Keith Willig Landscape Architecture - Menlo Park, California

Hanna K.

We couldn't be more thrilled with the transformation of our backyard, thanks to Keith and his team. They understood our vision and turned into something more than what was originally envisioned. Keith and his team are creative, detail orientated and know how to balance beauty with functionality. The design process took time but it was easy to work with them. They are very responsive, especially to changes or new ideas. Together, we created the perfect family backyard.

I highly recommend Keith Willig and his team. We are incredibly happy with how everything turned out.

Peter L.

Keith and team were fantastic from start to finish.

We needed a more functional backyard as we have a large oak tree and the grass below it was struggling. Keith came back to us a few weeks later with sketches and ideas and his crew were fantastic and we decided to go ahead

Throughout the process Keith was always available to comment on ideas we had and to recommend designs of chairs/ swings and appropriate colors to match.

We ended up removing the grass, adding a sitting area with firepit, redoing tree lights and hanging swings and we now spent most of our weekends out there.

Couldn't recommend Keith more

k B.

I’ve worked with Keith Willig on three homes over the past 15 years — in Palo Alto and Portola Valley — and every experience has been exceptional. Keith brings rare creativity, deep knowledge, and a clear vision to outdoor spaces, seeing potential where others don’t.

He’s transformed my backyards into private sanctuaries, with thoughtful plantings and design that feel both elevated and effortless — from peaceful retreats to beautiful spaces for entertaining.

What sets Keith apart is not just his design talent, but the ability he and his team have to carry a vision from concept to completion. The team is skilled and professional, and it’s Keith’s direction and creativity that shape every project.

As I write this from a meadow he designed — where new green shoots are emerging and songbirds are returning — I can say his work has profoundly enriched our home. I can’t recommend Keith Willig Landscape Architecture highly enough.

Jim H.

We were thrilled to work with Keith and his talented team. They were thoughtful and attentive throughout the entire process.
Our project was challenging and included developing on the side of a hill as well as a major pool removal. Even though there were some difficult elements, we couldn't be happier with the result. We now have the entertaining spaces and beautiful yard we envisioned. I'd recommend Keith in a heartbeat.

Richard C.

We spent around $13k net (after a partial refund) and 3 months on landscape designs with Keith Willig and his project manager Carmen, before they checked with the county and realized that the central pergola / entertaining area we had designed was not allowed, so we terminated the project.

Background: We wanted to redesign/refresh our entire existing yard, augmenting our outdoor kitchen with a permanent shade structure / entertaining area. Given the considerable expected cost for refreshing our landscape, we wanted to create a new outdoor living area with all the bells and whistles.

We considered a number of landscape designers, contractors, and architects, and signed our contract with KWLA in early January 2023 based on their strong portfolio and references, although they were on the high end cost-wise.

How it progressed:
January: We had a kick off meeting, followed up with some emails, and they presented 3 initial sketch proposals of some yard layouts. One only included an umbrella for the outdoor area, so we reiterated we wanted a permanent structure for entertaining. Billed charges just over $8k.

February: We had a follow up meeting to discuss what we liked from the proposals, and more detailed discussion about materials / aesthetics. A few weeks later, they provided an updated sketch proposal incorporating what we discussed. Billed charges just over $5k for the month, including 6 hours ($870) for "Permit Submittal/City Codes".

March: They prepared CAD layouts of our design, with a couple pages of mulch/stone and plant options. We provided some feedback, and they returned a couple weeks later with initial cost estimates using 2 material options - both were six figures higher than the original budget in our contract. We pushed back, and they provided a revised down that was still higher than the original, but not by six figures. We then had a meeting where they brought some material samples and we finalized layout.
The next week, Carmen notified us that she met with the county planner, and that they had not been aware of an accessory structure setback that would rule out any permanent shade / outdoor living structure by the outdoor kitchen. We expressed our frustration to find this out so late, and Keith offered to redesign that yard free of charge.
Billed charges just under $5k.

April: They provided an estimate for just doing the other area, but we decided it was not worth the remaining costs to proceed without the new area, so we terminated our contract and abandoned the project. When we checked a couple weeks later to confirm our account was cleared, Keith offered to refund us for the payment we had made for March, so we ended up ultimately paying for January and February (~$13k).