I’m Raquel, the founder and lead designer behind Solea Landscapes. I design outdoor living spaces that feel less like “the backyard” and more like the best part of your home. Think long dinners, slow mornings, pool days, firelight, and late-night conversations.
My process blends creative design, real-world construction awareness, and advanced 3D technology. I carefully measure and scan each property, then recreate the home and landscape in vivid three-dimensional detail. From there, I design the full experience, including layout, structures, materials, planting, lighting, and gathering spaces, so you can clearly see how it will all come together before anything is built.
Solea is intentionally boutique, so you’ll work directly with me from the first idea to the final refinement. Together we will collaborate with our landscape construction consultant, Steve, to perfect every construction detail. The outcome is one-of-a-kind outdoor world that is perfectly your own.
With more than 22 years of experience in the green industry, Steve Durgan brings a seasoned construction perspective to Solea’s design process. Raquel leads the creative vision and design of every project, while Steve serves as the C-27 licensed landscape construction consultant, helping translate bold ideas into thoughtful, buildable details.
Steve advises on materials, installation methods, durability, structural considerations, and the small construction decisions that can make a major difference in how a space looks, functions, and ages over time.
His insight helps keep the design grounded without watering down the creativity.Together, Raquel’s design eye and Steve’s hands-on construction knowledge create outdoor spaces that feel imaginative, refined, and designed to last.
Solea Landscapes creates outdoor environments that change the way a home is experienced. We look beyond individual features to shape the entire atmosphere, from the flow between spaces to the views, textures, light, and moments that make being outside feel effortless. The result is a landscape that feels connected, memorable, and designed to become part of everyday life.
Our process begins with a deep understanding of each client’s vision and lifestyle. From elegant courtyards and custom hardscapes to lush gardens and architectural outdoor structures, we tailor every element with intention.
A great outdoor space is not just a collection of features. It has rhythm, contrast, atmosphere, and a reason behind every decision. The way a path bends, where a tree frames a view, how materials shift from one space to the next, and where people naturally want to gather all shape the experience.At Solea, we design with that bigger picture in mind.
We look for what is missing, what is being underused, and what the property could become with the right ideas. Sometimes that means making a small yard feel expansive. Sometimes it means giving a large property more intimacy, structure, and soul.
"My wife and I are blown away by the landscape design that Raquel crafted for us! From the start, she listened to every single idea we had, and then crafted them into a stunning design with so many custom elements... such as a gorgeous stamped concrete patio, flagstone path, elegant retaining walls, and so much more.
The design is beyond what we could ever have imagined. Her 3D design work and virtual "fly through" are serious game-changers. We could see every detail with vivid clarity and refine it until we felt it was exactly what we hoped for. Raquel was patient, creative, and a total pro! We honestly couldn't be happier with our backyard landscape design. Thank you, Raquel!"
- Rob S, Yelp Review
The strongest designs are rarely defined by one big idea. They come together through dozens of smaller decisions, including how a path meets a patio, where a view opens up, how materials transition, and whether each space feels comfortable at different times of day. Throughout the process, clients are invited into those decisions through clear visuals, thoughtful conversations, and meaningful revisions. The goal is not to hand over a finished concept and hope it feels right. It is to shape the design together, with enough care and clarity that every detail feels intentional by the time the plan is complete.
At Solea, the process is designed to give you clarity before major decisions are made. Through detailed site documentation, immersive 3D design, collaborative revisions, and construction-aware planning, every part of the landscape can be considered as a whole. You leave the process with a thoughtful, cohesive design that feels personal to your home, practical for your property, and ready to guide the next phase with confidence.
