A little outdoor space can go a long way in an urban area, which is why patios and decks are such popular amenities in Hudson County. Even the smallest space can be transformed into an oasis. Hoboken and Jersey City residents have gotten creative with their outdoor spaces, despite the limited space. We thought it’d be fun for locals to share how they decorated their patio/balconies including the square footage, design inspo, budget, and more. Read on for the fifth installment of our Urban Space Series.
Disclaimer: To be considered for our Urban Space Series, email hello@hobokengirl.com with the following questions completely answered and photos attached.
Limor and Nick Faraguna’s Patio
Limor and Nick both work in finance. They have two small children: Eliana age 5 and Gabriel age 3. They’ve lived in Hoboken in the same building for seven years. Originally, the family lived in a 3rd-floor apartment but during 2020 wanted outdoor space and moved down to the first-floor unit of the same building. When they met in 2010 Limor lived in the West Village and Nick lived in Hoboken. Then they moved to San Francisco later that year and spent four years living there before returning to Hoboken in 2014.
HG: What city do you live in?
LF: On Hudson Street in Hoboken.
HG: What is the square footage of the balcony?
LF: Our backyard is about 700 square feet.
HG: What type of building do you live in?
LF: We live in a brownstone condo.
HG: What was the design concept + goal of the space?
LF: The goal is a comfortable entertainment space for family and friends. CB2 calls the style “French coastal living in the 1960s.”
HG: Where did you pull inspo from?
LF: Pinterest.
HG: Tell us about the furniture, where did you purchase each piece?
LF: The sofas are from CB2 and the fire pit is from Wayfair. The slide and table are from Target.
HG: Any plants/decor/unique items there that you’re especially proud of?
LF: We love the fire pit on cooler evenings and for s’mores with the kids.
HG: What challenges did you encounter, if any, when creating your space?
LF: Furniture orders were very delayed during the pandemic so we waited over five months for some of the items.
Read More: Where to Buy Holiday Decorations in Hoboken + Jersey City
Morgan Roussos and Will Thompson’s Patio
Morgan and her boyfriend, Will, moved in September 2020 during the pandemic. Will grew up in Vermont and Long Island and Morgan is from Central Jersey. He’s a personal trainer and Morgan works in sales and marketing.
HG: What city do you live in?
MR: Hoboken.
HG: What is the square footage of the balcony?
MR: It’s around 250 square feet.
HG: What type of building do you live in?
MR: It’s a walk-up home.
HG: What was the design concept + goal of the space?
MR: To clean up the place and have a comfortable and inviting space for our friends and family, and an area we could hang out in and work remotely for when it’s nice out.
HG: Where did you pull inspo from?
MR: Mostly Google searching small backyard ideas and seeing what came up that made sense for our space.
See More: Here’s What $1,950 Can Get You in Jersey City
HG: Tell us about the furniture, where did you purchase each piece?
MR: The table and chairs came with the apartment and the couch we got on Amazon.
HG: Any plants/decor/unique items there that you’re especially proud of?
MR: We have a solar-powered wind chime with a crescent moon on top of it that is pretty cool. And at night we have a projector we use to watch movies back there sometimes, too.
HG: What challenges did you encounter, if any, when creating your space?
MR: Not many challenges, just thinking how to cheaply turn it into a space we could enjoy hanging out in that looked nice! There isn’t a ton of natural sunlight so we can’t grow much greenery, and had to utilize certain plants where we could and spend some time simply cleaning it up.
HG: Any other things you’d like to share or tips for people wanting to beautify their urban outdoor spaces.
MR: You don’t need to spend a ton to make a place look nice. just find things that add color and make it homey.
