Wave Outdoors Landscape + Design

We had a wonderful experience with Wave! The entire design team did an amazing job creating a beautiful patio space and the install went smoothly. They answered all of my questions throughout the process and were super helpful and responsive. We will definitely work with them again!

Last summer (2023) Wave built for us 2 new porches, 2 walkways, a patio, pergola, and arbor, landscaped both our front and back yards, added lighting, and replaced our scraggly lawns with new sod. Everything turned out great. Mary worked with us to design every element: the color schemes and materials for the porches, the walkways, and the patio and landscaping. She listened to what we wanted and came up with porches, patio and walkways that look contemporary, with colors that look good with the house.
The front porch is concrete with beautiful coordinated stone facades and steps, and a paver walkway that goes to the public sidewalk. Mary put a lot of thought into finding shades of color that look great together and with our house. They also built a roof for the porch; its nice to be able to open an umbrella BEFORE we get wet.
The back porch is composite and is much easier to maintain than the old wood porch it replaced. They also suggested putting a door on the side of the stairs so now we have protected storage underneath. (We never thought of that!) The decks on both porches are much larger than what we had before, when only one person could stand there to open the door.
The paver patio and back walkway are wonderful. The walkway covers the area where our dogs had churned it to mud, and now we dont have to wipe their feet every time they come in. The patio is just awesome. We didnt have one before, and sitting outside is so relaxing. Especially since we now have lovely bushes and flowers to look at! We wanted landscaping that would attract pollinators, use as many native plants as possible, and create space and food for birds and small animals; Mary worked hard to create a design that integrated a lot of color for spring, summer, and fall, and in winter snow on the bushes and dried seed heads adds interest. She also designed a small garden for pollinators on the side of our house, and was even able to get milkweed for monarch butterflies.
Everyone was great to work with; there were several teams: landscaping, hardscaping, electrical, and plumbing, and they all worked hard to get each project done. Brian came to check on progress frequently and often came up with suggestions and small changes that smoothed out issues that we had not thought of. He also spent a lot of time working with village inspectors and the permit office.
I would recommend Wave to anyone who wants beautiful, quality work and attention to detail. The photographs Im including speak for themselves.

We love the work we've had done by Wave Outdoors! Last summer we had new stairs installed to replace an old deck, as well as several other projects. We enjoyed working with Wave so much that we did another project this summer where they installed an area for a fire pit - it turned out great and the work was done so quickly! I'm sure we'll end up using Wave Outdoor again for our never-ending yard projects. We worked with Jenny and she was absolutely wonderful! She's extremely knowledgeable and responds to messages quickly. If there were any questions that need clarifying, she was always willing to hop on a quick call. You really couldn't ask to work with anyone better!!

Wave Outdoors Landscape and Design did a fantastic job designing and installing the landscape for our backyard berm. From our initial meeting with Kevin to our meetings with Mary who did the final design everything went very smoothly and professionally. Mary not only developed a two-dimensional plan of the design but also developed a 3-D walk thru video of the design so we could get a good feel for what it would look like. Mary was very patient making whatever changes we suggested either due to personal preference or budget issues. The installation team was great and hard working. They showed up when scheduled and on time. I'm still amazed at how they were able to move into place all the outcropping stone they did without damaging my back and side yard. Matt the project manager managed the job well and Mary showed up every day to help oversee the installation and make sure everything was installed as planned. I found them to be honest in all our dealings and very professional. I highly recommend Wave Outdoors Landscape and Design.

We chose Wave Outdoors after meeting with 2 other Landscape + Design companies. We felt Wave listened and understood what we were hoping to accomplish and they were able to translate that into an amazing design. They were great partners and delivered something that well exceeded our expectations. We appreciated their flexibility, hands on approach during the construction phase, and attention to detail at every step. We completed phase 1 and can't wait to begin phase 2.

We highly recommend Wave Outdoors Landscape + Design.

Working with Wave was transformative! They took an overly paved patio and driveway and helped us convert it to a green oasis. The design process was collaborative and we felt like our input was not only heard but appreciated. The end result- which was delivered on time and smoothly - has not only uplifted us, but the whole neighborhood.

Thank you to Ashley and the whole team who made our dreams a reality.

We used Wave Outdoors Landscape for a total makeover of our front and back yards. It was a big big project. The resultant makeover was magnificent--even magical. And Wave Outdoors was a pleasure to work with the planning, through construction to the final details. Communications was great throughout. I can't recommend them highly enough.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Wave Outdoors to reimagine my backyard, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the results. The lead designer, Mary, was instrumental in bringing our vision to life. Here are some key points that made the experience exceptional:

Exceptional Communication: From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, Mary's communication was clear, consistent, and responsive. She kept us informed at every stage of the process, making sure we were always on the same page.

Design Expertise: Mary's design skills are top-notch. She crafted a stunning transformation that perfectly complemented our needs and preferences. The new prairies-style landscaping is beautifully integrated with the natural surroundings, giving our backyard a seamless and organic feel.

Project Management: Staying on time and on budget was a significant concern for us, and Mary expertly managed both aspects. The project was completed within our desired timeframe and without any unexpected costs, adhering to our $150,000 budget.

Transformative Elements: Our backyard now features two new pavilions around the pool: one for a kitchen and another for lounging. These additions have significantly enhanced our outdoor living space, making it both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Overall, my experience with Wave Outdoors and Mary has been nothing short of outstanding. If you're looking for a reliable, talented, and professional landscaping company, I highly recommend Wave Outdoors. They have genuinely transformed our backyard into a beautiful oasis that we will enjoy for years to come.

I reached out to Wave because my backyard desperately needed a redo and I wanted to put privacy plantings in. I worked with Mary to completely scrub the existing yard and remake it, including removing a large failing tree and then adding new sod, all new flowers and shrubs, a couple trees and privacy trees along the fence lines. Mary took into account my wishes for different focal areas of the yard- seating, bird feeding, bird bath, cut flower garden, and had the sweet idea to add an arbor to the previous dead space behind my garage. I love the variety of plants she selected. She also went above and beyond in the design phase, showing me some more advanced designs so that I had options. The different crews for the tree removal and install were both so friendly, fast, and skilled. Mary's communication was SO GOOD. She always let me know what was going on and when to expect the next step. I'm looking forward to seeing my garden mature and hopefully another project- the front yard!

Brian and his team are fantastic. They worked with us over the course of multiple years on a large project- patio addition, landscape design and execution. We couldn't be happier with the results.

Brian is knowledgeable, patient and talented!

I recently worked with Wave Outdoors on a project which included a new hardscape patio, sidewalk, front and back stoop, and drainage work. They were also able to handle some sprinkler head rerouting that we needed.

Wave provided us with 2D/3D designs and Brian gave us a lot of different options and suggestions on our design. Despite being on the more expensive side, the quality and satisfaction were well worth it and the end result exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend them.

Our back yard garden bed (partly in sun, partly in shade), along the rear property line, was in need of some landscaping. Over the nearly 40+ years we have lived here, we had randomly planted several lilac bushes, a few hosta plants, several patches of narcissus, some pachysandra, and a small number of ferns, but there was no unifying design. Everything we had planted competed with weeds and unwanted brush that had sprouted up around them. We had always wanted to look out our kitchen window and see a beautifully planned display of perennials, shrubs, and trees and finally decided to do something about it.
We found Wave Outdoors and started working with designer Mary DiCarlo last fall, after we cleared much of the bed of unwanted foliage and installed a backyard fence to allow our newly adopted rescue dog to run free. We were looking to get a design created and the landscaping installed early this spring.
Over the fall and winter months, Mary worked with us via several on-site visits, email exchanges, and Zoom sessions to finalize a design. Mary was a careful listener and tried to incorporate our wishes from the start, while making several small adjustments to the design several times at our request. Just a few days before the installation, when a particular specimen tree she had planned for us was in short supply, Mary made several weekend visits to local garden centers to find us the perfect tree. This was above and beyond the call of duty!
The installation work was planned for two days in late April, but was completed by the Wave Outdoors 3-man crew, led by Rob, in a single day. Good timing, because the next day it rained almost all day, giving the plantings a good drink. The crew worked hard all day, doing additional unplanned tasks, such as trimming overhanging branches to make room for newly-planted (but sure to grow tall eventually) spruce trees, and also repairing some lawn spots from our dog. They also cleaned up better than any crew who has ever worked on our property.
We are so happy with the finished result already, but knowing that perennials operate in a sleep, creep, leap fashion in the three years after planting, we expect the bed to look fantastic over the next 2-3 years as the plantings mature. The plantings were designed to be a mixture of tall, medium, and short heights, of a variety of textures and foliage color, with bloom colors expected in at different times in spring, summer, and fall. The evergreen plantings will remain blue-green throughout the year.
We highly recommend Wave Outdoors and designer Mary DiCarlo for your landscaping needs (they do hardscaping also)! The entire process was well-documented with excellent communication from start to finish. Any small issues found after installation were taken care of very quickly. Initial and final payments were easy using Zelle, but Wave Outdoors also accepts personal checks and credit cards.
Looking forward to warmer weather when we can be outside on our patio enjoying our beautiful new landscape!

Mary was just wonderful. I gave her my budget and she came up with a beautiful design. I wanted something blooming at different times of the year and Marys design did just that. My home now looks complete. I can not wait till next spring when she can work on a design for my back yard.
Thank You Again

We were put in touch with Wave Outdoors through online landscape design company, Yardzen. First let me start by saying, they have been wonderful to work with, I highly recommend them, and I plan to continue using them on future projects.

Our home is new contruction, so prior to working with Wave Outdoors we had no landscaping in either our front or back yard. We started with the front yard (and plan to hire them for the backyard in the next 1-2 years). Mary at Wave Outdoors was our point of contact through the whole process. She reviewed our design created by Yardzen, and was able to suggest alterations to better accommodate lighting and temperature zones where we live. Mary was a pleasure to work with, very thoughtful and very accommodating. She was able to help us narrow down several hardscape selections to exactly what we wanted. Through the installation process she checked to make sure everything looked as we wanted it, and was very proactive with any replacement plants. Everything turned out amazing and as I noted at the start, we will continue to use Wave Outdoors for all our landscaping needs!

Our backyard was in dire need of a makeover and we were lucky enough to work with Brian at Wave Landscape to get this done. He handled the demo, design, installation, project management, and the time-consuming permit process. I sat back and waited for the project to be completed while every detail was handled by Brian and his team.
Not only was the process easy, but he was able to work with my budget and remain patient as I came up with additional "wants" as the project progressed.

Update: A year later the landscape is thriving with very little maintenance by me. I'm also impressed by the follow up from Brian to check in months later to make sure I'm still happy with the finished product. Customer Service is A++++.

Contact Brian from Wave, you won't be disappointed.

Brian and his team at Wave transformed our blah cement slab small backyard to an amazing space that checked every box (decking, hardscape, lighting, landscaping, irrigation and more)! He and his team were dependable, knowledgeable, and so creative. We absolutely love our new space and use it almost year around (this is Chicago after all)!! We have worked with Wave Outdoors on additional projects since and would highly recommend them!!!

We had a wonderful experience working with Brian and the Wave crew for our backyard renovation. We wanted a complete gut out of our existing yard so we could start from scratch. Brian started by providing us with a design and worked with us to make sure the yard would be functional, fit our budget and looked beautiful. The end result turned out better than we imagined and we have a completely transformed space. I would definitely recommend if you are looking for someone honest, creative, and does the job right!

We had work to help with drainage in our yard, and had a patio put in. Brian was great to work with. He was knowledgeable, and gave us several options for our project, and was very responsive to questions. His team was extremely hard working and courteous. Fantastic experience!!

Brian and his team are a pleasure to work with.. very professional and qualified. An awesome company from top to bottom.

I am so happy with the work that was done, even though it was only a simple large mulch installation, the team helped make sure everything was done perfectly and even helped me with some of my spring clean up. ABOVE AND BEYOND! I am looking forward to using their services in the future and will be referring them to friends and family.

We hired Wave Outdoors for a full landscape renovation. Our home had a cement back yard that we wanted replaced with sod. Additionally, our front yard had very outdated landscaping.

Brian and his team at Wave did a terrific job and we absolutely love the results. Great to work with them, I highly recommend.

Brian and his team were a dream come true! I gave my mom, whose yard and gutters were buried in leaves, the gift of Waves cleaning services this holiday season and I cant say enough great things about the experience. Brian worked within my budget, was so responsive and accommodating, and his team was able to perform the service the same day I called for it! My mom couldnt be more relieved, happier or more grateful. She sent updates on how hard the team worked as well as before and after photos to emphasize what an incredible job they did. Thanks for saving the holidays, Wave!