Work

Woodbine, MD
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

With the need to increase the square footage of their family vegetable garden, and the desire to create space for relaxation and contemplation, the Mattingly’s decided it was time to consult a design professional to sort it out. Ms. Mattingly absolutely loved the “old world” aesthetic of natural stone and wood, from which the architecture of the main house and stables were inspired.  She was also attracted to simplet, yet clever designs.  A few design schemes were developed

Design Tools: Hand renderings & Google Sketchup & AutoCAD
Collaborators: Matt Roth Photography
Materials: Country Casual (Furniture)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

NW Washington, D.C.
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

This adorable, historic georgetown property contained a postage-stamp-sized backyard that was underutilized due to the existing layout inherited from the previous owner.  The client saw such potential for the space but needed visualizations to select the best design for the family’s lifestyle.  The architecture of the house and garage were traditional and classic, so the client wanted the design to respond thoughtfully to the existing style.  We focused on clean lines, classic materials, enhancing/guiding views, and maximizing space.

Design Tools: AutoCAD
Collaborators: Outdoor Illumination (Lighting), Matt Roth Photography
Materials: Merrifield Garden Center (Plants)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Bethesda, Maryland
Job Size: Small – Rain Garden
Status: In the ground

With climate change challenging our communities to alter our development practices, many jurisdictions are offering residents and business owners tax rebates to implement stormwater best management practices to reduce runoff.  Our clients recently purchased a home that was still facing stormwater runoff challenges even though each downspout was being directed into an engineered drywell onsite.  Most of the runoff was surface flow coming from the concrete driveway and across the front lawn, directly towards the house foundation.  The design challenge was to beautifully intercept and treat the stormwater flow while also creating a welcoming front entrance experience.  We ultimately decided to design and install a rain garden with artful stone boulder accents to naturally blend with the surrounding landscape. The rain garden was installed in 2018, the year Maryland received the highest volume of rainfall on record.  Talk about perfect timing.

Design Tools: Hand renderings & AutoCAD
Collaborators: Gro-Getters & Montgomery County RainScapes
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while Kelley Oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Silver Spring, MD
Job Size: Medium
Job Status: In the ground

You are not alone if you are one of the people who would rather use the side entrance of their house than their front door.  We were tasked with updating the foundation gardens of this 1990’s house while offering new entry experiences for both guests and the owner.  The owner prefered to enter the house from their side yard so we created a space that offered a semi-private and welcoming experience.  A series of outdoor garden rooms makes this 1/8 acre feel intentional, functional, and inspirational.  A trash enclosure was built into the privacy fence so it feels like a decorative outdoor closet of sorts.  We can’t wait to watch this garden develop its own lovely personality.

Design Tools: Hand renderings & AutoCAD
Collaborators: Merrifield Garden Center (Plants), Shemin Nursery (Plants)
Installation: Premier Hardscapes

NW Washington, D.C.
Job Size: Medium
Job Status: In the Ground

The Robbins family was looking for fresh and interesting ideas on how to update their outdoor living space to meet the needs of their active and social lifestyles.  The most precious areas in the backyard were dominated by tired, unmaintained materials and as a result, underutilized.  One of the most notable features of the property was the gorgeous stand of mature oak trees.  The Robbin’s made very clear that no tree shall be harmed in the design or implementation of the project. A large pressure treated deck was nestled between the garage, the house, and the property line with a 6’ tall lattice privacy fence.

Design Tools: Hand sketch & Google Sketchup & AutoCAD & Adobe Illustrator
Collaborators: Independent Custom Metal Work (Sculpture), HD Johnson (Gas Line), A & D Electrical Services (Electrician)
Materials: Gro-Getters (Plants) & Dulles Electric (Lighting Supplier) & Restoration Hardware (Furniture)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

NW Washington, D.C.
Job Size: Small
Job Status: On the shelf

This lovely row home had been recently renovated and purchased by a young couple who just welcomed twin baby girls into their family.  The couple wanted to utilize the full extent of the backyard, with an ambitious program requiring space for playing, dining, lounging, gardening, storage, and parking.  Particular attention was paid to opportunities presented by existing horizontal and vertical surfaces where patterns, textures, and colors were introduce.

Design Tools: Google Sketchup, hand rendering, AutoCAD

*Project was designed while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Bethesda, MD
Job Size: Small
Status: In the ground

Design Tools: Hand renderings & AutoCAD
Installation: Inferno Lawn Care

Hyattsville, MD
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

Lewisdale Elementary school teacher, Wendy Rouget understood and promoted the value of environmental stewardship within her students.  She believed that schools are the places where students learn about the interconnectedness of the academic disciplines.  So when Wendy approached the design team at Neighborhood Design Center looking for an interesting opportunity to engage her students, they had an exciting idea to pitch.  The design team proposed to create a digital montage of student artwork from earth day and turn it into a vinyl graphic for the school’s rain barrels.  The thought was that the vinyl graphic would, a) enhance the look of the barrel, b) communicate important messages about environmental stewardship, and c) promote a sense of pride within the students.  The end design product exceeded everyone’s expectations.  Designer Laura Kendrick thoughtfully ensured that artwork from each student was represented in the final montage graphics.  In fact, there was enough artwork to create two separate montages for each rain barrel in the school’s courtyard.  We are happy to report that the vinyl material has held up extremely well to UV exposure over time.

Design Tools: Adobe Suite by Laura Kendrick & Artwork by Lewisdale Students
Materials: Kerley Signs (Vinyl Graphic)
Installation: Kerley Signs

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as program manager at the Neighborhood Design Center www.ndc-md.org

Riverdale, Maryland
Job Size: Large
Job Status: In the ground

Field of Greens community garden is an organic, ethnically diverse community garden functioning as a training ground for small-scale, intensive, sustainable agriculture projects. Located in East Riverdale, Maryland, the garden serves the local population of primarily Bhutanese refugees, many with extensive agricultural backgrounds and limited resources. The garden was started in 2014 from a vision of the University of Maryland Extension – Prince George’s County (UME-PGC) and the Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority.

UME-PGC identified a few “reach for the sky” ideas as the project framework, and the design team helped turn those ideas into reality. The garden was designed to be visually interesting and take full advantage of the available space by creating inviting entryways and optimizing growing space for gardener needs. The design concept was was “fluid by design”, considering future developments in the garden, and allowing for a variety of community activities to take place. The thoughtful nature of the design allows UME-PGC to monitor gardener participation while also welcoming gardener feedback and buy-in for possible future changes.

Design Tools: AutoCAD
Design Team: the Neighborhood Design Center
Collaborators: Kerley Signs, Casey Trees
Installation: The University of Maryland Extension

https://extension.umd.edu/prince-georges-county/community-based-gardening/field-greens

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as program manager at the Neighborhood Design Center www.ndc-md.org

Washington, DC
Job Size: Large
Job Status: In the works

Often times opportunities arise from presented challenges.  The Client had an immediate need to replace a leaking roofing membrane that also served as a large courtyard space.  A priority on pedestrian flow, access, visibility, and comfort inspired design interventions that would radically enhance the human experience.  Elements of surprise, interesting use of materials, and introduction of nature made for an exciting proposal.

Design Tools: Hand Rendering & AutoCAD & Adobe Suite

*Project was designed while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Chevy Chase, Maryland
Medium
In the ground

Exterior spaces are conceptualized similarly to architecture of buildings.  Gardens are rooms with transitional hallways that guide people from one room to the next.  The Carroll family had a few key outdoor rooms and hallways that were ready for reinvention. A couple of site challenges included making narrow side yard areas feel spacious while also screening, greening, and maintaining comfortable walking access.  Incorporating flexible design elements for future additions/changes became an important design goal for the larger, open activity spaces.  We anticipate that some of the garden areas will change when the kids get older, as they should.

Design Tools: Hand renderings & Google Sketchup & AutoCAD
Materials: Merrifield Garden Center (Plants) & Tri-State (Stone)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

Cabin John, MD
Job Size: Medium – Outdoor Kitchen
Job Status: In the ground

Design Tools: AutoCAD
Materials: Tri-State (Stone) & Outdoor Living Today (Cedar Pergola)
Installation Contractor: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

NW Washington, D.C.
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

Summer temperatures around Washington, D.C. can stay in the upper 90s for weeks on end leaving outdoor pavement feeling like a hot cast-iron skillet. For this project, the client challenged us to explore design interventions that would provide shade in an elegant, yet flexible manner.   We settled on creating a series of intermingled triangular shade sails anchored in natural wood poles, discreetly located around the patio.  The chosen cream colored fabric not only looked chic but blocked 80%-90% of the sun’s harmful UV rays.  The multi-dimensional form of the shade sails truly enhance the architecture of the house without the commitment to a permanent structure.

Design Tools: Hand sketches & Google Sketchup
Collaborators: Shore Industries
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Hyattsville, MD
Job Size: Medium
Job Status: In the works

Master plans are great tools for seeing how all the components of a property fit together cohesively.  They are also road maps for guiding clients on how best to phase a project over time.  Ms. Saint-Rain, who is a designer herself, wanted another set of creative eyes to explore the possibilities for introducing a series of ecological design practices at her residence.

Design Tools: Hand renderings & AutoCAD & Adobe Creative Suite
Collaborators: Natural Resources Design & Premier Hardscapes

Bethesda, MD
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

The Walt Whitman High School Athletic Board was looking to implement an athletic memorial of sorts to celebrate and commemorate past, present, and future achievements of the school community.  A designated location, size, and budget was already identified through stakeholder meetings.  Being that this project was in a prominent location with high foot traffic, the design needed to be flexible, durable, elegant, and simple.  Engraved pavers were a key design feature in this project, allowing the client to personally recognize important members in the community.

Design Tools: AutoCAD
Collaborators: Old Mill Impressions (Paver Engraving)
Materials: Frederick Brick Works, Hanover Pavers
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

NE Washington, D.C.
Job Size: Medium
Job Status: In the ground

We were beyond thrilled to work with the legendary Washington, D.C. artist, Ms. Cheryl Foster, who specializes in creating culturally significant works of art for public spaces.  The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities had plans to relocate two of her recently fabricated sculptures into the Deanwood Recreation Center courtyard.  Deanwood has a strong and vibrant senior population, who were the main advocates for this courtyard enhancement project.  We were tasked with developing conceptual design plans that reinvisioned the space by celebrating Cheryl’s artwork and integrating community feedback into the design.  We saw the space as more than just a place to view artwork, it was a space to beautifully and creatively support the activities and needs of the community.  Resource availability shifted the scope of the project to refocus design efforts on creating a simple planting plan that supported the design intent of Cheryl’s sculptures and gave special consideration to the capacity of the Deanwood maintenance staff.  We hope that with additional funding, other elements illustrated in the original design concepts can be incorporated in the future.

Design Tools: Hand rendering & Sketchup & AutoCAD
Collaborators: Outdoor Illuminations
Materials: Tri-State (Stone) & Summit Hall Turf Farm (Sod) & Olney Gardens Wholesale (Plants)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Alexandria, VA
Job Size: Small
Job Status: In the ground

Accessibility and comfort are two principles that are key for successful design outcomes and no one knows this better than the Shaw family.  The Shaw’s have a wheelchair bound daughter, so entering and exiting the house takes additional physical and mental preparation.  They were looking for interesting and creative design solutions to drastically improve the functionality of their front yard to bring ease and a bit of joy to their daily routine.  The design plan took a radical stance on the what is thought of as the “front yard”.  In order to achieve a generous and smooth transition from the curb to the ADA ramp, we proposed to use an interesting paving pattern that essentially converted the driveway and grassy front yard into a multi-functional entrance court.  The modern paving pattern helped create and define an interesting new planting bed against the front porch.  Perhaps one of the most exciting features is that paving is completely drivable, being able to withstand vehicular weight.  So now the Shaw’s have two options when using the accessible van: park on the street and release the rampe or park in the driveway and release the ramp.  Life is made easier now.

Design Tools: Hand sketches & Google Sketchup & AutoCAD
Collaborators: Tim Shaw (Horizontal Porch Lattice) & Matt Roth Photography
Materials: Merrifield Garden Center (Plants) & Hanover Pavers (Hardscape)
Installation: Hughes Landscaping

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Denton, MD
Job Size: Medium
Job Status: On the shelf

Design Tools: Hand renderings & Google Sketchup & AutoCAD

*Project was designed and implemented while kelley oklesson served as lead designer at Hughes Landscaping www.hugheslandscaping.com

Forestville, Maryland
Job Size: Medium
Status: In the ground

Prince George’s County makes a tradition of involving one entire elementary school each year to plant trees across the school grounds. Since 1985, the county has supported getting all grade levels in an elementary school to participate in activities that highlight the importance of trees in our environment. The Prince George’s County Beautification Committee selects one elementary school each year to participate in a week long celebration of trees, including in-classroom lesson plans and a school-wide planting day where each class plants their own special tree on the grounds.

In the winter of 2014, the design team met with Beautification Committee members and school representatives to identify opportunities to plant trees at Longfields Elementary.  The school had an enthusiastic and passionate principal who wanted her students to experience the benefits of planting and caring for trees. Some of the factors and considerations that were discussed included: visibility/safety, access points, maintenance, sun/shade, soil types, etc.  An emphasis was placed on designing with native tree species to the mid-atlantic region.

Design Tools: AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite
Design Team: the Neighborhood Design Center
Collaborators: Prince George’s County Beautification Committee
Installation: Volunteers

*Project was designed and implemented while Kelley Oklesson served as program manager at the Neighborhood Design Center www.ndc-md.org