Featured Designer | Erin Lau
November 2024
Owner and Principal Designer at Erin Lau Design
Erin Lau, owner and pricipal designer at Erin Lau Design. Photo Erin Lau.
When did you start designing gardens? Tell us about your path from then to now.
I’ve always been entranced by gardens for as long as I can remember. I love the spaces they create, the feeling of refuge and the possibility of discovery. When I was in high school I worked backstage at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego as part of the crew who painted sets for all their productions. At that time I wanted to be a set designer because I was drawn to the idea of interpreting a play and creating scenery and environments to help tell a story. However, I grew disillusioned by the excessive waste that was cast off at the end of each production and left after a couple of summers. There was a lackluster effort to recycle sets but it simply was not viable because each play required their own unique backdrops. I thought about how much I loved the spaces that gardens created, and how they allowed one to experience them in all four dimensions and from all different perspectives. They would change with the seasons, and be an immersive experience. With garden design I could use plants as my media versus paint and plywood. And while I now know that there is also plenty of waste in landscape construction, at the time the idea that my media could simply biodegrade and return to the earth was compelling. I further realized that garden design would combine so many of my interests into one profession—drawing and sketching, art, nature, plants, sustainability, architecture and placemaking. I was 18 years old and I declared Landscape Architecture to be my major. And, decades later, after working as an architect, starting my own landscape design business and tending my own garden, I’m still enjoying and exploring all the facets of this profession.
Clockwise from top left: Mid-Century Modern backyard in Mercer Island. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Photo Andrew O'Neill. Corten steel rain curtain in collaboration with Josh Levine. Photo Andrew O'Neill. Modern entry patio in Normandy Park. Photo Suzy Bichl.
How would you describe your design style?
In the most simplistic terms I would describe my style as Lush Modern. I love the juxtaposition of overflowing, full and wild planting with the clean, sharp lines of hardscape. I like using a mixture of materials and textures, and have aspirations of Maximalism. But in practice I think I weave back and forth between Maximalism and Minimalism, because at the end of the day I err on the side of practicality and clear visual concepts.
Clockwise from top left: Mt. Baker hidden retreat. Installed by 4 Brothers Landscaping. Angle Lake entry path planted to support pollinators. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Mt. Baker hidden retreat. Installed by 4 Brothers Landscaping. All photos Erin Lau.
Who inspires you and your designs?
I’m inspired by patterns in Nature, Moorish gardens of Spain and Morocco, Mid-Century Modern concepts, Japanese and Chinese gardens, Beth Chatto’s gardens, and the Highline among many others. And in terms of designers, I’m inspired by Mosaic Gardens, Elysian Gardens and Piet Oudolf.
From left: Angle Lake zen courtyard with pebble river. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Photo Erin Lau. Angle Lake Modern Patio. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Photo Erin Lau.
Is your focus design? Or do you also manage installation, build, and maintain gardens?
My focus is design but I also manage the installation of my projects. I tend to work with about 4-5 other contractors who build my projects, and they may also maintain them. I typically will be in charge of sourcing all the plants and placing them on site, and then the contractor doesn’t have to interpret my plans. In the past, I used to be more involved with the planting labor, but balancing design work and installation is truly hard for one person.
Angle Lake modern patio. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Photo Project Remark.
What experiences as a designer have you found to be most challenging?
Some of the most challenging experiences I’ve had as a designer have to do with moving too fast through the design process and not realizing issues that need to be resolved in a thoughtful manner. This can apply to not understanding grades properly, not researching permitting requirements early on and not being aware of the cost of certain materials or installations. That being said, now that I’ve had my own business for around 14 years, I have learned many lessons and I am able to avoid most of these mistakes. There is no way around avoiding mistakes when you start out, it’s part of the learning process. But it’s definitely important to take a moment, pause, and realize how you could do things differently in the next project.
Firepit over bluestone patio with curved bench. 'Wingspan' project in collaboration with Rhodes Architecture and Light. Installed by Pacific Landscaping. Photo Cheryl McIntosh.
What experiences have you found to be most rewarding?
I always feel rewarded by a project when I talk with a client a year or two later and their garden is thriving, and they say to me that they now spend more time outdoors. My ultimate goal with all my projects is that my clients step outside of their house, breathe in fresh air, notice the sunlight or the clouds, hear bees buzzing between flowers, and feel like their garden is simply an extension of their house.
Covered dining in Beacon Hill. Installed by Imperial Hardscapes. Photo Project Remark.
Describe a typical design project and your process.
I primarily work on residential projects, but have experience with commercial and public projects as well. A typical residential project is on an approximately 5,000 square foot urban lot, with clients who want outdoor rooms and planting with seasonal interest. After I meet them and create a proposal that they accept, I will go through the usual site documentation process. This includes recording grades with the infinitely valuable Zip Level, and then hand-sketching several schematic design options. I will go through at least 3-6 different iterations or directions to make sure I have explored all the various angles before presenting them with the two options I think are the best. Currently, I have a colleague who helps me throughout the design process, and we collaborate on ideas from the beginning. Often during the schematic phase, I will draw out a perspective sketch to help visualize a certain view of the space. Once the clients have given feedback on initial concepts we work through a few more iterations to arrive at a final design that everyone is excited about. I like to make sure we have a solid design on paper before getting an estimate from a contractor. And, if the clients are ready to take the next step of installation, then I’m available to project manage at that point.
Perspective sketch in process. Photo Erin Lau.