Do you have a small balcony that you don’t know what to do with? Try installing a small water feature. The sound of running water can be particularly soothing after a long day at work.

Before you think you need extensive modification to your balcony to install a water feature, here’s the simple truth – all you really is a floor space big enough to hold a sizeable water trough. The rest is just the illusion of bricks or large stones covering up the exterior of the trough to make it look like a special pond was purpose-built into that space.

What happens in a typical water feature is that there is a pump that keeps recycling the water within the trough. So, there is no need to even change the water often.

Some water features have a bevy of strategically-placed plants that makes them look more complicated than they really are. Add some well-placed lighting and the whole works look like an expensive project. But nothing can be further from the truth. In reality, all it takes is a bit of ingenuity in placing all the inexpensive elements together to make a water feature visually appealing and interesting.

Of course, the range of water feature configurations is endless and can be highly customised to your own taste. You can choose the Balinese look using garden pottery or go for the Zen style with minimal ornamentation.

And even if you are really short on floor space, you can still enjoy the soothing sounds of running water by purchasing a table-top version. There is a myriad of these miniature versions on sale at gardening shops or gift shops. All you need to do is add a little water and plug it into a power outlet. Voila!