This L.A. Garage-Turned-Garden Room Is Full of Great Outdoor Living Ideas
Meghan Rostovsky and her Providence Design Group partners share a shopping list to turn an unused garage into a stylish outdoor living area.
Annie Meisel
We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.
Interior designer Meghan Rostovsky, one of three partners in the Providence Design Group collective in Los Angeles, was faced with a familiar two-part challenge at her own quaint cottage in the Windsor Square neighborhood of Los Angeles: How do you A.) Maximize a small-footprint house for a growing family of four and B.) Organize your home to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Her solution was to turn a garage space into an outdoor living room with all of the comfortable touches of a timeless, well-loved home.
Annie Meisel
“Our garage conversion was the first project we worked on as a team,” says Rostovsky, of the business she founded with her two partners, Catherine Sidon and Meredy Vranich, who all honed their design skills while working for interiors legend Suzanne Rheinstein. Rostovsky, Sidon and Vranich noticed a gap in the market—potential clients who did not have a money’s-no-object budget, but still wanted a boutique design firm experience and refined style— and with their mentor’s blessing, they venture out on their own with side projects.
More Videos From Sunset
When Rostovsky began remodeling her garage with architect Shawna Poliquin, she consulted her colleagues when she was stuck on tricky decisions.
“We tweaked and re-tweaked the plan,” Rostovsky says. “They saved me from my lesser design angels.”
The result is a surprisingly versatile backyard with minimal square footage. There’s a patio with enough room for a table for 10, a sitting area near a painted brick fireplace, and the re-imagined garage. They installed folding French doors, generous paned windows, a wet bar and a small powder room, creating a small-scale entertaining oasis for adult cocktail hours or kids’ movie nights.
Annie Meisel
The Providence style is refined but accessible, traditional but not stuffy. They create the kinds of rooms that are hard to define but easy to live in.
Annie Meisel
They were only able to tackle a few projects before everyone was forced indoors. And now, as the world slowly opens up again, they’re ready to address all of those pesky design problems we all noticed while stuck at home. Here, the team shares their suggestions for furnishing an open-air living room, either right at home, at a lake house, or a townhouse, and cozy enough to live in year-round.
Annie Meisel
Get the Look
Start with a colorful, durable cocktail table: No coasters necessary
This Hennepin cocktail table from DWR is made of recycled plastic, and can live outdoors or in.
Add a timeless rattan sofa with elegant curves
Natural rattan is elegant and versatile—it can go tropical, boho, or preppy with a quick pillow swap.
Throw in a jute rug with a feminine shape.
Nothing says “garden room” like a natural fiber rug, which warms up a tile floor and can take a beating.
Don’t forget blankets for chilly nights
Extend your outdoor living season with warm blankets for chilly evening cocktails.
Layer in pattern and color with pillows
A trio of coordinating pillows, pre-selected in complementary colors, takes the guess work out of pillow hunting.
Make a statement with an oversized lantern
An open lantern hanging from the ceiling is a simple but strong statement, calling attention to a high, exposed ceiling.
