A successful landscape project requires two key components: a great design and a skilled team to execute that design. What if two separate companies collaborated to make this happen? Landscape Design Lab and Northern Virginia Landscaping have worked together on numerous projects to delight landscape clients. Dave Marciniak is the owner and lead designer for Landscape Design Lab, a Virginia-based landscape design firm that works with homeowners and landscape contractors all over the U.S. Ibrahim “Ibi” Pashaei is the owner of Northern Virginia Landscaping, a premier landscape installation company in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
They worked together on a countryside retreat to create a landscape where the outdoor spaces reflect the homeowner’s personality as much as the indoor ones. Here, they discuss why the project was such a great fit for their skillsets and how they came together to overcome challenges and produce an end result that’s both functional and cohesive.
Marciniak: This project felt like it was tailor-made for me. These clients were building a fabulous custom home on a large piece of land in the countryside west of the D.C. area. Their home was designed to be a modern, sophisticated take on a farmhouse, and they wanted the landscape to both reflect the character of the house and the character of the property.
Working closely with the builder, we designed everything, from the approach to the house to the front walk, and the succession of patios in the back. The screened porch that the architect and the builder created is great, but we wanted to make sure the client would want to use all of their outdoor living space. One of the biggest challenges was taking a large home and making all the spaces feel just right—not too big and not too small.
The plantings and lighting were the final touches that pulled everything together. Traditional “farmhouse” plantings like boxwoods, spirea, and daylilies were used close to the house. The bigger planting areas feature pollinator-friendly plants and Virginia native plantings.
Pashaei: First, we met the client on site to discuss the total scope of what would be happening with the builder, and then we took photos and videos to provide to Dave for review once our scope was defined. With the site data we provided for Dave, he was able to accurately depict elevations, create construction drawings, and have everything we needed to build the job with an exceptional level of detail. As with any newly built home, we discovered at installation that the builder made some changes along the way that impacted our part of the project. We all worked together to quickly resolve issues and come up with solutions that, personally, I think made the final result even better.
Marciniak: We lucked out on this one, because the client was passionate about plants. Not only did she have a lot of input on the plant selections, she has done an amazing job of maintaining the landscape to become what we envisioned during the design process. We designed a series of outdoor spaces, including a huge, custom cedar pergola and an outdoor kitchen, and used the planting design to create a cohesive, relaxing oasis.
Pashaei: The client wanted to eliminate any turfgrass in the backyard and go lawn-free, so we needed a lush, heavy planting plan that didn’t leave any gaps. Dave’s team mixed a variety of native and non-native plants in the design to come up with a super cool layout. It has character, variety, and depth. It also reflects the homeowner’s personality, and there’s something for all four seasons. We met the client at local nurseries to hand pick the specimen trees that are key to the landscape’s success.
The structural design of the pergola was very unique, simple, and fitting to a minimalist, modern style. The heavy cedar beams were a challenge to get into place, but once we had it up and stained in place, wow, did it make a big statement! The pergola is a one-of-a-kind element that anchors the entire landscape design—and that the client absolutely loves.
Marciniak: I got off the initial Zoom call with these clients super excited about what we were doing. They were very clear about what kinds of spaces they wanted, and the inspiration photos they shared fit perfectly with the architecture of the home. They wanted a modern backyard that still felt warm and welcoming. Space planning and material selection were key to success.
Pashaei: Sometimes the smallest spaces present the biggest challenges. This tight backyard was packed with details. Stone veneer, custom ironwork, and cedar accents combine to make this a unique space that will only get better as the plantings mature. The firepit is a great example. We used a ready-to-finish firepit that allowed us to pull the cedar detail from the back wall of the kitchen, and we used the same granite top on the firepit as the outdoor kitchen counter. These small details helped us make sure the whole space was cohesive.
It’s the ultimate outdoor space with an amazing look, aesthetic, and feel. I was surprised we fit so many things in such a small space when we were done with the project. All the landscape plantings and variety of texture, colors, and finishes really gave the backyard depth that made it feel bigger than it did prior to the work.
For Marciniak and Pashaei, a successful collaboration means clients who are delighted with the end result. They combine innovative landscape design and exceptional craftsmanship on every landscape, and clients love their team's approach to projects. They are also deeply invested in the landscape business, sharing their knowledge with others in the local industry.
Learn more:
Ibi Pashaei
Northern Virginia Landscaping
Arlington, VA
https://www.nvalandscaping.com/
Dave Marciniak
Landscape Design Lab
Culpeper, VA
https://landscapedesignlab.com/