Premier Landscape Architect and Exterior General Contractor in Winnetka, IL

Red Spade Environments Introduce

For discerning homeowners throughout Illinois’ North Shore region, transforming an outdoor space requires more than just gardening—it demands the vision of a landscape architect and the execution of a professional general contractor. Red Spade Environments, located in Winnetka, IL, expertly fills this vital role, offering distinctive landscape architecture and comprehensive design-build services that blend artistry, refined outdoor living, and critical functionality. They are the true specialists for exterior renovations that require both creative genius and rigorous engineering.

Red Spade Environments stands apart from typical landscaping companies because they are led by professional, licensed landscape architects, such as Principal Scott Freres. This core expertise is why top local builders and architects often recommend them. Their work consistently earns high praise, with projects being so exceptional that people "routinely stop and admire" the front yards and ask who provided the design, even many years after installation. They don't just follow trends; they craft timeless, integrated environments that feel like a natural extension of the home’s architecture.

Their capabilities extend far beyond the aesthetic. Many properties, particularly older or wooded lots common in the area, face significant challenges such as **drainage issues** and **overgrown invasives**. Red Spade tackles these fundamental problems head-on. In one remarkable project, they renovated an award-winning woodland garden, meticulously clearing out decades of invasives to reveal original paths and planting beds. Crucially, they engineered a series of **drybeds** to effectively capture and reroute stormwater, protecting the home and nurturing heritage trees—a testament to their technical skill and commitment to sustainability.

Whether it’s a detailed overhaul of an older landscape on a smaller lot, or a brand-new, large-scale design-and-installation, Red Spade Environments manages every detail. Their services cover all phases, from initial conceptual design and master planning to white-glove project management, material sourcing, subcontractor vetting, and final installation. For the client, this means having one point of contact and a single, trusted partner responsible for coordinating all the "many moving parts" of a complex project, ensuring a seamless and high-quality result.

The firm prides itself on being excellent, easy to work with, and ready to provide whatever level of service the client needs, including long-term maintenance advice and recommendations. This approach fosters a deep trust in their judgment and design advice, which has led to long-standing relationships with clients spanning over fifteen years and multiple properties.

Location and Accessibility

Red Spade Environments is perfectly situated to serve their core clientele in the prestigious communities along the North Shore of Illinois. Their office location in Winnetka ensures a local, deeply-rooted connection to the communities they serve, providing rapid accessibility for on-site visits and project management throughout the design-build process.

The firm's location is:

903 Green Bay Rd #2N, Winnetka, IL 60093, USA

This location is not only central to the North Shore but also demonstrates a commitment to client convenience by offering a **Wheelchair accessible parking lot**, ensuring that all clients can easily visit the office for design consultations and planning sessions. Being local means they have a comprehensive understanding of the specific permitting processes, building codes, and environmental factors unique to Winnetka, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and other surrounding communities.

Services Offered

Red Spade Environments offers a holistic design-build service, combining the artistry of a landscape architect with the technical execution of a specialized general contractor for exterior spaces.

Their highly-specialized services include:

Master Planning and Design: Providing unparalleled, custom **landscape architecture** for both small and large lots, delivering designs that are admired for years.
Comprehensive Hardscaping: Full design and installation of structural features like **new patios**, custom **driveways**, **footbridges**, and masonry, all engineered for functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Advanced Drainage Solutions: Critical services including addressing existing **drainage issues** and engineering solutions like creating a series of **drybeds** to capture and reroute stormwater, which is vital for property preservation in Illinois.
Outdoor Structure Installation: Construction of porches, patios, outdoor kitchens, and BBQ areas to create sophisticated outdoor living and entertaining spaces.
Horticultural Renovation: Detailed restoration of existing landscapes, including the selective clearing of **invasives** and the renovation of woodland gardens and planting beds to reveal and preserve original, rare, and heritage specimens.
Landscape Lighting: Design and installation of outdoor **lighting** to enhance the aesthetic and security of the property, extending the enjoyment of the space into the evening.
Maintenance and Advice: Providing continued support through landscape maintenance services and offering important advice and recommendations for the long-term health and maintenance of the newly installed environment.
Full Project Management: Seamlessly managing all moving parts of a project, from initial design and planning through to final installation, acting as the primary point of contact for the client.

Features and Highlights

The distinguishing characteristics of Red Spade Environments center on their professional credentials, the quality of their long-lasting work, and their client-focused process.

Professional Landscape Architect Status: They offer the expertise of **true landscape architects, not just designers**, which translates into superior structural integrity, functionality, and award-winning aesthetic quality that consistently draws admiration.
Proven Expertise in Water Management: A significant highlight is their ability to address complex **woodland lot** and **stormwater** issues by engineering effective **drybeds** and drainage systems that solve problems and protect valuable plant life and property foundations.
Seamless Design-Build Integration: They handle the entire process from concept to completion, ensuring the architectural vision is flawlessly translated into the installed landscape, including elements like new driveways, lighting, and custom patios.
Unparalleled and Timeless Design: Their designs are described as "unparalleled" and continue to "thrill and amaze" clients and neighbors years after installation, representing a significant and lasting enhancement to property value and curb appeal.
Exceptional Project Management: They are commended for staying "on top of every detail" of big projects with many moving parts, ensuring a smooth process and high-quality final result, thanks to competent people like Margaret and the entire team.
Long-Term Client Relationships: Their consistent professionalism and trusted judgment have resulted in clients using their services for over fifteen years across different properties, highlighting a high degree of customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Architect-Recommended: The firm comes highly recommended by other industry professionals, which serves as a powerful endorsement of their technical expertise and reliable execution.

Contact Information

If you are ready to elevate your Illinois property with an unparalleled, functional, and beautiful landscape, we highly recommend initiating a conversation with the experts at Red Spade Environments. Their team is ready to apply their unique blend of architectural design and structural construction expertise to your next project.

Address: 903 Green Bay Rd #2N, Winnetka, IL 60093, USA

Phone: (847) 271-9857

What is Worth Choosing this Winnetka Specialist

For homeowners in the competitive North Shore real estate market, selecting Red Spade Environments is an investment in quality, longevity, and superior design. What makes them the optimal choice over a standard landscaping crew is their professional credential as a **Landscape Architect** firm acting as a specialized general contractor for the exterior. This ensures that every project, from a simple patio to a complex drainage system, is designed and built to the highest structural and aesthetic standards.

In the context of Illinois's weather and soil conditions, solving structural issues is paramount. The firm's demonstrated ability to tackle and solve severe **drainage issues** with engineered solutions like drybeds is critical for protecting a home's foundation and maintaining the health of the entire landscape. This technical expertise goes well beyond simple cosmetic improvements.

Ultimately, the enduring quality of their design is what clients cherish most. Choosing Red Spade means you are commissioning an outdoor environment that is not only functional and structurally sound but is also a celebrated work of art—one that continues to "thrill and amaze" and generates inquiries from admiring passersby years after completion. For a large or complex renovation—especially those involving hardscaping, drainage, lighting, and planting—Red Spade Environments offers the peace of mind that comes from working with trusted, architect-recommended professionals who specialize in creating high-value, enduring outdoor legacies.

Red Spade Environments Details

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Red Spade Environments Photos

Red Spade Environments Location

Red Spade Environments

Illinois Cook County Winnetka Green Bay Road

903 Green Bay Rd #2N, Winnetka, IL 60093, USA

Red Spade Environments Reviews

An average rating of ★5 from 3 user reviews.

patio

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

We've used Red Spade for probably 15 years, and at two different houses. The first was the improvement of an older landscape on a smaller lot (addressing drainage issues, building a new porch and patio etc) and the second was a brand new design and installation on a larger lot (driveways, landscaping, lighting, patio, BBQ etc.)The design they provide is unparalleled--people routinely stop and admire our current front yard and ask who designed it, even now, 6 years later. It was important to us to have true landscape architects, not just designers, which is what you often get at a bigger shop. The people at Red Spade are excellent, easy to work with, and ready to provide whatever level of service you need. They have helped me maintain the landscaping too and provided important advice and recommendations along the way. I trust their judgment as well as their design advice.
February 01 · Becky Hurley
On the advice of our architect, we hired Red Spade to renovate our wooded lot. The previous owner had created an award-winning woodland garden in the mid-to-late '50's, complete with rare specimen plants, meandering paths and heritage trees. By the time we took over, it was overgrown with invasives, and unrecognizeable as a garden. Red Spade cleared out the woods to reveal the original paths and planting beds, and renovated both. Then created a series of drybeds to capture and reroute stormwater from our road into the woods where it could be obsorbed by the water-loving heritage trees,. Finally, they installed footbridges to tie the paths and drybeds together. More than 10 years later, it still continues to thrill and amaze us. It was a big project with many moving parts, and Margaret and her people from Red Spade stayed on top of every detail. They were great to work with.
February 20 · Jan Bawden
We have a very small patio area...think English garden. We hired Red Spade to transform the area and maximize its potential. We weren't big clients with a big budget. They treated us with the utmost professionalism. They are geniuses with small spaces too! Almost more of a challenge. HIRE THEM NOW.
February 01 · Charlotte McGee