Filter
Look Back
Explore
Secret Garden
Some of the most enchanting surprises of living in New York are finding the small tranquil spaces hidden away from view. Outside on the busy streets, the world marches to the drum of the busy city and most people don’t think to look up to see the roof gardens or wonder about the many courtyards behind the buildings.
Our neighborhood is now crowned by the real estate spin doctors as “NoLita” an abbreviation for North of Little Italy. Elizabeth street is lined with tenement buildings that were built in the late 1880′s. The tree lined street has beautiful architectural details, the remainders of the Italian immigrant masons and artisans who created the facades and embellished cornices of the buildings. It was once threatened by the bulldozers of NYC Parks Department and Urban Planner, “Power Broker” Robert Moses, who had envisioned a highway to be built through the neighborhood. This charming European flavor was spared. A hold over and an authentic “Old Fashioned” New York butcher, Moe, whose family has been selling meats for 59 years at Albanese Meats and Poultry, resides between all the tony shops and Cafe Habana on Elizabeth Street.
Behind the EMc2 Boutique there is a small courtyard. Â In preparation for Spring, I asked Kerry Noel, architect, to create the garden environment. The vision was to transform an abandoned urban garden into a Balinese inspired tropical oasis. Kerry thoughtfully considered the idea and drafted the plans. Being “green” Kerry used, where possible, reclaimed wood and stone. To create a space that was intimate yet not overpowered the use of stains allowed the use of elemental details without a uniform look.
The light and dark stains are a lovely backdrop for the lush green plants and trees. An overhang on the design studio covers 4 feet of a porch for additional seating. Kerry Noel treated the facade of the design studio with stucco and dark mahogany sliding shutters, on the windows and door. An exotic walled garden with access to both the boutique and design studio. It is a wonderful way to step out of the bustle of the city into this private secret garden filled with sumptuous plants, pillows and lanterns.
From the design studio, the view through the window is the back wall  of the EMc2 boutique. Kerry Noel, created a wooden slated cornice above the windows and door way, transforming a tarred brick wall into a slotted paneled wall incorporating the existing iron grill work. A decorative fence with a planted boxed of bambo line the perimeter. A horseshoe shaped bench for seating incorporates the slotted wood work design. The floating walk way has a graceful curve to incorporate the stone terraced box for the birch tree.
Kerry Noel with boxes keeps the Zen experience by hiding the mechanical equipment and industrial wiring among ferns, palm trees and exotic grasses.
Flag stones found while terracing the area were recycled for the stone work.
In preparation for our event “Happily Ever After” this Friday we are busy creating pillows for the bench in our “Green and White” theme. Rori Pierpont from Castle & Pierpont Floral design is staging the event space with an eyelet canopy, Moroccan lanterns, a water fountain and wonderful exotic flowers. Â Come see our EMc2 Secret Garden! Our Pre Bridal Week kick off!
TAGS: bridal
Follow me
