Before/After: How I Turned My Tiny 15’x15’ Backyard into a City Oasis

It’s a major privilege that my apartment in Brooklyn also happens to come with a tiny plot of outdoor space. With two kids, now 8 and 2, I’ll admit that it was this highly coveted amenity that led my husband and I to sign on the dotted line of our lease. (That and the close proximity to one of our favorite sandwich shops.)

Before moving in, I had grand visions of what we could do with it—how we’d utilize the space for al fresco dinners and to provide our city-loving kids with easy access to the outdoors. But, as life goes, it was always a piecemeal project. I inherited a storage shed from the tenants who lived here before us; swapped out the market umbrella for a cantilever style in order to achieve more shade (worth it); and invested in a variety of rug sizes to cover up the gravel, which came with the space.

But it was hard to make it all feel cohesive. And with a beloved playground across the street, we ended up relying on that for any “backyard” play.

This summer, with help from Yardzen, I decided to prioritize my tiny patch of concrete once again and put some actual effort into it. Here how my micro makeover turned out.

How I Worked with Yardzen

For those unfamiliar, Yardzen is a virtual service that pairs you with a talented landscape designer to create a plan for your backyard. Once you align on the final look, depending on the package you choose, they’ll supply you with 3D renderings, CAD drawings and even pair you with a vetted contractor—not to mention, work within your budget and provide discounted product recommendations—to help bring your vision to life.

In my case, I selected the Signature Backyard package, which allowed me to info dump images of my backyard in its current state, plus exact measurements, to my assigned designer alongside details in terms of what I hoped the 15-foot by 15-foot space could become.

I also shared that I wanted it to be a place to lounge and hang out in the summertime, as well as a place to congregate for family dinners and doing homework after school. My intention was for the space to include functional storage and greenery, but still be a place where the kids (for example, my two-year-old) had room for a water table while the grown-ups (me and my husband) could enjoy a post-kid bedtime glass of wine before the fall weather turns cool.

After uploading those assets and goals, I received early renderings with the option to do two rounds of revisions to narrow down the final look.

As you can see, the space was largely…a mess. My kid’s soccer net took up the majority of the square footage, but it also, quite frankly, didn’t feel inviting at all. One hard lesson learned from a New York winter: Outdoor cushions have to be stored. (They won’t survive it otherwise.) Another pain point: The increased volume of rainfall that the city now tends to get. This means that the loose gravel moves, leading it to be uneven in various spots. I worked with my building to re-gravel and even it out for this project. That effort wasn’t costly (about $6 a bag), but also immediately improved the overall aesthetic.

After receiving the photorealistic renders of my backyard from the landscape designer, I was immediately impressed by how he maximized the space. Since moving in, it always felt like we had room for an outdoor sofa or a dining set—not both. But swapping out my loveseat and two-chair set for L-shaped seating (I went with the Elise outdoor sectional from Article) made my tiny space feel much more open and like there was still ample room for a mealtime setup (I opted for this rust-proof option from Burrow). I even kept the coffee table but opted for something a bit more sturdy and less matchy-matchy in order to create more visual interest. Made from a hand-cast stone composite, it adds texture beside the wood and aluminum of the other two pieces—but also an additional spot to set out a pizza box or board game for family game night.

It’s no surprise that city living means everything is compressed. As a result, every bit of square footage—even outdoors—needs to be maximized. To do this, my designer helped me land on an outdoor storage setup that was horizontal instead of vertical, instantly creating space for kid-sized bikes, scooters and outdoor tools. The cantilever umbrella came in handy, too, since it meant that I could tuck the pole in the far corner (versus intersecting the yard) while still ensuring ample daytime shade. I also played around with the outdoor lighting, adding this solar lantern from Frontgate and restringing the lights so that they provided better evening ambiance.

One of the things that was most notable after working with my Yardzen designer was the attention to detail. For example, choosing a sofa with enough depth to lean back; incorporating texture where possible (see the above note about the coffee table); and investing in the micro flourishes that tie it all together (for example, the placemats and gingham napkins for outdoor dining, but also a few strategically placed plants). I also really wanted to get a rug that was the right size (meaning it reached beneath the couch and the table) and also one that could hold up to the elements vs. pooling with water after every downpour. This option, which I picked up from Home Depot, fit the bill—and also gave everything a cohesive look. (I’ll add that this handy tool from Shark, called the BlastBoss, has been critical when it comes to whisking tracked dirt and tiny bits of gravel off the rug to keep it looking extra pristine.)

For anyone who doesn’t necessarily have a green thumb, this is another area where Yardzen’s help is critical. My designer was able to take notes about the environment into account (not just the geographic location, but the fact that for much of the day, my yard gets full sun) in order to make credible suggestions in terms of the best plants. The reccos are all curated in a tab within my Yardzen account, but since I went with a DIY approach, I took the suggestions straight to my nearby garden center in Brooklyn and sourced everything—perennials like the Olga Mezitt Rhododendron to the butterfly weed and foxgloves—myself. But again, it all comes back to the tiny details: Positioning the tall planter in front of the A/C to block out a potential eye sore in the space; picking up a couple of battery-operated uplights that I could tuck into the Veradek long planters. TLDR: This effort did teach me that the greenery is going to be an evolution. It’s a process and so my plan is to space my plant investments out.

To see it all come together—and with a bit of elbow grease on my part—was a treat. The space not only feels comfortable and elegant, it feels functional. The proof is in the amount of time we’ve been spending outdoors. My kids are eager to dine al fresco and we’ve been playing rounds of Uno late-night with my eldest after the little one goes to bed. The final pain point I need to solve is about protecting those couch cushions—and, frankly, all the furniture—during inclement weather. But, TBH, something like this is perfect. Here’s to enjoying the rest of summer (and a picturesque New York fall) outdoors.