Patio of the Week
Landscape Design
Before and Afters
Modern Backyard Makeover Transforms a Couple’s Life at Home
Landscape designers turn an overgrown New York lot into a welcoming outdoor destination
Rachel and Julian Lord hired Outside Space NYC Landscape Design to transform their urban backyard into an outdoor destination. The couple had lived in their Brooklyn, New York, brownstone townhouse for 14 years but never spent any time outside, as their shady, overgrown yard didn’t invite outdoor lingering.
“Once the beautiful new outdoor space was ready, we wished we had done it sooner,” Rachel says. “It’s changed the way we use our home.” Now, weekend mornings start with breakfast on the covered back porch, then the couple moves up to the deck for dinner and evening lounging. A fire pit circled by chairs in the far rear of the yard invites late-night gathering.
“Once the beautiful new outdoor space was ready, we wished we had done it sooner,” Rachel says. “It’s changed the way we use our home.” Now, weekend mornings start with breakfast on the covered back porch, then the couple moves up to the deck for dinner and evening lounging. A fire pit circled by chairs in the far rear of the yard invites late-night gathering.
After: A Pennsylvania bluestone patio anchors the back of the yard, with a circular arrangement of red Adirondack chairs drawing the homeowners and visitors out to lounge. The couple uses the fire pit to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night — a British holiday commemorated with bonfires and fireworks — and to introduce their friends to its traditions.
A patch of turf separates the patio from the back of the house, giving the ground another color and a softer texture. It also breaks the space into multiple “rooms,” which helps make the yard feel larger.
The designers and homeowners used artificial turf by XGrass, as grass won’t grow in the shady yard. “The real thing turns into a mud bath with heavy traffic. It is a pain to maintain and completely wastes water,” Kalina-Jones says.
Elephant’s ear plants add interest and help distinguish the lawn area and the patio. Ivy, ornamental grasses and sweet potato vine border the yard.
A patch of turf separates the patio from the back of the house, giving the ground another color and a softer texture. It also breaks the space into multiple “rooms,” which helps make the yard feel larger.
The designers and homeowners used artificial turf by XGrass, as grass won’t grow in the shady yard. “The real thing turns into a mud bath with heavy traffic. It is a pain to maintain and completely wastes water,” Kalina-Jones says.
Elephant’s ear plants add interest and help distinguish the lawn area and the patio. Ivy, ornamental grasses and sweet potato vine border the yard.
The handmade Brooklyn art fixture along the far wall is made of reclaimed tin and came from Collier West in Brooklyn. “It lights up, giving the garden lovely evening lighting,” Kalina-Jones says.
A built-in planter overflows with ivy and other shade-tolerant plants, softening and adding layers to the wall. The designers built this planter, along with the rest of the back wall, using construction-grade plywood, facing the exposed portions with ipe wood.
A built-in planter overflows with ivy and other shade-tolerant plants, softening and adding layers to the wall. The designers built this planter, along with the rest of the back wall, using construction-grade plywood, facing the exposed portions with ipe wood.
Wide steps lead up to a new covered ipe wood deck off the back of the house. The designers wrapped the back of the house in ipe, which they also used for the perimeter fencing, as a way to modernize the home and unify the design.
The upstairs deck, which sits on top of an addition that the homeowners had previously completed, predates the landscape renovation. But the deck before wasn’t as long, didn’t have metal railings and wasn’t as usable as the homeowners would have liked. By extending it a few feet, they made the deck more usable and created shade and cover for the lower-level porch.
The upstairs deck, which sits on top of an addition that the homeowners had previously completed, predates the landscape renovation. But the deck before wasn’t as long, didn’t have metal railings and wasn’t as usable as the homeowners would have liked. By extending it a few feet, they made the deck more usable and created shade and cover for the lower-level porch.
One challenge in adding the lower-level deck and extending the upper deck was accommodating a silver birch tree. They preserved the tree instead of removing it by integrating it into the decks’ designs.
On the newly expanded upper deck, the homeowners can dine and lounge while looking out over their lush urban backyard.
“The patio furniture makes it easy to spend weekend evenings comfortably reading on the outdoor sofa. Movie nights have been a hit with friends, projecting classics onto the large white wall,” homeowner Rachel Lord says.
“The patio furniture makes it easy to spend weekend evenings comfortably reading on the outdoor sofa. Movie nights have been a hit with friends, projecting classics onto the large white wall,” homeowner Rachel Lord says.
Patio at a Glance
Who lives here: Rachel and Julian Lord, a British couple who has lived in this home for 14 years
Location: Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Size: 800-square-foot (74-square-meter) outdoor space; upper deck is 323 square feet (30 square meters); lower deck is 170 square feet (16 square meters); patio is 110 square feet (10 square meters)
Designer: Outside Space NYC Landscape Design
The team at Outside Space consisted of Edward Jones, who oversaw design and construction management, and Irene Kalina-Jones, a horticulturist who also worked on layouts and project management.
With the redesign, the homeowners hoped to utilize and unify the outdoor space in a modern design. Additionally, they wanted more privacy from the newly constructed building next door.
Look for a local landscape designer on Houzz