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I thought I'd share a few photos of a project my Dad and I completed when I first moved into my apartment. Air-conditioning units like this one are very common on apartment balconies, so hopefully this can inspire someone!
When I first inspected this apartment, one of the first things that stuck out to me was the gigantic eyesore of an aircon unit visible through the largest window of the living room. This, coupled with the Weber I received as a housewarming present - convinced me the space was crying out for a custom piece of furniture.
The aircon unit
My concept served two purposes - hide the aircon from sight (without harming efficiency), while creating a great spot to place the Weber, store a gas bottle, and entertain.
My Dad had put together countless Merbau table/chair settings over the years, so I knew he was the man for the job to help bring my vision to life.
I did some research online and in store, and found examples that worked as BBQ stands, and examples that worked as aircon covers. I drew upon a combination of these when creating the concept designs below.
Inspiration
Original concept designs
Size of aircon marked, dictating width of tabletop and placement of legs
Construction
To hide the aircon even further, I decided to paint it a dull grey colour.
Prepping the aircon unit
Staining
Test fit
The finished product
Hope this project can inspire someone else to do the same! Feel free to message me with any questions.
Hi @DoSimpleBetter,
Many thanks for sharing your project. As you have mentioned many apartment residents face a similar air-con unit and I trust they will take great inspiration from your project. The aircon cover is really well designed and suits the area perfectly. I don't think you would even notice it was there until someone told you. You've created a perfect space to enjoy some outdoor cooking.
Since you included the picture looking inside, I'd like to say I really enjoy your apartment styling as well. Keep up the great work, with all your plans for the outside I am sure it will soon be looking as spectacular as the inside.
We look forward to seeing what you will contribute next.
Well done.
Mitchell
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community Susan (@123Susan). It's great to have you join us and many thanks for jumping into the conversation.
I trust @DoSimpleBetter will be able to answer your questions.
There are a couple of Merbau panels which you could utilise in your build: SpecRite 1800 x 902mm Merbau Slat Screen Panel and SpecRite 1800 x 600 x 33mm Merbau Garden Fence Panel. They can be cut down to suit your sizing and are very versatile. I recently built a backyard fence and gate from them but I can see them being useful for you too.
We look forward to hearing more about your project and would encourage you to let us know if you need any assistance or would like to share it with the community. I'm sure you'll find loads of inspiration within the community as our creative members are contributing their ideas here all the time.
Mitchell
