14 for 14 Two Years Running at the 2026 NALP Awards of Excellence

TIM MCAULIFFE

21 hours ago

3 min read

The Outdoor Living Designer entered 14 projects in the 2026 National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) Awards of Excellence, and all 14 received an award. Our 2026 results include 2 Gold, 6 Silver, and 6 Bronze awards, marking a second straight year of national recognition for our design, construction, and project execution.

Wide-angle view of a completed backyard pool patio and pavilion. — Award-winning outdoor living spaces begin with careful planning and field execution.

A national awards program with a full-team result

The NALP Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding work across the professional landscape industry. In 2026, 345 projects were entered nationwide, and 89 did not place.

Our entries represented the type of work we focus on every day across southeastern North Carolina: outdoor living spaces that combine design intent, construction detail, site problem-solving, and long-term function.

Of our 14 award-winning entries, nine were in Residential Design/Build and five were in Residential Landscape Contracting. That mix reflects the way our team works, from the first concept through installation, field adjustments, and final presentation.

"Fourteen for fourteen, two years running, is not luck. It's what happens when one coordinated team carries a project from the first drawing to the final reveal. Nothing gets lost between the drawing and the dirt." — Tim McAuliffe, Owner & Lead Designer

Close-up view of stone pavers beside a pool with planted edges. — Details in grading, drainage, and finish work shaped this year’s award results.

Two Gold awards led the 2026 results

Our 2026 Gold awards were both earned in Residential Design/Build, and each project required more than a strong concept. Both called for careful site evaluation, technical decisions, and close coordination between design and construction.

Pool Garden Patio Experience – The Reed Residence

The Reed Residence began as a design-only engagement and grew into a full design-build project. Before the new outdoor living space could take shape, our team removed the existing pool deck and structurally corrected an unfinished pavilion.

That early work set the stage for a complete pool, garden, and patio experience with a stronger foundation, better function, and a more finished connection between the home and the outdoor rooms.

The Baker Patio Garden Project

The Baker Patio Garden Project was built on a former swamp-fill site where groundwater surfaced in multiple excavation areas. The base and drainage had to be engineered around wet conditions before a single paver was set.

That made the unseen work just as important as the finished patio and garden. The result earned Gold because the project brought strong design together with disciplined construction in a difficult site condition.

Eye-level view of a patio garden under construction with compacted base material. — Some award-winning work happens before the finished surface is visible.

28 national awards in two years

The Outdoor Living Designer also earned 14 NALP awards in 2025, bringing our total to 28 national awards in two years.

We are proud of the consistency behind that number. Every award represents a real property, a real set of site conditions, and a homeowner who trusted us to carry a vision through to completion.

Founded in September 2024 by Tim McAuliffe, Owner and Lead Designer, The Outdoor Living Designer was built around a simple belief: outdoor living projects work best when design and construction stay connected. Tim brings more than 30 years of experience to that process, guiding projects with an eye for proportion, buildability, drainage, materials, and the way people actually use their outdoor spaces.

Wide-angle view of a landscaped patio with seating, garden beds, and warm evening light. — Our work serves homeowners across the coastal communities we call home.

Proud to represent coastal North Carolina

We are based in Castle Hayne, NC, and serve New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. These awards are national in scope, but the work is rooted here, in the soils, drainage challenges, coastal weather, and outdoor living needs of our region.

We are grateful to our clients, trade partners, and team members who helped make this 14-for-14 result possible. Two years running, the recognition confirms what we aim for on every project: clear design, careful construction, and outdoor spaces built the right way from the ground up.