When you envision your dream outdoor living space, there’s a good chance you’re not just picturing the elements that make it up, but also how you’ll be spending time there. You imagine watching your kids swim or cooking in your outdoor kitchen so that your family can enjoy a meal outside.
In this way, your outdoor living space ultimately becomes integral to the memories you’re making with friends and family.
This Leesburg, VA outdoor living area is a perfect example of this. (Check out this video along with the written detailed case study.)
The homeowners were looking for an outdoor space with all of the right amenities where they could spend quality time. Whenever we are designing a landscape, we’re always thinking about how we can get the homeowners to spend more time outside—and stay outside once they’re there. This project is the quintessential example of how the right outdoor living amenities can truly make your outdoor experience amazing.
Of course, before we could start creating the dream backyard that these homeowners were envisioning, there were challenges to overcome. This was not a super flat backyard. The house was built into the side of a hill and we had about 12 feet of grade to work with. When the homeowners decided they wanted to build a pool, there were a lot of considerations that had to come into play.
One of the major solutions for this project was the incorporation of the appropriate retaining walls to address the sloped property. This wasn’t just adding retaining walls for aesthetics or to add extra seating. These required a lot of engineering to ensure that the walls were properly holding back erosion and addressing the grade.
Of course, there’s no question that these walls now add interest and a valuable aesthetic component. With the right landscape plantings, they look like they were always meant to be there even though they are serving that functional purpose.
One thing that stands out with this Leesburg, VA project is the wide array of amenities that it includes. The homeowners had asked us for a list of some elements that would help make their project special and they liked all of them. Each amenity helps contribute to their overall goal of spending more time outside and making special memories while they’re there.
Let’s look at a few of the key features and what they entail.
The outdoor pavilion in this project is a space where people can gather under sheltered cover. Because the pavilion is sunken, it also creates the opportunity to truly connect those swimming in the pool with those lounging in the pavilion. It’s like a swim-up bar in that sense.
Of course, what really makes this pavilion one-of-a-kind is the fiber optic ceiling which creates a night sky sort of effect. These lights are color-changing and can move around for an immersive nighttime experience. It’s like the family’s own personal light show!
The pavilion also features a built-in, wood-burning outdoor fireplace to increase the cozy factor of this hang-out spot. And, it has a built-in wine refrigerator so that the wine is always ready-to-serve at the perfect temperature.
The swimming pool is a 20x45 pool with 3 sheer descent waterfalls which include color-changing LED lights for a gorgeous nighttime visual effect. It also has a built-in spa so that those in the spa can still interact with those in the pool.
The pool features an auto-cover so it can be closed simply and safely at the push of a button.
While the pool deck features travertine, which is the optimal material for pool decking, we also incorporated a gorgeous diamond pattern using bluestone for even more appeal.
Another highlight is the gorgeous outdoor kitchen which has a built-in grill, side burner, refrigerator, kegerator, icemaker, sink, and a built-in trashcan. Again, the thought that went into this design (and these amenities) was keeping the homeowners and their friends and family outside as long as possible.
The family didn’t want to have to be running back in and out of the house for missing items. With everything right there in the outdoor kitchen, they never have to go inside.
The pizza oven is another amenity that these homeowners were interested in as it created an interactive cooking experience. Suddenly a pizza party is an entire event. They have the chance to create delicious, wood-fired pizza (plus wings, barbequed meats, focaccia, and so much more!).
One of the seemingly small, but really important, details of this project is the built-in wood storage that’s built right into one of the retaining walls. This allows for a neat space to tuck the wood away so that it’s undercover and also ready to use when needed for the oven.
We’ve already mentioned that an outdoor fireplace is incorporated into one of the pavilion’s sides and there is a wood-burning pizza oven. But this project also features an outdoor fire pit area for another cozy gathering spot. This is a great place for the kids to roast marshmallows or for family and friends to experience more of a “campfire-style” gathering. The light and the heat of this wood-burning fire pit keep the party going even after the sun goes down.
Wood is neatly tucked into storage coves for each of the spaces where it may be needed.
On top of that, there’s also a gorgeous gas-powered fire bowl near the pool area. It is carved from a piece of granite and adds a tremendous amount of interest and beauty.
When it comes to keeping people outside for longer, landscape lighting is another critical element. It’s important to be able to see and safely navigate outdoor spaces even after the sun goes down. As a result, this Leesburg, VA project has plenty of gorgeous landscape lighting incorporated throughout so that it can be fully enjoyed in the evening hours. It is a two-transformer set-up with dual-zone lighting so that the individual spaces can be controlled separately.
Clearly, this project was no small undertaking and it was important that the homeowners found the right landscape designers for the task. One thing that sets their choice in Rock Water Farm apart from choosing pool designers or builders is that we look at the entire, big picture. This is quite different from pool builders who really are focused solely on the pool and the rest of the landscape ends up being an afterthought.
But you can clearly see how the rest of this outdoor living project was just as important as the pool. Each and every element that went into this design plays a role in keeping the family and their friends outside and allowing them to fully enjoy the space.
What has also been so important in terms of choosing the right landscape designers is the fact that everything goes. The entire space flows and not only aesthetically looks like it all goes together but functions that way, too. Even if the family and/or guests are in different areas, they’re still connected in various ways. And, people can travel through all the different rooms seamlessly.
Rock Water Farm handled all elements of this project from design through to construction and the end result is exactly what the homeowners were looking for.
In fact, we got one of the best reactions we could have ever gotten when the family came home from vacation at the beach and said that they were more excited to be home than away!
While the beach house they had rented had the standard pool, they actually had more exciting amenities in their own backyard. That’s a huge compliment and we appreciate it greatly as there’s nothing we love more than helping homeowners bring their outdoor dreams to life. Now, this family is making lifelong memories in a space where they love to spend time.
Are you ready to find an expert who will bring your outdoor living ideas for your Ashburn, Aldie, or Leesburg, VA home to life? If so, talk to an expert, choose a solution that rocks, and get ready to see those dreams become a reality.