A · 1.2 m studio balcony
Sink only, countertop grill
One 800 sink module, two end panels, an electric or small gas grill on top. Nothing else.
A compact outdoor kitchen: small is a constraint, not a compromise
Under 2.4 m you cannot have everything, so the question is what to drop. We have built enough balcony kitchens to know the answer: drop storage, keep the sink, and let the grill sit on the counter rather than in it.
1,975 mm on a city balcony. Sink module, drawer module, end panel.
1.2 m
Sink only. One 800 sink module and two end panels. No grill cabinet — a countertop grill goes on top.
1.8 m
Sink + storage. 800 sink and a 400 narrow module. The most common balcony order.
2.4 m
Sink + oven bay. An 800 sink cabinet plus the 800 mm oven cabinet. The smallest run with a built-in grill.
What is in the standard build
The modules in this layout
Every line can be swapped for a different module at the same height and depth.
| Code | Module | Width | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|---|
| HW-01 | Sink cabinet | 800 mm | Tap, waste and cloths in one body — no separate filler module exists |
| HW-06 | Oven cabinet, 800 | 800 mm | Appliance bay at the standard 656 mm depth |
| HW-04 | Storage cabinet | 800 mm | Third module where the balcony allows 2,400 mm |
| Total | 2 or 3 modules | 1,600 / 2,400 mm | 676 mm total depth including counter |
i
Depth is the real constraint, not length. At 656 mm plus a 20 mm counter overhang, a run sits 676 mm off the wall. On a 1,200 mm balcony that leaves 524 mm of walking space — which is the number that decides whether a built-in grill works at all.
Four details that decide whether it lasts
Nothing here is cosmetic
01 · Why the grill leaves the cabinet
A grill cabinet needs 643 mm of depth and a lid that opens to about 550 mm above the counter. On a balcony, the lid swing eats the walking space. A countertop grill on an 800 sink module gives the same cooking with no lid clearance problem and no gas cabinet.
02 · 400 mm is the module that saves the run
Balconies land on odd lengths. A 400 module absorbs the difference without a filler panel, and it still takes bottles and trays upright. It is the most useful 400 mm in the range.
03 · Both ends get an end panel
A balcony run is visible from both directions — from the room and from the outside. Leaving one end raw is the difference people notice immediately and cannot unsee.
04 · Gas on a balcony is a rule, not a preference
Many apartment buildings and stratas prohibit stored LPG on balconies, and some prohibit gas grills entirely. Check before you design around it. Where gas is allowed, the bottle lives in HW-02 — the 800 mm cabinet with a vented base, sized for a cylinder up to 10 litres.
What you can change
Change anything on the face. Keep the grid.
The one thing we will not change is the shared height and depth, because that is what makes the modules joinable. Widths, door styles, internal fit-out, colour and the grill opening are all yours to specify.
- Yes, changeWidth within the quoted range · drawer and shelf layout · door style · colour · worktop material · grill cut-out · gas entry side · end panel treatment
- Not negotiable900 mm height · 656 mm depth · the 304 / aluminium honeycomb build · mechanical joining between modules
- Quoted separatelyWorktop · sink and tap · grill itself · fridge · freight · custom colour matching
Same grid, three briefs
How it changes with the space you have
These are real client briefs, not marketing variations. The modules change; the height and depth never do. The drawings show the modules each brief resolves to.
B · 1.8 m apartment
Sink + 400 storage
The 400 takes the bin and the bottles upright. Grill stays on the counter.
C · 2.4 m townhouse terrace
Sink + built-in grill
Needs 550 mm of lid clearance in front of the grill — check the balustrade distance first.
FAQ
Balcony & compact questions
What is the smallest run you build?
1,200 mm — a single 800 sink module with an end panel each side, or a 400 storage module plus a 600 gas cabinet. Below that a trolley is a better answer than a kitchen.
Can I have a built-in grill on a small balcony?
Yes if there is clearance. The grill lid needs about 550 mm above the counter when fully open, and you need to stand in front of it. Measure from the counter front edge to the balustrade; under 900 mm and we would recommend a countertop grill instead.
Is 400 mm wide enough to be worth having?
For upright items, yes — bottles, trays, a 20 L bin, chopping boards on edge. It is not a drawer module and should not be planned as one.
Do compact runs cost less?
They contain less material, so yes, but the per-metre figure is higher because the end panels and the freight are shared over a shorter run. A 1.8 m run is roughly 70% of a 3 m run, not 60%.
What worktop do you recommend for a balcony?
Stainless. On a balcony the worktop is also the prep surface, the serving surface and often the dining surface, and stone chips at the edge where a chair hits it. Stainless takes all of it.
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Page last updated · Reviewed by the BOGEQI technical team, Foshan Bogeqi Cabinetry Co., Ltd.