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Pristine Acres
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Pro Spotlight: Unearth a Backyard Made for Your Outdoor Lifestyle
A Loudoun County landscape designer shares how to create a customized outdoor living space
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Who: Steve Waldron of Pristine Acres
Where: Aldie, Virginia
In his own words: “Being outside can create a different environment to have a more wholesome family experience.”
Toasting marshmallows around the fire pit. Floating around the pool, lemonade in hand. Grilling with friends and watching a game. Some of the best home memories take place beyond its walls. They’re even more special when your outdoor living space feels tailor-made to your family, says Steve Waldron, the owner of landscape design-build firm Pristine Acres in Aldie. “It’s about not only making a beautiful space, but also spending quality time with your family outside instead of in front of the TV,” he says.
Where: Aldie, Virginia
In his own words: “Being outside can create a different environment to have a more wholesome family experience.”
Toasting marshmallows around the fire pit. Floating around the pool, lemonade in hand. Grilling with friends and watching a game. Some of the best home memories take place beyond its walls. They’re even more special when your outdoor living space feels tailor-made to your family, says Steve Waldron, the owner of landscape design-build firm Pristine Acres in Aldie. “It’s about not only making a beautiful space, but also spending quality time with your family outside instead of in front of the TV,” he says.
Planting the seed. “Part of the reason I wanted to get into this field was my grandma, who was a major gardener,” says Waldron, whose father was a contractor. “She was my best buddy growing up and we’d spend countless hours in the garden together.” She taught him about plants and soil, and gave him his first landscape project in high school.
More than a sum of parts. Waldron focuses his designs on the entire outdoor space and the feelings it can evoke. “I don’t want clients to look outside and say, ‘That’s a nice pool or pavilion.’ I want them to say, ‘Wow, that’s an amazing space,’” he says. He also likes helping people realize their dreams: “I really enjoy the opportunity to serve others, and doing customized work provides a great platform for that.”
Ready to dive into a beautiful, bespoke backyard? Read Waldron’s tips below.
Ready to dive into a beautiful, bespoke backyard? Read Waldron’s tips below.
1. Build for Your Passions
Design your backyard for your favorite pastimes. Waldron suggests brainstorming with your family members to see how they’d want to use the space day-to-day. “Is that watching a football game outside, using the pool or just hanging out by the fireplace and talking?” he says. Also think about the largest gathering you’d have (such as a pool party) and the amenities you’d need. Don’t skimp on the size of your patio, he advises.
Waldron designed this backyard retreat for a busy Oakton family that wanted an outdoor space to unwind in. The cozy pavilion features plenty of seating and an outdoor kitchen made for entertaining. Family and friends can enjoy margaritas and barbecue there, or swim up to an in-pool bar stool. A live-edge wood diving board adds to the fun.
See more of this project
Design your backyard for your favorite pastimes. Waldron suggests brainstorming with your family members to see how they’d want to use the space day-to-day. “Is that watching a football game outside, using the pool or just hanging out by the fireplace and talking?” he says. Also think about the largest gathering you’d have (such as a pool party) and the amenities you’d need. Don’t skimp on the size of your patio, he advises.
Waldron designed this backyard retreat for a busy Oakton family that wanted an outdoor space to unwind in. The cozy pavilion features plenty of seating and an outdoor kitchen made for entertaining. Family and friends can enjoy margaritas and barbecue there, or swim up to an in-pool bar stool. A live-edge wood diving board adds to the fun.
See more of this project
2. Add Your Own Style
Pull together four or five design photos you love to help identify your aesthetic. “It doesn’t have to be a pool, even if you want one. Just something that says, ‘That’s exactly my style,’” Waldron says. He also urges clients to think about meaningful details and timeless appeal.
Leesburg clients’ love of modern style shows in their backyard, seen here. Waldron’s crisp geometric design, which includes concrete pavers and 3D stone walls, ties the space into the contemporary home. A floating staircase connects the upper and lower decks, and cable railing provides airy functionality and a view of the pool.
See more of this project
Pull together four or five design photos you love to help identify your aesthetic. “It doesn’t have to be a pool, even if you want one. Just something that says, ‘That’s exactly my style,’” Waldron says. He also urges clients to think about meaningful details and timeless appeal.
Leesburg clients’ love of modern style shows in their backyard, seen here. Waldron’s crisp geometric design, which includes concrete pavers and 3D stone walls, ties the space into the contemporary home. A floating staircase connects the upper and lower decks, and cable railing provides airy functionality and a view of the pool.
See more of this project
3. Take a 4-Season Approach
Cultivate an outdoor living space that’s ready for fun all year round. Consider the view in different seasons and introduce plants that have winter interest, Waldron says. He also suggests placing a covered area close to your house for easy access.
A large fireplace keeps this Ashburn pavilion warm in the winter, while a fan keeps it cool in the summer and deters bugs. “The family can have dinner there or hang out by the fire even if it’s a 50-degree day,” Waldron says. He chose a pavilion over a pergola or open patio so the family can use it even in the rain.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Steve Waldron and examples of his work, visit Pristine Acres’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Cultivate an outdoor living space that’s ready for fun all year round. Consider the view in different seasons and introduce plants that have winter interest, Waldron says. He also suggests placing a covered area close to your house for easy access.
A large fireplace keeps this Ashburn pavilion warm in the winter, while a fan keeps it cool in the summer and deters bugs. “The family can have dinner there or hang out by the fire even if it’s a 50-degree day,” Waldron says. He chose a pavilion over a pergola or open patio so the family can use it even in the rain.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Steve Waldron and examples of his work, visit Pristine Acres’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Pristine Acres is committed to offering the highest-quality, most professional pool, masonry, carpentry, and... Read More
Review by Sam Singh:
We had the pleasure of meeting with Steve and Kevin at Pristine Acres early on in the exterior design phase of our new custom home. After that first meeting, we knew we would be partnering with Prist...More
Love the swim up bar! And I like how you added the stools but didn't attach the bar..cool idea.