Recognition and Awards for Charles Owen
LCA Award Spotlight by Home & Design
A restrained, modern landscape plan enhances a McLean show house.
Garden designer Charles Owen and landscape architect Oomer Syed of Fine Landscapes, Ltd., were asked to develop a modern garden plan for Aspire House, a show-house event that took place in a home on Mackall Farms in McLean. The team correlated their design with the clean lines of the home, which was designed by Artisan Builders. Owen and Syed crafted an entry walk out of large-format mirage ceramic tiles offset by turf strips to focus on the central vestibule. The rear garden is visible from the front entrance; it features a rectangular reflecting pool bordered by three laser-cut aluminum panels and a linear fire trough. Entertainment spaces are delineated by modern and linear concrete pavers. Crape myrtle and varied species of multi-trunk holly frame the space.
Design Features
- A grilling station and wet bar feature contemporary stainless-steel cabinetry
- Steeds holly hedges create a green wall along the street that defines the front garden
- An Old World-style cobbled carriage court mixes classic with modern style
- The water feature and linear fireplace convey a “fire and water” theme
Design House benefiting Children’s National Health System
French Influence on the American Landscape
Property: 956 Mackall Farms Lane, McLean, Virginia
April 11 – May 10, 2015
With great design sequence, the landscape and hardscape materials for the Mackall Farms home have been chosen to complement the Farm-House styled architecture. The front includes a low wall, paver auto court, fountain and complementary landscaping. The front auto court in brick is anchored at the corner with a well pump. The use of brick as a paving element is true to the epoque contemplated for the house. The antique horse trough and well pump from the mid 1800’s are part of the antique garden ornaments collected by designer Charles Owen on his trips through France.
At the side yard, the Pennsylvania flat stack fieldstone walls and associated water feature evoke a falling water approach to the rear garden; while the rear gardens host a series of garden landscaping, garden walks, brick patio and firepit terrace to provide circulation and intimate outdoor living rooms. The horticulture includes a classically assembled palette of deer resistant plants that offer complementary color and texture. The mature screening plants along the property line provide a tall, green privacy hedge between neighboring properties.
Top Landscape Designer H&D Portfolio
Projects by Fine Landscapes reflect the client’s aesthetic vision and complement the architecture of their homes. Founded in 1978, the firm employs 45 people and boasts a portfolio that represents a wide range of projects, from simple gardens to complex design/build installations.
As a child growing up in Paris and Madrid, principal Charles Owen cultivated an appreciation for European-influenced design that he brings to the landscapes he creates. He and his team study plant species to bring innovation and diversity to their work, and provide the essential factors to a properly designed landscape: balance and transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Fine Landscapes has completed numerous high-profile projects in the mid-Atlantic region and abroad. The firm’s expertise encompasses all facets of a project, including site design and planning, horticulture, hardscape, outdoor illumination, waterworks, and pavilion design. “In many cases,” Owen notes, “ we are called on prior to construction to help site a house and its amenities, then lay out the overall design of the terrain.”
Over the years, Fine Landscapes has received numerous industry awards. However, says Owen, “the greatest reward is the support of clients and their recommendations.”
2019 Craftsmanship Awards Winner – Sitework, Landscaping
Awarded to: Charles Owen, Donald Smith, and Oomer Syed of Fine Landscapes
Project Name: Capital One Block B, McLean, VA
Architect: HKS, PC
Civil Engineer/Landscape Architect: Gordon
General Contractor: DAVIS Construction
The quality of landscape installation begins with understanding the design intent of the project and then meeting and surpassing those expectations. The design included creating smaller intimate spaces along with larger gathering areas for potential performances. The principal design objective was to tie in the existing buildings to the new headquarters building through similar paving, hardscape materials, water features, opportunities for art, and most importantly plantings.