Outdoor Living Spaces We Love!
by Tracey Barrett
Expanding your home into the outdoors is a perfect way to create more space for entertaining, yourself and add value to your home. When social distancing last spring, summer and fall, home owners sought refuge and respite in their outdoor spaces. Tracey Barrett, of the FOCUS on NoVA Real Estate Team, interviewed Kathy Goode, Owner of Spectrum Custom Homes, to get the behind the scene look at some of her favorite outdoor living spaces her husband Kevin and she have created for their clients.
TB: Kathy, so many people want to enjoy the outdoors but have restrictions within their community’s HOA documents. Can you give an example of a project you did and why you loved it?
KG: Pam McGroarty (now retired) referred an attached open air pavilion to us. It was against setback regulations for residents to build on the back of their home but Pam was able to get it approved through Loudoun County so we could add open air pavilions in this 55+ community. We did several but this is my favorite. Extending a beautiful covered living area with fire pit. The customer was wonderful to work with, as was Pam McGroarty, and it was a great addition to the rear of the home.
TB: The demand for in-ground pools went through the roof in 2020 as people were confined to their homes. Can you give us an example of a great pool project you loved?
KG: We were hired by a landscape designer, Dave Marciniak, to build his design for a couple in Nokesville, VA. There were some challenges with distance from the pool and positioning the elevation to work with existing pool deck. We had fun doing soffit lights in the ceiling and putting a full kitchen, bar and fireplace in it. Again, wonderful customers that hired us back shortly after to put switchback stairs from the upper deck to the pool.
.TB: Some properties are truly unique, especially older and/or historic properties. In order to maintain value in a property, it is important that while adding modern functionality to a property the additions remain in-style with the character.
KG: “The File” Screen Porch – This was another referral from designer Dave Marciniak. This was a nearly 100 year old Victorian home in Culpeper, VA. We had to work around a 100 year old tree and tie into the historic home. The vintage color of the home was reflected in the structure and it looks as if it has always been there. Fantastic customers and love, love, love the way it turned out.
TB: The grade of a lot can be very challenging when creating usable outdoor spaces. Can you give us an example of a project you did that helped create more space for the home owners, despite their challenging lot?
KG: Lee Pool Pavilion – This, again, was a referral from designer Dave Marciniak. The couple had a pool built the year before and wanted a pavilion. The trick was that the end of the pool deck took a sharp downward grade away from the pool. So we came up with a design to avoid costly retention walls by building a framed deck flooring on posts. With just one step up from the pool deck it is a seamless flow from pool to pavilion.
For more information about how you can have your unique outdoor living space, learn more at Spectrum Homes, Inc.
