This Renter Turned a “Scary” Backyard into the Ultimate “Oasis” (It’s Unrecognizable!)
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Making substantial design changes to a rental can seem intimidating, to put it lightly. Striking the right balance between making a space your own and keeping things renter-friendly enough to get your security deposit back is key. But it’s totally possible, as renter Megan Zietz (@meganzietz) proved with her renovation of her New York City apartment’s 800-square-foot backyard.
When Megan first saw the apartment’s rental listing, she nearly passed on it because its original state was “a little scary.” Its shed was rusted and covered in vines and dirt.
“The previous tenants basically only used the backyard for beer pong on the patio, so everything was neglected and overgrown,” she says. “But we had a vision to make the space into an oasis while also being a small urban garden.”
Keep reading to find out how Megan and her husband, Dave (@greatjobdave), took their backyard from an eyesore to a personal sanctuary for $500.
The shed got a Mediterranean-esque makeover.
After completing a serious deep clean complete with pressure washing and shed scrubbing, Megan decided to freshen up the backyard shed with a few coats of paint.
“We opted for [Clare’s Whipped] white paint for the shed so it popped, and a yellow [Clare’s Golden Hour] door to give it almost a Mediterranean feel,” Megan says. “It was the most impactful [step] of the project.”
Trellises organize the garden space.
Megan says there was a “learning curve” to figuring out where to situate her large urban garden — which includes raspberry and blackberry bushes, squash, peas, cherries, and more.
“Our previous NYC backyard was a little sparse,” she says. “But as the summer rolled around, everything was really growing and taking over. This year, we decided to move the raised [garden] beds to the back and give them more room to go wild with the help of some trellises.”
The natural green colors from the garden perfectly complement the updated backyard design.
Outdoor seating ties the backyard together.
To bring the space together in a cohesive design, Megan used the size of her yard to create a few seating areas. There’s a Devoko outdoor couch set for lounging and a green-and-white patterned Minnidip umbrella and inflatable pool for cooling off and really relaxing.
“I love the entire setup,” she says. “It’s become such a nice little oasis away from the world.”