The Design Laboratory

We found The Design Laboratory on Houzz. Based on their portfolio and reviews, we were very excited to speak with them. We have a new Shea home in North Peoria with an average sized back yard (63x30) with an existing pool. We hoped to find a firm that could complement the modernish style of our exterior. During our initial call Justin was great about explaining the type/style of work they do to ensure it fit our vision. I appreciated this; he wasn’t just looking for business but instead vetting for clients he could partner with in a shared vison. A great sign from the start. Once we decided this was the architect for us, Justin and team came to our home to get a sense of the lot. You could see the wheels turning, they had a lot of suggestions I had never considered. They listened to our thoughts on the space and took all this in. For a little background we had designed and landscaped our own homes before this one. So, it was eye opening to see the depth of knowledge an experienced architect brings. After this visit they provided us with a couple fully developed concepts. One was more visionary, a creative plan what he thought might be fun for the yard, the other held closer to our ideas. This is important to share because this is what you pay for, letting a creative explore their art. It allowed us to see the potential in both plans. Which in turn allowed us to blend the two into our perfect back yard. There were so many things considered I would have never measured, ascetics and function. A blending of materials, flow, visual appeal. What they designed was simply beautiful. It brought nature into the yard with practicality of use. We felt truly fortunate to have found The Design Laboratory, they captured our hope for our yard and made it real. In fact, the plan didn’t do it justice, the real thing is a magnitude higher than the concept ever was. I would be hard pressed to find a yard like this within our community or even general area that surpasses what we enjoy. Ultimately, I would recommend The Design Laboratory without reservation. Justin and his team provided us something unique. Anyone undertaking a large home project will understand how important it is to have a good team to work with, because the project can have unexpected changes. It is here you want a team to guide you in the right direction and help you see what a change will bring, sometimes something even better than planned.

Jim and his team designed our backyard and we couldn’t be happier. We are located at the base of a hillside and wanted to maximize the outdoor space and the views. Every step of the design process was a pleasure. Jim was creative, knowledgeable and patient, giving us lots of fresh design ideas to choose from. The result is a backyard that is beautiful, balanced and functional. It has changed the feel of our whole home. We highly recommend Coffman Studio!

After extensive research, I chose Coffman Studio to transform my front and back yards from very boring to exciting areas where I can entertain and enjoy my family. They worked closely with me to create a design that addressed everything I wanted in my dream yard. They created the dining, entertainment and fireplace areas I wanted and made sure I had the appropriate plants that suited my needs. Their attention to detail and professionalism, from the very first day, surpassed all my expectations. Thank you Jim and Justin for your creativity and expertise. I very pleased and happy and absolutely love my yards.

We can't stay enough great things about Coffman Studio. From conceptualizing the landscape design to the finished drawings, we were uniquely impressed with their original designs, attention to detail, and overall desire to make sure the finished product was exactly as envisioned. We love the landscape design, the flow of the "living areas," the selection of desert plants, and overall presentation when guests enter through the front door. We asked for an extension of our home with the backyard landscaping and that's exactly what Coffman created for us. Well done!

We chose to work with Coffman Studio based on their portfolio and a phone conversation. Sometimes you just 'know'. Coffman Studio met our deadline and budget and produced a spectacular backyard environment. Their professionalism was carried out from start to finish. Couldn't be happier with our decision and their design built into reality. Will absolutely call on Coffman Studio for future projects. Highest recommendations for this design studio.

We had Jim and the gang at Coffman Studio do a plan for our front and side yards in Tempe. We wanted a more modern design but we had some very specific (and maybe a little unique) aspects we wanted to honor in our plan. Jim and everyone at Coffman Studio couldn’t have been better about the plan while paying special attention to some of our unique requests. In the end they took us in a direction we would never have considered on our own and the plan turned out absolutely beautiful! It transformed what I thought was a boring, run-of-the-mill front yard into a beautiful unique space that we couldn’t be prouder of. It changed the entire look of our house, amazing! Additionally everyone that helped us was so kind and easy to work with over there, I can honestly say I didn’t have a favorite. At one point or another we worked with Jim, Justin, Tanner and Scott and they all were great and brought something unique to the discussion. And on top of that I thought their fees were very reasonable. They spent way more time than what they billed us for which contributed to the feeling that they personally wanted our yard to look great no matter what. We just had the plan done and we did most of the work ourselves or hired it out piecemeal but they also can handle the whole project with their bevy of contractors. Honestly I probably should have just had them handle it all, it would have gotten done much faster and with far less hassle but live and learn I guess. They gave us a bunch of tips and advice too as we stumbled through doing much of the work ourselves which were like little treasure troves of wisdoms we clung too. Again, we couldn’t be happier with everything the crew at Coffman Studio's did for us. My only regret is I wish we had done it sooner! Thanks Jim and everyone who helped make our yard something I love coming home to every day.

Coffman Studio has changed our yard into a paradise. It looks exciting, uses the current landscape and blends in ( we live in the desert) I can't say enough about the excellent work, professional manner and attention to detail that the studio provided. Justin and Tanner were exceptional.