Open Envelope Studio

The yard of our new-build home in Central Austin was a blank slate of thirsty turf grass and a rickety wooden fence, that was both uninspired and uninviting for our family (see "before" photo). OES developed a transformational design for our entire property, including designing fences, planters, pergolas, and determining the placement of a small pool and patio. Matt and Angelica (owners/architects/chief designers) worked closely with us to evaluate our property, elicit our vision, integrate our personal aesthetic, and understand how we would like the space to function. They presented us with an impressive initial design, but then met again with us on multiple occasions to revise and fine-tune the construction plans. The depth of their experience and knowledge was evident throughout the design process; it was so exciting to watch the drafts come to life! This was a huge project that felt overwhelming, but they assisted us in breaking our project into three phases, that has allowed us to plan and finance each step of the project at a pace that works for us. It took a long time to get to the construction start date (partially due to the need to install the pool with a pool company prior to OES beginning their work), but once they began, our yard went from a blank slate to a gorgeous modern oasis within a few short weeks. Blake, our OES project manager, was always communicative and responsive. He was frequently on site, available via email or text, and was very patient with our questions and always promptly responded to our concerns. There are always little things that need to be fixed or addressed in any project, but OES addressed all of these outstanding details without hesitation prior to project close. OES does utilize subcontractors for things such as painting, irrigation, masonry, etc., and all of those folks were respectful, efficient, and professional while working our our property. The crew that did the bulk of our metal fabrication and heavy construction was lovely to work with, personable, friendly to our children and pets, and respectful of our neighbors. Some hard truths: projects of this scope are very expensive and take a long time to realize. If you use OES, understand that it will take months to go through the design phase, and then you will likely wait as many months again for construction to begin. Their services are in high demand, and for good reason. They do not rush their work, and it shows. The end product is absolutely worth the wait and the expense. But see for yourself: Take a look at the before and after pics of our yard. You wouldn't recognize it! Prior to construction, we rarely entered our yard, and now we are outside using this space EVERY SINGLE DAY. The photos that are attached are within a few days of project completion; the plants have since grown and filled in the beds and the vines are climbing the trellises, so the yard continues to become more attractive with each passing week. Thank you, OES!!!

I don't think I can say enough about the exceptional team at OES. "Outstanding" is probably not strong enough of an adjective. This entire team, from the owners - Angelica and Matt who designed and charted out the plans - to the project manager Greg, to his whole crew - well we were blown away. They showed up on time (actually earlier before sunrise) and did this diligently every work day. The communication from the leaders were clear and often. The follow up on any open tasks was consistent. And the workmanship? Well, we cannot stop looking at our beautifully transformed backyard and pinch ourselves. The OES team is like a team of Fairy Godmothers that made magical things happen. This project was a huge undertaking and they came up with creative ideas to transform our yard. We are already excited about doing another project with them down the road and have no doubt we will be so happy with the results. If you want a successful project with GOOD people and an exceptional work ethic, don't even bother with anyone else. Go to Angelica, Matt and the OES team. You will have zero regrets. Thank you OES team!

OES completed our project in August 2019. They were absolutely amazing to work with. We kept on looking at design ideas for our backyard and we always seemed to pick things they had done. Finding out they were in Austin was a bonus for us. We had them basically bulldoze the entire yard and start from scratch. We now have multiple zones to our yard for different activities and a massive screened porch. We were so lucky to have this space through 2020 and cherished the beautiful work they did. Working with the team was great. We had multiple iterations of design and discussions about our project and they really just delivered more than we could have expected or even imagined ourselves. Matt, Angelica and the team at OES are wonderful to work with and we consider them friends now. We continue to refer friends to them for their projects. Highly recommended!

I honestly can't say enough good things about Angelica + Matt and the OES team. I was struggling to find someone to do with my small side yard, and after talking with four to five landscape design firms I chose them. They definitely weren't the cheapest, but, you get what you pay for. They really take the time to understand what you want to do with your space, and provide helpful (not costly) suggestions to get the job done, but also make the space live able and beautiful. Everything was done on time, and on cost down to the penny. Beyond that they are just rad people, and are truly committed to making Austin the special place that it is. You get to deal directly with them and their small team, and no one else which is really refreshing and nice. Going into it I was worried my space was too small given the scope of some of their projects, but they made me feel at ease and as you can see the pictures speak for themselves. They're coming back to do my front yard here shortly, and I would 100% recommend them to anyone who asked.

OES is beyond amazing. When they started our yard was a massive hill-side pile of mud and clay with crumbling retaining walls and funky flower beds - now it is a show stopper! Their ideas (as well as improving upon our ideas/suggestions) were beyond anything I could have imagined. They put a lot of thought into our family- how our yard functions, how we want use it and the plants that will work best. We even pushed them outside their normal scope and they did everything to research and ensure the results were perfect. In our yard they customized and installed steel retaining walls, wooden fencing, a stair-step pathway, a pool-side sun deck, a shaded patio, weather-proofed our pergola. They brought in contractors for artificial turf and a newly-created irrigation system. And, of course, planted perfectly complimentary plants, flowers, trees, bushes and bamboo. All through the course of our project they didn't stop till the project was just right. Since our project finished we recently re-hired them to custom design and install an outdoor kitchen incorporating our existing grill and added a sink, fridge and counter space. We now love having parties at our house and without fail the first thing people say walking in our door is gushing compliments of our backyard. I've referred them to friends who are also very happy with their work and thankful for the recommendation. As a final note, their pricing structure is ideal and very transparent which made it easy to understand and accommodate within our budget.

Five Stars! OES designed a solution for the corner of our lot solving several complicated issues. The execution of the design was excellent! The entire process was very professional and the results are beautiful! We couldn't be happier!

Matt and Angelica are the best. They approached our patio project with a perfect balance of design innovation and practicality. Throughout they project they were always easy to work with and very personable. The work itself was done on time and on budget and we are thrilled with the result. We will be turning to them again in the future, 100%.

I have now worked with Matt and Angelica on multiple projects. As a team and individually this is a very talented group. Beyond the talent they put a tremendous amount of thought into each and every detail which transfers into continuity of design. This is pretty much the best thing you can hope for going into a project. They're also good listeners, which helps ideas translate seamlessly to a finished design. Lastly, they are adaptive and thus able to react to unforeseen issues, changes, and challenges that every project presents.

OES was originally hired to draw up plans to add on a screened-in porch. What they delivered was much more -- it was an entire backyard. Ultimately, we moved ahead with a modified patio and 3/4 backyard renovation, and tacked on some front yard landscaping as well. Their design work and esthetic are both top notch -- modern and clean with incredible attention to detail. They were able to answer every question, no matter how tiny, and we worked together to build what we wanted within our budget. Execution was a snap. Their entire crew was friendly and professional and easy to work with, even when we hit the kind of snafus that always present themselves during renos. They were flexible and fair and the final product is beautiful! Highly recommend.

I have worked with Open Envelope Studio on a few residential designs in Austin, and I have found their work to be exceptional. They are able to scale their work to fit various needs, and their designs highly compliment their adjacent proper buildings. Their training in both Architecture and Landscape Architecture lends to their well-rounded approach, and I would highly recommend them to anyone searching for a Landscape Architect.

If you are looking to transform your outdoor space, do yourself a favor and hire OES! Our entire experience with them was amazing. The design they created for our backyard feels like an extension of the house and we love to spend time out there. Their work quality is top notch and there is an extreme attention to detail. Additionally, all members of the OES team were a pleasure to work with (punctual, good communicators, respectful of property and neighbors). The process started with an initial walk-through where Matt and Angelica saw our space and we discussed what we were hoping to achieve. Their innovative ideas during that initial walk-through convinced us to go ahead with the work, and we are so glad that we did! They came up with creative ways to meet our budget and never pressured us to do more. The finished product is even better than we had anticipated. We highly recommend them!!

We cannot sing enough praises of our experience working with Open Envelope Studio. We were desperate to create an attractive and usable space in our large, embarassingly barren backyard. Not only did they create a usable space, they created a unique, architecturally interesting shade structure and designed a paver pattern and ground cover just as interesting. In addition to an amazing hardscape, the landscape was matched to perfection. The plants are gorgeous, arranged beautifully and appropriate for our climate. No worries of plants that will only last one season. The space feels and acts as an extension of the house rather than separate. Friends and visitors meet the back yard with a jaw dropping “wow” where they used to opt indoors.Open Envelope was very professional without intimidation from the initial phone call to the final day of installation. We met for a detailed design discussion and shortly after received a detailed rendering, beautiful nonetheless, and cost estimate for our review and approval prior to scheduling a date to break ground. They problem solved materials and design to meet our budget and did not try to hard sell anything. Their crew was kind, courteous, professional and never left a mess. They always communicated with us on time frame of phases during the project. They delivered on all expectations and more. We are beyond grateful for their vision and execution and highly recommend them. The family enjoys coffee, popsicles and cocktails daily in our new space. Thank you Open Envelope!