THIS SPREAD , FROM LEFT : A paperbark maple , right , serves as a living sculpture that delineates the parking area from the living area ; a custom cedar security gate swings inward and serves as a seamless privacy wall .
vision of a modern garden . They sought an extension of their indoor space — a chic outdoor living room filled with low-maintenance greenery and plenty of spaces to entertain , with a parking spot that could become part of the patio when not in use .
“ It was just a space at the base of this apartment building that was unused and unkempt ,” says Anderson , founding principal of the Providence-based Design Under Sky . “ No one was taking advantage of it and the previous owners just left it alone and unused .”
Anderson sketched out some quick designs for the 1,000-squarefoot space during a train ride . He planted tall European hornbeams to form a strong green wall on one side , and a paperbark maple that acts as a buffer between the entertaining and parking space . The elegant tree won ’ t grow too large and overwhelm the area and has copper-hued peeling bark . In the fall , both trees will turn warm shades of yellow and orange .
He turned to simple materials — stone , concrete , wood — to complement the clean lines of the garden plantings . A cedar fence provides privacy at one end , with a custom automatic-entry security gate — also cedar — at the other end . The seamless structure was one of the more challenging elements to design : It had to swing a certain way , permit pedestrian access from the outside , and shield the garden
104 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024