This Clinton Hill, Brooklyn patio features custom-built wood planters, concrete-blend pavers, and a sunken deck-level planter filled with polished river stones and variegated irises. When I arrived at the initial consultation with the client, she said she was unhappy with the awkward existing layout, and the existing deck tiles were unattractive and uneven. We ripped everything out except for the existing fence, and transformed the space into a light, airy, contemporary looking backyard for the client and her family to enjoy. We also hired a local artist to paint Brooklyn street scenes on boards that we hung on a brick wall in the garden interspersed with hanging wall plants. The planters are made out of ipe, a hardwood with a 40-year life expectancy. The paver stones are placed on a pedestal system, which allows water to pass easily beneath them and down to the drain. We rain drip irrigation lines up into all the planters to keep things watered and relatively maintenance-free. There are also low-voltage lighting lines in all of the planters with up-lighting that points up at the plants for a dramatic nighttime effect.