imagine your balcony finished and beautified with a luxurious, high quality product... whether you call it deck tiles or interlocking, floating outdoor flooring. Imagine it is finished in a style, format and colour tone that matches your taste and your interior décor.  Think about how you would feel then?

We know it will make your space look larger. It will look like an extension of your interior and will be much nicer to look at from the inside. We know it will give you more living space. We know it will give you more time outside - - extending both the seasons and the portions of each day that you are drawn to your uniquely beautified balcony.

We’re thinking you’ll grab your favourite beverage, maybe a book or a friend, and go head outside!