How to Choose the Right Landscape Designer for Your Project, Part 1
This is the first in our three part series on how to choose your ideal landscape designer.
In this post, we’ll talk about how to best translate your vision when speaking with your designer.
If you haven’t read our other two posts on this topic, please click one of the links below, or click here to read our overview post.
The top factors you should consider when choosing a landscape designer:
Part 1: Vision - Will they be able to understand your vision?
Part 2: Budget - How do they factor your budget into the design?
Your Project
You’ve spent a ton of time dreaming and scheming about how your ideal outdoor living space will look and feel. You know which elements you must have, and you know how much you want to invest in your project.
Depending on what these elements are, there are a lot of different types of designers out there for you to choose from. Is your project straightforward or complex? Do you have complicated grading or drainage on your site? Do you have an existing landscape or is your home a new build?
Landscape Architect vs Landscape Designer
Before we dive in, there are a few distinctions to make to ensure you’re seeking out the right type of professional for your project.
Landscape Architect: These pros have Masters degrees in Landscape Architecture. Their design focus can be pointed in any direction from residential and ranch properties to large improvements like parks and commercial spaces. They drive the overall vision of the project and may bring in partner designers or other in-house teams to dial in the details. Typically, if you have a big or highly complex space you may want to consider working with a Landscape Architect.
Landscape Designer: These pros come in all shapes, sizes and experience levels. They are not usually required to have a specific degree in their field, but they may have professional certifications and other credentials that can give you more information about their experience level and expertise. They may work on residential or commercial properties of all sizes. Most of the time when you reach out to a landscape company about a design, you will reach a landscape designer.
VISION
Clarity & Expertise
It’s best to have a clear wish list when starting a landscape project. Make sure you can communicate the elements that are most important to you, and then discuss these with the designers you meet with. How do they address these items? Are they within their comfort zone or more out of the box based on their experience?
Getting to Know You
Are your priorities in alignment with their process? Review a few websites of local landscape companies to learn about how they approach a new project. Schedule an intro phone call to learn more and to ask questions.
If you’re looking for some quick pricing or a few patio ideas, your ideal designer’s process should be focused on providing you with exactly that in a quick and efficient manner.
If you want a collaborative experience where you develop more of a custom solution, make sure your designer spends a lot of time getting to know you, and asks a lot of questions about you.
At Oak Canopy, we focus our attention not just on your wish list, but why your wish list is what it is. In our Pre-Design phase, we get to know each other so that we can better provide the perfect solutions for you.
Thinking Inside the Box
Like an interior designer, a landscape designer may be able to design many different styles of landscapes, but usually have a point of view where they really shine. Review the previous work of designers in your area and focus on the ones who share your style.
When you meet with different designers, how do you get along? You’re about to embark on a significant project together - do you feel comfortable communicating with them about ideas, questions or concerns? Do they listen carefully to you? Do you trust their feedback and advice?
You’ll get a significantly better outcome if you and your designer are in alignment on what looks great to you, and have a natural rapport.
But What About the Design?
It’s funny, because you embark on finding the perfect designer, and learn how many other things you have to consider before you even get to the design phase! But when these other elements are in alignment, the design process is really fun and feels like a breeze.
Depending on your project priorities, your design requirements may vary. The simpler patio project we mentioned before may only require some construction drawings and material samples. A full outdoor living project will require 3D visualization to help you fully understand what your designer is presenting.
A 3D modeled landscape also allows your designer to present you with different scenarios and material choices to help you make decisions more easily and confidently. You can see how everything interacts, almost in real life.
Let’s get started!
When you’re ready we would love to speak with you to turn your dreams into reality!
We understand the importance of getting value for your investment, and don’t want you to have the hassle of working through the complex process of designing and installing a custom outdoor living space on your own. We partner with you for the entire process:
Creating a custom design through our collaborative design process
Management of every detail of your installation: permitting, inspections, contractor scheduling, timeline management
Plant and material care and maintenance information, watering schedule and strategy, support and advice as needed
You’ll be surprised at how fun and easy it is to create the outdoor living space of your dreams!
