Patio of the Week
Landscape Design
Urban Gardens
Laid-Back Boho Style Perks Up a Small Brooklyn Patio
Layers of fabric, pattern and plantings transform this compact New York space into an inviting outdoor oasis
In search of more square footage and outdoor space, a Manhattan, New York, couple headed to the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, where they bought a ground-floor brownstone unit that shares a divided outdoor fenced-in patio with the second-floor unit.
But the compact, concrete-tiled patio needed lots of attention, including the addition of shade, privacy, comfortable furniture and plenty of greenery to turn it into the inviting, fun outdoor oasis the couple had moved to the area for. Not wanting to spend a ton of money after just buying a home, they reached out to local designer Alicia Hassen for a low-cost way to transform the space into a fun outdoor room for relaxing, having dinners with friends and hosting game nights.
But the compact, concrete-tiled patio needed lots of attention, including the addition of shade, privacy, comfortable furniture and plenty of greenery to turn it into the inviting, fun outdoor oasis the couple had moved to the area for. Not wanting to spend a ton of money after just buying a home, they reached out to local designer Alicia Hassen for a low-cost way to transform the space into a fun outdoor room for relaxing, having dinners with friends and hosting game nights.
After: Hassen created a cozy hangout area that includes a comfortable low-profile sectional that can seat five people. Durable pillows can be moved to the indoor-outdoor rug to provide seating for extra guests around a weatherproof concrete coffee table.
An inexpensive sail provides shade and privacy from neighbors above. Hassen hung it from pieces of wood she bought at a hardware store and stained to match the color of the fence.
Hassen partnered with Dirt Queen NYC to select the plants and create the plantscapes. Two Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), one red and one green, are the main attractions.
Ivy will eventually cover the concrete wall on the left. “It will add more lushness and create more privacy so [the space] feels like an enclosed outdoor oasis,” Hassen says.
A grill sits to the left of the sofa, just out of view.
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An inexpensive sail provides shade and privacy from neighbors above. Hassen hung it from pieces of wood she bought at a hardware store and stained to match the color of the fence.
Hassen partnered with Dirt Queen NYC to select the plants and create the plantscapes. Two Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), one red and one green, are the main attractions.
Ivy will eventually cover the concrete wall on the left. “It will add more lushness and create more privacy so [the space] feels like an enclosed outdoor oasis,” Hassen says.
A grill sits to the left of the sofa, just out of view.
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Hassen, who has lived in California, leans toward a West Coast bohemian style, which suited the Brooklyn couple. She splurged on buying six boho-style accent pillows she found at a local furniture shop. “It gives this space true character while supporting Brooklyn’s local businesses,” she says.
Hassen chose the rug for the blue-and-white diamond pattern that goes well with the off-white in some of the pillows.
At the base of each Japanese maple is a mix of low-growing plants, including petunias, dichondra, golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) and lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina).
A cherry red steel end table and a lime green one on the other side of the sectional pick up colors in the plantings. “There are a lot of colors going on, but they all connect back to something else in the space,” Hassen says.
Hassen chose the rug for the blue-and-white diamond pattern that goes well with the off-white in some of the pillows.
At the base of each Japanese maple is a mix of low-growing plants, including petunias, dichondra, golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) and lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina).
A cherry red steel end table and a lime green one on the other side of the sectional pick up colors in the plantings. “There are a lot of colors going on, but they all connect back to something else in the space,” Hassen says.
A dartboard adds a game element. “We love our games in Brooklyn,” Hassen says.
Simple string lights add to the fun, entertaining vibe, while small planter boxes mounted on the fence hold herbs, bringing in more greenery.
A bench between the red Japanese maple and the grill provides storage below for the pillows if and when the weather turns. The top of the bench doubles as a countertop to set food or supplies.
Instead of adding more plants that would cut into the square footage, Hassen placed planters with grasses and flowers on top of the fence for privacy. She made sure they drain away from the fence. “It really makes a lot of privacy and looks like you’re looking at a lot of trees, which is great,” she says.
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Instead of adding more plants that would cut into the square footage, Hassen placed planters with grasses and flowers on top of the fence for privacy. She made sure they drain away from the fence. “It really makes a lot of privacy and looks like you’re looking at a lot of trees, which is great,” she says.
More on Houzz
See more Patios of the Week
Browse inspiring gardens
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Shop for outdoor products
Patio at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple in their 30s — one works in consulting, the other in advertising — plus their dog
Location: Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Size: 260 square feet (24 square meters); 13 by 20 feet
Designers: Alicia Hassen of Brooklinteriors and Dirt Queen NYC (plantscapes)
Before: The couple chose not to rip up and replace the existing river rock and concrete tiling seen here, because it would have been too expensive. “It drains properly and is sturdy, so you just throw a cute rug on it, add plants and cute furniture, and you won’t even notice it,” Hassen says.
Additionally, the couple wanted to keep costs down by not going all-out with expensive items like built-in furniture, a fire pit or a pergola.
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