Cool Designs for Landscapes

I had a very good experience working with Kool Designs for
Landscape. I recommend this designer to others.

In January of 2014, I began restoring my Midcentury Modern
(MCM) home in La Habra, CA.   After reviewing landscape designers through
the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) website,   I
contacted Katie Kool to discuss her MCM ideas and service fees.  The fees were critical because I still needed
to replace the roof, air conditioning, electrical, concrete and masonry.  Since the exterior Landscape was the system I
had the least experience with, I needed a resource to help design the exterior.
  

Kool developed and provided a preliminary plan.  From that, I was able to begin concrete and
masonry work and direct contractors based on her ideas and drawing.  During that process, I paid Kool a consulting
fee to discuss specifics of the driveway and retaining wall.  Since the MCM home is characterized by clean
lines, the details for angle and end points were important. 

Later, Kool provided additional plans that included the
front yard plants and other masonry placement. 
During that phase, I chose to use Kool?s landscaper and pay her 10%
commission to manage the process and select plants.  During 5+ days it took to install the garden
walls, irrigation, lighting, plants and tree, Kool was there each day.  She communicated with me and the contractors
and made sure the work followed the design.

I am glad I found and worked with a professional designer.  Even though I directed the initial masonry
work, I absolutely credit Kool for the critical lines the driveway and
retaining wall follow.  In addition, she
convinced me to ?repurpose? cut concrete, instead of cinder block, for the terracing
of two garden walls.  These permanent,
important features will help define the house for years to come. 

I sincerely recommend Kool Designs for Landscape if you are
working on a home with competing projects that require flexibility and
budgeting. 

 

She was really amazing. Our backyard is an unexpected oasis; she did a fantastic job. I paid extra to have her on-site for follow-up. She was so concerned about the first landscaper she said, and ldquo;Forget about the money, I'm coming back tomorrow. I don't trust this guy.and rdquo; When that landscaper left us to muddle through on our own, Katie took over and told us to get a new landscaper. We did and it turned out well. I had problems getting plants to grow in one small planter and she talked to me about it; a week later she called me back with different plant options. I can call her with problems and she doesn't charge me for her advice. When she did the design she told me that all the plants should do well where she placed them but she said that if they didn't, I had her phone number. She is very nice and very professional. She takes great responsibility for her work. I have referred her to friends.

She is a wonderful designer and also a super responsible person. She showed up and made sure that everything was the way it was supposed to be. She tuned in to what we wanted in the lay of the garden and design very quickly and very accurately. She was timely. She came over and talked to us, did a rough design, came out and talked to us again and did the final design, and got it to the landscape locater guys overnight. She has been here twice during installation. We would recommend her without any qualifications. The price was not bad at all for the kind of the work she had put into the design. It is a wonderful design. The landscape company is still working on it but it is looking beautiful.