If your fire escape is the closest you’ll get to a backyard this summer, fear not–6sqft has dug up some products that will turn this tiny space into much more than a place to set up some potted herbs. From grills to desks, we’ve found six clever items that require nothing more than the railing of your fire escape. Of course, consult your lease and talk to your landlord before installing them (technically putting objects on the fire escape is illegal, however they’re becoming a thing of the past due to safety concerns), but once you get the go-ahead these designs are sure to maximize your outdoor enjoyment.
6sqft previously featured German designer Michael Hilgers‘ balcony desk known as BalKonzept. The lightweight piece simply hooks onto the rail of a fire escape to function as a desk, dining table, or even a bed for your four-legged friend. It comes in a variety of colors and does double duty as a planter (though we can also see the cavity working well as an ice bucket to keep drinks chilled).
But if you want the planter without the desk, Hilgers also has created Eckling, what he says is the first planter made for balcony rail corners. The 90-degree mounting corner makes it easy to snap on, and like BalKonzept, it comes in a variety of colors to pretty up your outdoor space.
If you want a platform that’s a little simpler and more compact, Torafu Architects have created the Sky Desk. Its clever locking system hooks onto a railing, and the cedar platform is the perfect size for a laptop or couple of drinks.
A lot of balcony accessories are made for wooden decking, but Duncraft has several bird feeder hooks that clamp on as opposed to screwing in. They come in a variety of sizes, some of which can swivel in to make refilling food easy.
Want to add some natural candlelight on the fire escape, but don’t want to risk knocking them over? These petite stainless steel holders from Esschert Design use silicone loops to attach to the railing for a no-worry glow. Consider adding citronella candles for bug-free enjoyment.
This compact grill is a much more summer-friendly option that firing up the George Foreman and filling your apartment with smoke and meat odors. Designed by Henrick Drecker, the Bruce Handrail Grill is shaped like a flower box and hangs from the railing freeing up space that a traditional charcoal grill would use. It’s also pretty affordable at $78.
Editor’s Note: It’s technically illegal to put objects on a fire escape in NYC or use it as a balcony. However, due to recent issues over safety concerns and shifts in the building code, many buildings are losing their outdoor fire escapes in place of fireproof interior stairwells, which are now seen as the emergency exit of choice.
“As long as the holiday decor does not interfere with the fire escape’s intended use, decorating should not be a problem.
These little metal ledges are something only New Yorkers could romanticize so much, and they have a long history here in the city (some people even used them as open-air bedrooms back in the day). So we want to celebrate them—have you done something magical with your fire escape? Wed like to see it. You can submit a photo to us at [email protected] (just let us know if you would like to remain anonymous).
I have never really delved into the world of Pinterest, which seems to me to be a place where people collect s of things they want but will never have, and call it “inspiration.” Sad! But while searching for a photo of a fire escape recently, I came upon a fire escape Pinterest board, and hoo boy… do you even know what people do with their fire escapes? They turn them into lush verandas, resting spots, miniature porches, little oases of their own.
“It really is the Met Gala for us,” said Alaa Hashim Balkhy, cultural editor at Harpers Bazaar Saudi Arabia.
This goes beyond the romance of simply dangling ones feet off a fire escape on a hot summer day in the city—its a full transformation, an extension of ones apartment, and it can be a real gamechanger here in the land of 400-sq-ft living spaces. F*ckin Pinterest, man.
Its not at all legal to do these wonderful things to your fire escape, as they are meant to be kept clear in the event of, you know, a fire. FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told us, “In short, no, plants and other items are not to permitted on fire escapes.”
A lot of balcony accessories are made for wooden decking, but Duncraft has several bird feeder hooks that clamp on as opposed to screwing in. They come in a variety of sizes, some of which can swivel in to make refilling food easy.
If your fire escape is the closest you’ll get to a backyard this summer, fear not–6sqft has dug up some products that will turn this tiny space into much more than a place to set up some potted herbs. From grills to desks, we’ve found six clever items that require nothing more than the railing of your fire escape. Of course, consult your lease and talk to your landlord before installing them (technically putting objects on the fire escape is illegal, however they’re becoming a thing of the past due to safety concerns), but once you get the go-ahead these designs are sure to maximize your outdoor enjoyment.
6sqft previously featured German designer Michael Hilgers‘ balcony desk known as BalKonzept. The lightweight piece simply hooks onto the rail of a fire escape to function as a desk, dining table, or even a bed for your four-legged friend. It comes in a variety of colors and does double duty as a planter (though we can also see the cavity working well as an ice bucket to keep drinks chilled).
Editor’s Note: It’s technically illegal to put objects on a fire escape in NYC or use it as a balcony. However, due to recent issues over safety concerns and shifts in the building code, many buildings are losing their outdoor fire escapes in place of fireproof interior stairwells, which are now seen as the emergency exit of choice.
If you want a platform that’s a little simpler and more compact, Torafu Architects have created the Sky Desk. Its clever locking system hooks onto a railing, and the cedar platform is the perfect size for a laptop or couple of drinks.
How to Install Your Design Ideas FireEscape™ shelf
FAQ
Can you put furniture on fire escape?
Can I put plants on my fire escape?
Can I put a chair on my fire escape?
Why are fire escapes not used anymore?
How to decorate a fire escape?
This is a bit of a cheat, but if you have strict rules about fire escape décor, decorate the walls instead. You could hang some vintage signs, paint, use wall stencils, or hang a flag. Sure, it’s not an amazing solution to fire escape decorating ideas, but it’s better than nothing. 7. Temporary Outdoor Seating
Should you decorate your fire escape balcony?
While they’re something of a cultural icon, external fire escapes really aren’t fit for purpose. Even so, older apartment blocks still use them because they lack the internal space to build new fire-safe stairwells. But why would you want to decorate your fire escape balcony? Simply put, they’re ugly.
How do you escape a house fire?
Make sure people know how to escape from every single room, both routes, and can do so entirely on their own in case you are unable to find them during a house fire. Complete several evolutions of your fire escape plan starting from various places in the home. Use a crawl, walk, run methodology to increase difficulty in realism.
Is it illegal to install items on my Fire Escape?
And there it was: my fire escape. This is the space I was working with. Before you start, yes, I know it is illegal to install items on your fire escape. That’s why I decided I’d only bring out things that could easily be removed once I came back inside. I need Vitamin D, people!