Summer Refresh: Simple, Elevated Ideas to Style Your Home for the Season

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Summer in Brooklyn is all about slowing down, soaking up the sun, and savoring those long golden hours. When the season shifts, so does our approach to home—and this year, we’ve turned our space into a summer-ready retreat.

Whether you’re working with a back patio, a brownstone stoop, or simply opening the windows wide, a few thoughtful updates can go a long way. We recently gave our patio a styling refresh for the season, and here is how we did it.

Outdoor patio with dining table and string lights streamed over the patio

Material Matters

One of the most transformative updates in our space was underfoot: a bold green and white checkerboard tile that instantly grounds the entire design. We used a green and beige marble checkerboard tile to elevate the space. The tumbled finish gives it a soft, aged patina, making it feel like it’s been part of the home for generations. 

To complement the stone, we brought in terracotta planters and lanterns that add warmth and texture. The glass fish pitcher is a go-to for warm weather entertaining—easy, breezy, and full of charm.

Ambient Shifts

Lighting has a way of completely redefining how a space feels after dark. We strung up bulb string lights to cast a soft glow across the patio, and added a few vintage-inspired lanterns to create pockets of warmth and shadow.

Inside, we transitioned to light layers and open textures—like this striped linen throw—to carry that relaxed energy indoors.

The Green Layer

No summer setup is complete without plants. Whether it’s herbs in the kitchen or lush greenery flanking the patio, a little life goes a long way. We opted for oversized greenery and vines that create a luscious summer feel. 

Even if you’re working with a windowsill, clustering a few indoor pots can create that same grounded, garden feel.

Other Summer Favorites

We’ve pulled together all the pieces we used—and a few extras we’re eyeing—on our . From natural textures and vintage-inspired lighting to that standout checkerboard tile, you’ll find everything you need to channel a little brownstone summer magic. You can see all of our patio favorites here.

Cotton Tablecloth

Citronella Candle

Large Planter

Oil Burner

Bistro Chairs

Side Table

Swivel Lounge Chair

Black Outdoor Dining Chairs

Ceramic Planter with Stand

Outdoor Umbrella

Sconce

Our Outdoor Rug with NuStory Home

What to Give a New Home Owner

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We recently heard a phrase that really stuck with us, “Homes have souls, too.” Nothing could be more true! The soul of a home lies in the art of it–the linens on a table, height etchings on a wall–the things and the lives we create within their walls that make them ours. Now, we’re not suggesting that you can wrap all of that up into a single house warming gift, but we think approaching it from this point of view can help narrow it down when there are SO many options. We’re breaking it down and showing you exactly what to give a new home owner to help them add a little soul into their home.

BRINGING WARMTH INTO THEIR SPACE

When we think of home, we think of a place where we feel warm, safe, and seen. The most obvious way to bring warmth into a space would be through flame, making a candle one of the most common housewarming gifts. While we’re not knocking the tried & true, we are suggesting you push a little further out of the box by thinking about warmth as a color, a texture, or a feeling of familiarity. Vintage items (like this print from 1stDibs (which by the way, is offering 40% off through mid March storewide) are a great way to warm a space through all three. Vintage colors & textures tend to feel worn, and as such, add a lived-in look to any space. Natural stone, though cool to the touch, has a grounding & earthly affect in a space that will simultaneously elevate & root the room’s style, so pieces like this sculpture make a great gift. When in doubt, we opt for a bespoke textile or a personalized piece of art.

collage of fine gifts for a new home owner including slippers, olive oil, kitchen towels, and a pasta maker

GIFTING TOOLS TO MAKE MEMORIES WITH

At least one person in your life prefers an “experience” to a physical gift, but we firmly believe you can kill two birds with one stone in this case. Try to put yourself in their home a month, a year, or ten years from now. What would they like to experience within their home in that time? Perhaps they’d love to host a pasta making night with friends, watch the birds fly around a feeder in their backyard, wave to their neighbors from a bistro set where they drink their morning coffee each day, or be the house on the block most known for its funky mailbox. If you don’t know the person well enough to know what type of experience they’d most desire, go with everyday luxury. Encourage them to find meaning in the mundane with a fancy olive oil, an invigorating soap, a plush pair of slippers, or a beautiful wind chime.

collage of fine gifts for a new home owner including art, lamos, pillows, soaps, kitchen towels, and a coffee maker

OTHER GIFTS WE LOVE

For The Living Area

Black Ceramic Spotted Vase

Large Travertine Knot

Balizie Brass and Travertine Decorative Table Sculture

Polished Brass Dish

Candle Holders

For The Bathroom

Tri-Tone Multi Candle Set

Metal Bathroom Accessories

Turkish Hand Towels

Colorful Shower Organizer

Unisex Bath Robe

Fount Society The Routine

For The Bedroom

Bamboo Duvet Cover

Organic Cotton Quilt Set

Ceramic Table Lamp

Cotton Fisherman Throw Blanket

Cowboy Kush Candle

Taper Candle Set

For the kitchen

Coppia Couple Glasses Set of 4

Cotton Fringe Napkin

Black Pepper and Hemp Candle

Espresso Machine

NEED SOME MORE INSPIRATION?

Check out how we styled our projects for more house warming gift inspiration!

Aubergine (eggplant) colored office space with white couches, bookshelvs, white stone coffee table, round purple built in chair and chandelier
Creamy colored kitchen with pot rack and open shelving
Light ficture hanging in a room above fireplace with books and green floral wallpaper

Spring Door Decor

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Spring is just around the corner, and if you’ve been in New York or the like, you know it’s something to celebrate (worth mentioning we’re writing this as snow falls right outside). When the groundhog is finished with its shadow and we can finally lean into warmer weather, we will absolutely be excitedly decking our entry with spring door decor from our favorite, Terrain.

blue door of a brown brownstone with green tree branches peeking from the top

We love a wreath at the holidays, and this year, we’re trying a fresh one for spring! Pro tip: make your life a little (a lot) easier with a wreath hanger and thank us later.

Next up, plants. We’re thinking of planting some jasmine in these ceramic planters, and azaleas in these taper planters! We’re not exactly green thumbs but we are determined to grow some flowers on the stoop this year!

man holding pots on stairs of a stoop smiling

Next, for a pop of dramatic flair, these lanterns with some battery powered tea lights. We had copper versions of these out during the fall and it made the stoop feel so warm and inviting!

Now, the best part of spring is finally being able to spend a little time outdoors. Whether you want to add a bistro set to your patio or a full outdoor dining area, creating a space where you can sit, read, entertain, or simply have a cup of coffee can be a real energy booster!

outdoor dining area
backyard aerial shot with tree, chairs, table, and turf

Making Your Home Feel Bigger On a Budget: Our 5 Home Depot Hacks

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Living in New York, we’re no strangers to tiny closets, narrow hallways, and “cozy” charm. But, no matter where you live, it can be a real challenge to figure out how to make the most of your home’s footprint. Whether your first home is a cute bungalow, a 50’s style ranch, a fixer-upper craftsman, or an old-school place like ours, we could all use some more space!

When we closed on our first home in 2018–a classic brownstone in Bed Stuy–we quickly realized the challenge that lay ahead: renovating this modest space with an equally modest budget. 

However, with determination, creativity, and a little help from The Home Depot, we successfully embarked on a DIY renovation adventure, which eventually morphed into a thriving small business!  Now, as the Brownstone Boys, we help folks all over Brooklyn figure out how to maximize their space while sticking to their budgets. 

Here are our top hacks to help you unlock the potential of your new home without spending a small fortune: 

Breaking Up the Basement: 

The basement is often an overlooked area, which, with a little imagination, can add valuable square footage to your home. And as our small business grew, we knew we needed to create more space at our place to host meetings and clients. While our basement had lots of room, with the boiler and mechanicals on full display, it wasn’t inviting or usable. Inspired by the speakeasies of the 1920s, we designed a new slab wall to close off the unsightly mechanicals and create a warm wood look–for less! 

At Home Depot, we grabbed an RYOBI ONE 18V Cordless Miter Saw, some Varathane Classic Wood Stain, and plenty of Furring Strip Board to assemble our new wall. 

Now, with that quick, budget refresh, we feel more comfortable and confident than ever having clients over to our basement workspace. Our takeaway? Sometimes, it’s more efficient and cost-effective to section off an eyesore in the basement so that you can enjoy the rest of the space surrounding it.  

The Power of Color:

When your square footage isn’t budging, color can be your best friend in creating the illusion of openness. We know what you’re thinking–white paint everywhere, right? However, for this project, we relied on the opposite: a dark, Hunter Green Rustoleum paint to create contrast in our bathroom reno.

First, we used our RYOBI Portable Table Saw to get the perfect cuts on the door so we could install a frosted window feature with a vintage look. Then, we got to painting with our gorgeous dark green from HD! 

Painting a smaller focal point (like a door or window frame) in a darker color compared to its lighter surroundings draws your eye in a way that makes a space feel larger by contrast. We love picking up little tricks like this one that allow you to create the illusion of more space using color and natural light. The best part? No need to bring down any walls to make your room feel bigger!

Unleashing Outdoor Potential:

Whether you have a sprawling, overgrown backyard, a small patio, or even a stoop, you can always elevate your available outdoor space! Especially when the weather’s nice, having a comfortable, welcoming outdoor area will make your home’s footprint feel much larger. When we first moved in, our small, neglected backyard was hardly where you’d want to spend a relaxing evening. But, with a bit of elbow grease and some strategic budget buys from Home Depot, we took our yard from forgotten to unforgettable! 

To get started, we brought in this Sun Joe compact push mower to turn our yard into a clean slate. Once everything was cleared up, we grabbed these treated Weathershield planks to create gorgeous planters that would keep our greenery from Home Depot contained and tidy. 

The finishing touch? A scattering of clean marble chip landscaping rock by Vigoro. 

With just a few budget-friendly changes (and ok, a lot of elbow grease), our backyard has become a favorite hangout spot for movie nights, iced tea with neighbors, and of course, the perfect nap place for Zuko! 

Our three C’s for renovating your Outdoor Paradise: clean, curate, and customize!  

Strip It Down: 

If your first home happens to be an older house (like ours) then you’re probably familiar with painted-over woodwork and finishes, a.k.a the “landlord special”. These bulky, uneven coats of white paint can be an eyesore and give a cluttered, rough look to a room.

When we first got the keys to our brownstone, we knew we would need to do A LOT of stripping to reveal some of the natural wood beauty of our classic home. Wood is nature’s own little trick to make any room feel bigger, thanks to its reflective qualities and elongated grain patterns. 

Using the Wagner Paint Eater, Klean-Strip Paint Remover, and some good old-fashioned steel wool (along with the proper PPE), we uncovered some hidden gems! 

Now, our guests always comment on how the natural wood draws light into our space. This easy DIY brings a touch of the outdoors into your space and adds a great complement to your houseplants or any wood furniture. 

Another quick hack–don’t have any original woodwork in your house? You can create the same effect with a great coffee table, wooden bookshelves, or even side tables, like these from Home Depot. 

Storage, Storage, Storage: 

This Home Depot Hack is for those who are just dipping their toes into the world of DIY and want a quick, cost-effective, and simple solution to free up some space at home. When it comes to creating an open, inviting layout, storage is absolutely essential. 

In Brooklyn, we’re seeing a huge trend of folks repurposing industrial, metal furniture like lockers, cabinets, and shelving for storage. It’s easy to find these items online, at rummage sales, or even at the junkyard at budget-friendly prices! Now, you’re going to need a little Home Depot magic to get these pieces from worn down and rusty to gorgeous and space-saving.  

With these wire brushes from Anvil, you’ll be able to get old, chipped paint off of every nook and cranny. Once your surface is prepped, you’re ready for a few coats of Rust-Oleum 5-in-1 spray paint in the color of your choice!  

We recently worked the same magic on a vintage iron bench we snagged online and we’re so, so pleased with the results. 

So, whether you’re a first-time homeowner trying to maximize your space, or a seasoned renovator in search of a new project, remember – it’s all about using what you have to your advantage. And sometimes, all you need is a touch of creativity, the right tools, and a little bit of the Brownstone Boys’ inspiration!

Budget Backyard Patio and Landscaping

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We’ve been very excited about starting our backyard makeover for a year and half! It’s hard to believe it‘s here! It was always something we were going to get to once our main renovation was complete. During that process we were so deep into the project it just seemed like something we would never get to. While we still have lots of projects to keep us busy inside, we can now focus some attention to getting our backyard in shape for summer!

We’ve already thought about what our ,,priorities are for the space. We’ve planned it out and we’re half way through the work! The design will feature a hardscape area for entertaining, a grassy area for relaxing, and lots of plantings.

Budget

…Or lack of! This is a post renovation project that really never had an official budget. We are moving to it quite quickly after a major renovation, that of course didn’t leave anything in the contingency fund. So we want to make our backyard as beautiful as we can on pretty much a bit of budget to buy plants, some kind of hardscape solution, and maybe a couple of pieces of furniture. We are hoping to spend about $2500 on the whole thing. It’s almost nothing compared to the tens of thousands we scene some people spend. It should be interesting to see how far we could stretch it!

The Design

Our backyard had an interesting feature that we’ve learned was popular in Brooklyn in the 50s and 60s. A path with 2 cement curbs on the sides framed the yard. It created a small raised bed along the fence and a narrower area of grass in the middle. The path itself felt pretty useless to us and it had the effect of making the backyard seem smaller and narrower. Most of our initial designs kept that feature because we didn’t want to go through the trouble and expense of removing it then hauling away all of the cement. It was feeling a bit restrictive in what we could do with the space so we ultimately decided to remove it. With a borrowed jackhammer and a mallet we prepared for some sore muscles.

We found that lining the path all the way around was flagstone concealed under a thin layer of dirt. Have we found our solution to a budget-friendly hardscape surface? We pulled all of the flagstone up and there were some really large pieces. It wasn’t quite enough build the patio we wanted, but it would save us a lot of money buying pavers and drastically cut down on the expense of hauling away debris. So we planned on working it into the design.

As with many of the spaces in our design we found an inspiration picture, with help from our backyard enthusiast designer friend, Jeanette, that closely resembled what we wanted. In that picture pea gravel was used for the patio area. Although we know it’s not for everyone, we really like the Mediterranean vibe it gives the space. So Jeanette helped us come up with a plan to use our reclaimed flagstone along with pea gravel to create a patio area. It will be very budget friendly and reduce the amount of work it would be removing debris and getting materials.

The back half of the yard that gets the most sun will be a grassy lawn. We’re using a special mix of grass seed that is drought-resistant (aka forgetting to water it), dog friendly (aka Zuko peeing in it), and does well in partial sun. We would leave the outside cement curb that creates the raised area along the perimeter to make room for plantings. The last feature will be an easy-to-build raised flower bed in the center of the patio to create some interest with different heights. It also will provide a separation of space for our tenant to have a semi-private patio as well.

The Patio

To make our flagstone and pea gravel patio we first needed to dig down to provide room for the base layer and gravel layer. To make the base layer more solid and reduce the depth of it, Jeanette suggested that we order a ground grid. It’s basically a 2” deep plastic honeycomb that unfolds to create pockets that would hold the base layer to create a solid foundation. We decided to do a 2” base layer of sand and 2” of gravel/flagstone on top. We ordered our materials (we’re currently staying home because of the pandemic) so that it would all arrive before we needed it.

For the first phase, here are the materials we needed to order:

  • Ground grid $200
  • 45 cubic feet of leveling sand $360
  • 30 cubic feet of pea gravel (less than the sand because of the flagstone)$250
  • Metal landscape edging $45
  • 6 – 2X8X12 boards, 3 – 2X8X8 boards, 2 – 2X4X8 boards and 1 box of 3” deck screws $100
  • 1 bag of lawn seed $18

We dug down 4” moving the extra dirt to the back of the yard, and leaving some in the place we knew we would build the raised bed. We graded it slightly away from the house and did our best to level it off. The next step was to install the landscape edging. This is important to keep the gravel and sand from migrating over into the lawn area. It came in 5’ lengths that slid together to create the needed size. Metal stakes were included to anchor it into place.

Installing the ground grid was super easy. It is shipped in a relatively small box and then unfolds like an accordion to create the honeycomb. It was as simple as stretching it out into place.

The next step was to build the raised flower bed. It was going to act as edging for the sand and gravel so we wanted to get it built first. It’s an easy project any novice with a skill saw and drill can do! Our design is 3 stacked 2×8 boards all the way around with 2×4’s in the corners to provide strength and create and anchor into the ground. Here is what we did:

  • Measure the area and plan the length of all of your boards.
  • Cut all boards to length using a skill saw
  • Screw the base ring of 2×8’s together with the longer side overlapping the edge of the smaller side
  • Screw the 2×4’s into the corners with about 3” sticking out of the bottom to anchor it in place (this is a good time to make sure the base ring is square)
  • We then put the base in place and hammered down the 2×4 anchors
  • Go around and complete screwing in the rest of the boards

Now that the raised flower bed is in, the space is prepped for the sand and gravel installation. This went very fast! We had all of the bags of sand poured out in about 30-40 minutes.

Next we laid out the pattern for the flagstone. We leveled them all using the sand, carefully raising or lowering them (they are all different heights which made it tough to work with) by adding or removing sand underneath.

Once the flagstone was all in place and leveled we just needed to pour out the bags of gravel. 30 minutes later we had a complete patio space! We really love the way it came out. We like the clean look the gravel gives the space. It’s comfortable to walk on and it was easy to install. Best yet we have only spent $950 so far so that gives us a nice budget for plants!

That’s where we are! Our next backyard post will be once the space is finished so stay tuned!

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Budget Backyard Makeover

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As we write this it is 55 degrees outside in February! In New York! Terrifying global warming concerns aside, it has us really looking forward to our upcoming backyard makeover. We want it be ready to go as soon as we have consistent nice weather so the time for planning is now! After just finishing up a major renovation we are going to have to get very creative to make the space we want on a very limited budget.

We initially spoke to an exterior design and landscaping firm to explore the option, but with eye popping quotes that rival our interior renovation we are making this a DIY project. It will be one of our biggest, but we will have help! We’re working with a great landscape designer to help maximize the space for what we would like to use it for while working with the interesting existing features. Jeanette Williams, a backyard enthusiast has listened to all of our needs and came up with some amazing options. The labor will be all us (and we’re excited for it!) maybe some friends, and maybe a hired hand at times.

Our backyard has some existing and head scratching features that we are going to try to work with instead of going through the trouble and expense of removing.  There is a cemented trench or walkway (quite the mystery) that goes all the way around the yard. It leaves a 12-24” raised flower bed area around the edge of the yard, which we can put to use. In the middle of the walkway is a raised area that is currently dirt, although pre-construction there a fair amount of grass, where the other features will be.

This is the first round of renderings that just arrived from Jeanette and we are excited to share! From these we can easily pull together the features that will be the best for us. Our main priorities are for it to be dog friendly, have great relaxing and entertaining space, with lots of plantings that are beautiful but easy to maintain.

Three exciting renderings from Garden enthusiast, Jeanette

Dog Friendly
As you might know, we have a 90 pound lab that loves to run around and play ball. It’s already hard to do that in our small backyard with such a large dog, so we would love to have some space for him.  He is also very hard on grass. We need a solution for him to have some fun back there without ruining the place. It’s also his potty area so we’re talking about making a puppy powder room area with rocks so that he isn’t ruining plants and grass. He actually is really good at going where he is supposed to so we’re hoping that if we build it he will go.

Hardscape for Easy Entertaining
All of the fireplaces have been removed from our house. We really wish those who came before us left at least one, but there all gone so there will be no fires inside. But one of the central features for us outside will be a fire pit area with seating that can double for entertaining. We’ll have a hardscape area with pavers laid to create a flat surface. We would like it to be surrounded by plantings to create a relaxing vibe.

Plantings That Have Easy Maintenance
Our backyard is north facing. That is probably the first consideration for us to think about when it comes to plantings. It means it doesn’t get direct sun for much of the day. We’re trying to avoid too much hardscape and would really like there to be some grass. But lack of sunlight and maintenance has us seriously thinking about skipping it or at least reducing the amount. The last thing we want is to put in grass that we will always be fighting to stay healthy if it’s not getting enough sun. So we’ll be monitoring where the sun light falls throughout the day over the next few weeks.

Personal Space
We want to create an area for our tenant and a space for us. Not that we won’t also share, but we would like our tenant to feel she has her own space and we would like to feel we have ours. We plan to do that with strategically placed plantings that create two separate spaces.

Some other features will include a 6 person table and grill on the deck for dining, stringed lights across the entire area, and  a vegetable garden (sunlight permitting.

We’re just getting started with this DIY project but planning is important! Let us know if you have any tips or suggestions about how to best create our backyard dreams on a very limited budget!

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