Mediterranean
Country Estate
English Gardens
Oriental Gardens
Formal Roman

Landscape Design

What turns a nice project into a stunning project? A master design.

For an atmosphere that is both beautiful and functional, one must have a creative vision - a master plan. And that's exactly what you will get from Masterpiece Waterfalls.

To take the beauty of nature and sculpt it into a living picture that can make the humblest of homes into a castle is an art in it's purest form. After all, who doesn't enjoy a walk in a forest among moss covered trees with the scent of pine in the air?

Award-winning design team

Charlie Harwell has been designing landscapes for over 40 years. In this time he has won numerous international awards including Aqua Magazine. Charlie also designed and coordinated the Bakersfield Business Conference for six years. In 1994, he took second place internationally for his work on the conference in the very prestigious Special Events Magazine international award - tying with the Academy Awards. He has also won State of California commercial design award, and recipient of the local Beautiful Bakersfield award.

It is his passion for beauty combined with over 30 years of in-the-field experience that makes his designs so unique and functional. "There are no limited editions, only originals" Harwell says with a smile.

Aside from being a leader in computer graphics, Micah Harwell brings meticulous creativity to Masterpiece. Working closely with Charlie on project design, Micah provides technical direction to ensure a beautiful and accurate design. He produces the working plans that are clear, easy-to-read and use, and contractor-friendly.

Designed to fit

No two projects are the same which is why our designs are 100% custom. Your design style will be based on your needs and the style of your home. Materials and colors on the home should be carried throughout the yard for effective flow from one to the other.

You will have at your disposal our experience with numerous design genres, ranging from formal to natural, from Roman to French. We also specialize in authentic era-accurate Oriental designs based on the original Korean design masters.

Design process

Design fees vary based on project size and complexity. We typically present you with a design contract on our first meeting. Upon acceptance of the contract, 50% of the total design fee is due. The balance is due upon completion of design plans.

Because every project is 100% custom, we'll have several meetings with you throughout the design process. Below is the typical process for a residential design.

  1. Initial contact
    Give us a call, email us, or use our contact form. We'll get right back to you so we can discuss your project needs.

  2. Plot plan measurements
    Every design project needs to start with an accurate plot plan. We'll personally arrive at the proposed site and measure property lines, structures, utilities, roads, walls, and other existing features. We then take these measurements and enter them into CAD to produce a plot plan for initial design sketches.

  3. First design meeting
    Typically done at the time we take plot plan measurements. We'll discuss your needs in detail and answer any concerns you have. We'll need to know the following:
    • New construction or existing residence
    • Front and/or back yards
    • How much entertaining you expect
    • Budget
    • Design style (Mediterranean, English, French, Natural, Oriental) or special themes (Jungle, Pirate, Rock Quarry)
    • Special consideration for kids
    • Do you want special features? We can design your swimming pool, spa, fire pit, waterfalls, BBQ, gazebo, rose garden, trellises, fencing, play areas, tree groves, sunken/elevated areas, etc.

  4. Initial design
    Once back at our office, we review the meeting notes and begin sketching out the preliminary design directly on the plot plan.

  5. Second design meeting
    We'll then present the initial design to you and discuss any changes that you'd like to see. There are usually minor changes at this point, but if the design isn't what you expect we'll start from scratch until you are satisfied.

    If you have certain plants or trees that you like, this is the time to let us know.

  6. Finalize design
    Our next move is to transfer the pencil drawing into CAD. We'll then start on the detail sheets of the plan.

  7. Final meeting and approval
    At this point, the plan should be complete. We'll present the plan to you for your approval.

  8. Superintending
    Especially on large estates, you'll probably need help coordinating the numerous contractors it will take to construct your project. We can provide this service to ensure the integrity of our design and the project as a whole.

3D Imaging

Video flythroughs can be put onto VHS videotape or DVD that can be played back at your leisure. Typical videos range from 1 to 5 minutes in length depending on project size and complexity.

Check out our 3D Imaging page for more information.

Professional drawings

You will receive a full 4-6 page set of CAD-accurate plans for your project. Each page fully describes a unique but integral part of the overall project. The plans typically are plotted in the industry-standard scale of 1/8" = 1'-0". Because all of our plans are drawn on computer, we can ensure that they are accurate, easy to read, and can be readily changed if necessary.