What do you do with a tiny backyard that's only 15 feet wide—and half as long? In downtown Manhattan, a two-story living wall creates an illusion of space (and views of greenery) for a narrow West Village townhouse.
A gut renovation by Brooklyn-based architects Lubrano Ciavarra gave the homeowners the opportunity to dig out the backyard and cover the back wall with two tiers of planters, creating a walk-out garden with seating on the ground floor (where the new kitchen is situated).
Photography by Chris Cooper via Lubrano Ciavarra.
Above: To the street, the narrow brick house presents a traditional facade.
Above: Looking down on the excavated garden pit from a top floor.
Above: The ground floor kitchen opens to the excavated garden; full-story glass doors replaced the back wall of the house on two levels.
Above: The first-floor parlor looks out onto the top half of the living wall.
Above: The full-height windows completely replace the back wall of the house, to let in sunlight and, when open, to blur the boundaries between indoors and out.
Above: Period details, including a marble mantel and elaborate moldings, are original to the house.
Above: In the top-floor master bathroom, a skylight lets in sunlight.
Above: On the narrow roof, a garden has walk-on skylights.
Designing a tiny townhouse garden? For more inspiration, see:
- Steal This Look: Midcentury Mod Townhouse in Brooklyn
- A Jewel Box Townhouse Garden in San Francisco
- Remodelista's Modern Townhouse Garden Roundup
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