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How to Decorate Your Outdoor Space- NYC Edition

How-to-decorate-city-outdoor-space

“I finally made it big” you’re thinking to yourself as you admire your outdoor space in the concrete jungle. Finally, you have a space that you’re proud to call your own. However, are you completely proud to show it off? If you are lucky enough to find yourself with any of your own outdoor space, don’t take it for granted! With summer quickly approaching, there’s so much you can do with the limited valuable space you’ve gotten your hands on.

If you have any (small) outdoor “get togethers” in mind or just need a place to unwind, you need to make sure your city “backyard” looks as cool and trendy as possible, with the added bonus of functionality. We’re talking about making sure you have a small semblance of privacy in the typically congested NYC.

Once you we’ve made sure your neighbors are keeping their friendly distance, throw some rad outdoor furniture into the mix. Obviously some seating would be a great starter, but if you’re lucky enough to have a suburb sized space in the land where a square foot can cost you and arm and a leg, incorporate some table and decorative pieces into the mix.  When the sun begins to set you don’t want to be left out in the dark, so we’re going to hook you up with some mood lighting as well. Lastly, you know how we tell you an outfit is only as good as the accessories to match? Same thing applies to your home décor.  Spruce up some basic pieces by adding your own sense of style with some funky home additional pieces.

Don’t get too overwhelmed, you don’t need to be an HGTV handyman or a less hardened Martha Stewart to transform your outdoor space into something more useful than a place to store your bike. Read on and I promise you’ll have the most on point space within your borough (or at least your block).

Outdoor Decoration Tips- The Outdoor Decorating Golden Rule(s)

roof-top-patio-ideas-garden-design-8

Living in the city, you’re considered a lucky if you’re blessed with the luxury of a closet, let alone an outdoor space.  And if you are lucky enough to find your first place with some fresh air, you may not always be living in the same spot. So why drop a ton of money on some outdoor furniture you may not be able to even use in your next pad? Besides that, NYC is a seasonal place so I doubt you’ll be hanging outdoors anytime between November to March (or will you?  Hint, we found some sweet heaters).  So we’ll try and help you keep your outdoor furniture spending to a minimum, without losing your high society taste.

Try purchasing basic furniture with a neutral color scheme. You can save the pops of color or the funky patterns for added décor pieces. When you want to change up your outdoor space for the next season, it will be so much easier to find newer décor pieces that flow a white, beige, or black color rather than an orange polka dot sofa. Because that orange polka sofa is a marriage piece. You’ll be stuck with it and everything you’ll want will have to agree with it.  And fuck having to plan your life around your couch.

Best Affordable Outdoor Furniture

Lawn Chairs

Gray Outdoor Lawn Chair Ikea Modern

Find this sleek yet typical chaise at IKEA for $169 – with multiple color options to choose from

outdoor dark stained wood chaise furniture

Here’s another chaise from IKEA for $129 – We really like the dark stain and the possibility of some cool patterned chaise pads.

zuo castle peak chaise outdoor furniture amazon

Similar to the IKEA chaise above, this chaise features a more blank mesh design. You can pick up this Zuo outdoor lounge chair on Amazon for $318.

outdoor chaise pottery barn cushion

This one takes the winner’s spot for us.  The dark stained wood with the back wheel detail looks sophisticated and clean. Pick up yours at Pottery Barn for $149-$599

acapulco chair white yliving

A more decorative and playful feel without compromising function.  This chair helps add a twist into the mix of your basic outdoor furniture. We found this from YLiving for $430.

You’re starting to get what direction we’re going towards with the chairs, right? It’s time to bring out the sofas.

Modern Outdoor Sofas

casbah loveseat outdoor furniture

This outdoor loveseat style sofa sticks to the neutral palate we’re looking for without being a boring, traditional loveseat. The sofa’s base is structured out of this modern yet funky geometric edging helping to bring some texture into what otherwise could be a rather bland piece of furniture. We found this on sales at CB2 for $599.

bubble club sofa yliving

Talk about a sofa with modern appeal! This outdoor sofa effortlessly combines a bold yet sleek look. While staying in a neutral color zone, this Bubble Club sofa radiates a fun vibe for the rest of your décor! Get your Bubble Club sofa from YLiving for $1,250.

bocca sofa red outdoor furniture

This piece is a classic, coming straight out of the 70’s. With this vibrant and unique couch you will make a statement that no one will forget. This Bocca sofa is available at All Modern for $1,100.

Modern Outdoor Dining Tables

Ikea outdoor table gray falster

This table includes two chairs and a bench. It’s a fun, yet simple piece to add dimension to your furniture sets. The breakup of chairs and the bench really makes this piece stand out from other outdoor pieces. We found this at IKEA for $360.

ikea outdoor table dark stained wood

Similar to the table above, this outdoor table puts a spin on the traditional set up. We really love this one for it’s dark stain and arm rests. The minor details really kick the table up a notch in our book. Again, we found this at IKEA for $309.

Outdoor Storage Bench

outdoor storage bench

This piece gives you the best of both worlds. Here you can store some of your seating pads (to avoid them from getting either rained on or sun stained when not in use) and make the guy you like least at your barbeque sit on it. Lets be honest, it looks great on your outdoor patio, but no one wants to be the unlucky person stuck on the wooden backless bench. While it is not a necessity, this piece is very convenient and adds coziness to the environment that will really help enhance the entire outdoor space.

This is another IKEA piece for $129.

Modern Outdoor Umbrellas

outdoor umbrella ikea

Since you’ll mostly be enjoying your outdoor space in the sunshine, it’s ideal to purchase an umbrella so you can control how much of those rays you’ll be soaking up. Another favorite from IKEA for $119.

Outdoor Bar Carts

wheelie bar cart outdoor

A bar or a bar cart is a must have, nonnegotiable piece of furniture for any deck or patio.  If you dont have this your friends will stop liking you.  As they should.  Grab it from CB2 for $229.

Outdoor Space Heaters

Firesense space heater patio outdoors

Even during the warm summer months, the evening can get a little too chilly for our liking. Appreciate the NYC lights during the night on your patio without freezing with a trendy space heater. Long gone are the bulky boxes that radiate blasts of toasty heat, now it’s only acceptable to decorate your outdoor space with a practical piece. We so recommend you pick one of these up for your makeover on Amazon for $149.95!

Artificial Turf- Because the Grass is Always Greener

artificial turf apartment style

Let’s be real here, NYC is a beautiful place unlike any other geographic location. The skyscrapers and bustling city traffic all make for a unique atmosphere, but where the hell is the nature? Now this grass isn’t too “naturey”, but it does help promote an outdoor patio vibe for your city hideaway.

We found a great place in the city where you can pick up some artificial stuff (no watering!). It’s called, It’s Not Grass, where they specialize in NYC rooftops and urban spaces. Ask for Steve Lasoff and tell him that Andrew Wise sent you.

For roughly 300 square ft. you’re looking at about $2,000.  It’s a great deal that will no doubt bring out the “outdoors” to your slab of concrete.

Faux Ivy Privacy Screen

A little too close for comfort with your neighbors? Probably. And even if you have the world’s greatest neighbors, everyone needs a little bit of alone time. A cool way to give you the privacy your looking for without building a scary intimidating brick wall is by installing a faux ivy privacy screen. You’ll be able to bask in your own oasis minus the wondering eyes of the couple next door, all without having to keep the maintenance of a real ivy plant.

Some great smaller budget ivy screens can be purchased on amazon!

For a larger budget you may want to check out amazon here for paneling pieces.

smaller ivy privacy screen

Need a NYC Place That Features Outdoor Space? Check This Out!

street easy

Are you trying to find your perfect New York City pad? Are you having trouble finding one that will give you space for a small outdoor oasis? There’s no need to worry anymore, Street Easy has you covered! On www.streeteasy.com you can find NYC rentals available with whatever preferences you’d like. Just hit advanced options and check off “public or private outdoor space” and voila, your sun bathing oasis awaits! You run the search, check off any other desirable amenities, and your perfect matches are found! We love this site so much, we even found our apartments with their search engine!

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Lifetailored has partnered with Creditcards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Lifetailored and Creditcards.com may receive a commission from card issuers Additional Disclosure: This site has affiliate links. We may be compensated when users make a purchase or register to a third party website. For more details read our privacy policy.

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