Elizabeth and Darren had the kind of property that should have made staying home irresistible. Instead, the backyard was barely used.
The land dropped sharply away from the house, and the nearby Beltway made the outdoors feel exposed rather than peaceful. Most family time ended up happening at the community pool, even though what they really wanted was a place of their own.
With 14-year-old twins and a home that regularly welcomes 15 to 20 guests, they pictured something far more personal: a backyard where everyone could gather, linger, and actually want to stay. Elizabeth wanted room to swim laps. They both wanted privacy. And above all, they wanted the space to feel like a natural extension of the wooded property, not a polished resort dropped into the middle of it.
Nothing sterile. Nothing overly manicured. The mature trees, the sense of enclosure, and the character of the land were part of what made the property special in the first place.
THEN CAME THE HARDER PART
Making the vision work with the site and the investment
~$300K
Expected investment
~$500K
First complete design
Once the site was fully evaluated, the first complete design came in above Elizabeth and Darren's original investment target. The steep grade, structural work, privacy needs, pool, and the rest of the outdoor living plan all added complexity that was not obvious at the beginning.
Rather than dilute the entire design, LiveWell worked through the plan with them piece by piece. The conversation shifted to priorities: what mattered most to the way they wanted to live outside, which elements could be simplified, and where the scope could be adjusted without sacrificing the privacy, scale, and sense of retreat they wanted from the property.
That process shaped everything that came next.
