How Custom Design And Millwork Transform Spaces: Inside Chip Wade's Stunning Luxury Treehouse Rentals

In this episode of Behind the Build I'm in Chatsworth, Georgia, with Chip Wade at The Perch Treehouses. The three luxury treehouses are located in the North Georgia mountains and have stunning views of their wild surroundings. The Jenny, The Tom, and The Jake, share the same square footage and the same engineered foundation. But the second you walk through the front door of each one, the feel is completely different. That's what custom design and real millwork do for a home.

I'm a door nerd, so the front doors are where I start. The pink Dutch door on The Jenny was something Chip called me about. We drew it on a napkin at lunch, and Magbee Contractor Supply turned that sketch into a real shop drawing and a real door. The Jake has a solid mahogany gothic arch double door that I had only ever seen in my dreams. These doors set the tone for the entire build, and they prove what's possible when you work with a dealer who can actually deliver custom.

I grew up in this industry, and I've walked through a lot of houses. This one stopped me. Standing inside, the arches line up. The hardware feels heavy in your hand. The colors connect across rooms. That's what a custom luxury build feels like, and it's the reason guests pay a premium to stay. 

Chip brought in partners who could deliver: Magbee on custom doors, Daltile on countertops, Oltre on cast fireplaces, John Boos on butcher block, Murphy Door, and so many more. These are the manufacturers and dealers who make a design vision real.

Living in a space like this hits different. For builders and dealers watching, the takeaway is simple: pick the right partners, commit to custom, and the build sells itself.

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Transcript

Behind the Build

Episode: The Perch Treehouses With Chip Wade

Filmed at Pinhoti Peak, Chatsworth, Georgia

YouTube Chapter Markers

00:00  Welcome to The Perch Treehouses With Chip Wade

00:49  Touring The Jenny: A Luxury Treehouse Build in North Georgia

01:25  Oltre Cast Fireplace: Custom Design Shipped to Your Spec

02:35  Daltile Taj Mahal Quartzite and John Boos Butcher Block Countertops

03:35  The Pink Kohler Farmstead Sink That Sets the Color Palette

04:34  MI Doors and the North Georgia Mountain View

05:30  Building a Treehouse on Stilts: 14 Columns and Tons of Concrete

06:34  Working in Remote Sites: The $50,000 Gravel Road Problem

07:32  Concentric Arches and Architectural Design Details

09:08  Murphy Doors: Hidden Door Design Ideas for Any Home

09:42  Custom Front Door Design: From Napkin Sketch to Magbee Build

11:04  Why Custom Front Door Design Beats Off-the-Shelf

12:36  Inside the Master Suite: Steam Shower, Sauna, and York Wallpaper

14:05  Bonded Rubber Mulch: A Durable Outdoor Building Product

15:15  Touring The Tom: A Darker, More Masculine Treehouse Build

16:00  Cast Fireplace and Two-on-One Cabinet Design

17:19  Vanna Hood Vent: Big Look Without the Big Price

18:38  Shelfology Steel Shelves and Mtech Hardware

19:11  Painted Shaker Doors: An Affordable Way to Add a Wow Moment

20:09  SkyWorth Outdoor TV for All-Weather Outdoor Living

21:10  Touring The Jake: Gothic Arch Front Door and Old World Style

22:53  Magbee Custom Mahogany Doors With Mtech Brass Hardware

23:30  Solid Porcelain Countertops From Daltile

24:25  RTA Cabinets Flat-Packed and Shipped in One Week

25:25  Color-Matched Library Walls: 1200 Books Sourced From Thrift Stores

26:53  Stairway Shop Custom Walnut Library Ladder

27:21  Hidden Murphy Door Master Suite Entry

29:00  Final Pick: Which Treehouse Is Chip Wade's Favorite?

29:46  Closing Thoughts and Where to Stay at The Perch

Full Transcript

[00:00]  Welcome to The Perch Treehouses With Chip Wade

Stefanie Couch  00:00

I'm Stefanie Couch, and I'm here in Chatsworth, Georgia. From this episode of Behind the Build, we're at Pinhoti Peak and we're filming at The Jenny, which is one of three treehouses that Chip Wade has built here. This custom door was actually something that I was able to help design. We drew this on a napkin at lunch one day, and Magbee Contractor Supply actually built this custom door as a Dutch. So the top half opens, and as you can see, it's the best color in the world. It's pink, so let's take you behind the build.

[00:49]  Touring The Jenny: A Luxury Treehouse Build in North Georgia

Stefanie Couch  00:49

Welcome to Behind the Build with Stefanie Couch. I'm in Chatsworth, Georgia with Chip Wade. Welcome.

Chip Wade  00:55

Thanks.

Stefanie Couch  00:55

Except welcome to me because we're in my dream house, the Stefanie Couch dream house right now.

Chip Wade  01:00

I feel like I'm intruding.

Stefanie Couch  01:03

Get out of my house.

Chip Wade  01:04

Yeah, you're coordinated to the nth degree with this place. For sure.

Stefanie Couch  01:06

I love it. This is The Jenny. We're here at Pinhoti Peak. This is your new project where you did The Perch Treehouses.

Chip Wade  01:12

That's right.

Stefanie Couch  01:13

And we're gonna walk through three different treehouses that you've built, all different styles. You've got amazing finishes in here that are green, pink. All the beauty I see around me. So I wanna just talk about some of the products.

Chip Wade  01:24

Great. Let's do it. My favorite things.

[01:25]  Oltre Cast Fireplace: Custom Design Shipped to Your Spec

Stefanie Couch  01:25

I love this fireplace surround. It's beautiful. Tell me a little bit about this. What was the vision here?

Chip Wade  01:31

So I wanted something that felt a little bit more elevated in quality for this one. Everything you see is kind of like lighter tones in this. Obviously the lighter pinks, the lighter greens, a great combo. We kind of mix that in with a little bit more black for a little bit more drama. This actually I found from a company on the West Coast. This is called Oltre Castings. Really great. Also, I think they're known as Oregon Castings as well. Basically you can create a profile and they'll make it and ship it. And I was able to install this in like an hour, which is great. So I just gave them the size of my firebox, and they ship the pieces to you. You can get pretty much whatever you want. And even if you're not that handy, and you chip it or scratch it, they send the kit. You're basically making up more of this exact same material. You put it on and it just completely disappears. So very user friendly, big or small. You'll see in one of the other treehouses, I have a 101 inch long fireplace with a very modern surround. They did that for me too. So whether it's traditional or transitional like this one, or something a little bit more sleek line, they can do.

[02:35]  Daltile Taj Mahal Quartzite and John Boos Butcher Block Countertops

Stefanie Couch  02:35

It's amazing. Alright, let's go to the next moment. So the kitchen. The first thing I saw when I walked in here actually was these beautiful countertops. They're really stunning.

Chip Wade  02:44

I tell you what, I'm a big fan of composite quartz. But obviously it's hard to beat real quartzite. The solid stuff that's in it. This is called Taj Mahal. This is from Daltile. You can feel the honed finish on there. Tactically, there's about nothing that you just like or love more than this. My wife loves this. I love this.

Stefanie Couch  03:05

Taj Mahal, like the best.

Chip Wade  03:06

That's good. It's pretty awesome. So I did that on the sides around the range, and then some of the bar areas around here. I contrasted it with something a little warmer, again, too much solid surface gets too cold. So having a nice thick, three and a half inch butcher block, solid maple. This is from John Boos. I used the same species and manufacturing to cascade through from an actual real vertical grain butcher block dining table. And you'll see some other accents through here at the same.

[03:35]  The Pink Kohler Farmstead Sink That Sets the Color Palette

Stefanie Couch  03:35

Like this amazing farmhouse pink sink from Kohler.

Chip Wade  03:38

Check it out. So this kind of helped set the stage, just like we'll see in some different areas. Sometimes one element kind of is what you design around. This is a statement piece, no doubt. This is called the Farmstead sink from Kohler. This is actually a stock color, really. So this pink enamel actually I used as my reference for the rest of the color palette for everything. You can actually make this as a drop in, which I thought was a complete waste. I wanted to put the legs on it. Having the counter split and the air underneath the kitchen sink, especially when it's 45 inches wide. This is not only a very practical sink. If you use it, you'll probably love this more than any other sink. Because you can actually really get in there, you don't get splashed on, and you can put a lot of stuff in there. And it looks great.

Stefanie Couch  04:19

Nobody wants to do dishes, but if you have to, a pink sink is a good place to do it.

Chip Wade  04:22

This is the one, I know. And with that enamel, even though it's shiny and looks fragile, I mean, you can beat on that thing with pans. It's not gonna make any difference. That thing is an absolute tank. It's heavy as a tank too.

[04:34]  MI Doors and the North Georgia Mountain View

Stefanie Couch  04:34

Well, just in case. Well, speaking of breathtaking, let's look out this door. So we've got, this is an MI door.

Chip Wade  04:40

Yep.

Stefanie Couch  04:40

And we have got what I think is one of the most beautiful places in the world, right behind us. So our backdrop here is the North Georgia Mountains. And this range, this is the Appalachian Mountains.

Chip Wade  04:51

It is, it is.

Stefanie Couch  04:51

And we are right here. So framed with this, the view is basically year round, you're gonna see this. There's nothing blocking you, but come fall, it's gonna be spectacular.

Chip Wade  05:00

Absolutely spectacular. A great spot to have an evening cocktail or a nice cup of coffee in the morning. We got all the infrared heating out here. This is strategically designed to keep this spot exactly the right temperature. And then of course we have the gate out to the big star gazing hammock nets out here.

Stefanie Couch  05:17

Yeah, the hammock nets are pretty awesome. I cannot imagine how fun that was to install.

Chip Wade  05:22

We gotta get out of the stilettos to get on, but it's worth it.

Stefanie Couch  05:24

Today I'm not wearing the outfit. So we could go bare feet. It's a little wet out there. It's been raining this morning.

[05:30]  Building a Treehouse on Stilts: 14 Columns and Tons of Concrete

Stefanie Couch  05:30

Alright, so this whole area here, you have built on stilts.

Chip Wade  05:35

That's right.

Stefanie Couch  05:36

So talk a little bit about that process and just where we are as far as construction. That had to be quite the project.

Chip Wade  05:42

So again, everything looks easy once it's done. But foundationally, this is a bit of a challenge. Lots of engineering, lots of concrete, lots of steel, every footing. So I mentioned earlier, underneath this house, there's 14 different columns. Every column has a pier that's 30 inches in diameter and about 30 inches tall. That's connected to a footing that's between five and seven foot square and three feet deep with two layers of one inch rebar all meshed together. The amount of concrete that's in this foundation is obscene, but it's not really for weight bearing. It's for uplift. So with a peak that's 70 plus feet up in the air and these prevailing northern winds that come down, we're fully exposed here in the North Georgia Mountains. It's about keeping these houses from turning over.

Stefanie Couch  06:25

Right.

Chip Wade  06:26

Which is a little bit of a counterintuitive thing with a foundation.

Stefanie Couch  06:29

We're safe.

Chip Wade  06:30

We are over-engineered to the nth degree.

[06:34]  Working in Remote Sites: The $50,000 Gravel Road Problem

Stefanie Couch  06:32

How many concrete trucks?

Chip Wade  06:34

Oh, I don't even know. How many yards was this? I mean, we're hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of yards.

Stefanie Couch  06:39

Just to be clear, we are in the middle of nowhere.

Chip Wade  06:42

In the southeast, I would say this is about as remote as you can get. It is. Which is part of the appeal, but that makes the building so incredibly challenging. We're down about three quarters of a mile down a forest service road, so it's a gravel road that nobody maintains. I maintain this road. The county doesn't do it. The Forest Service doesn't do it. When you get big semis that are weighted and it's been freezing and thawing, there's ruts so big you can't even drive a sedan down here.

Stefanie Couch  07:06

Yeah. It's a challenge.

Chip Wade  07:07

So we have to, I mean, there's over $50,000 worth of gravel. A 57 stone just on this project. If you can contemplate, that's just to keep it passable. But yeah, lots of foundation work, lots of steel work. Once we actually got up to this point, the building was just more of a hassle and challenge with the site conditions rather than it being too difficult to actually construct the houses themselves.

[07:32]  Concentric Arches and Architectural Design Details

Stefanie Couch  07:32

This moment when I walked in stunned me, not because it's anything elaborate, it's just so well detailed. You've got a large arch here that mimics the front door. You've got this little medium arch, and then you've got this beautiful goldilocks spot, the window, the table, the colors, the squirrel wallpaper. Nailed it.

Chip Wade  07:54

It's all the things, right?

Stefanie Couch  07:55

All the things. So tell me a little bit about exactly what I'm looking at here.

Chip Wade  07:58

Yeah, so really this was an architectural math problem, is really what this was, but it's the little details I think that make this work. When you're actually outside all the way on the street, and you look through this, these are concentric arches, meaning the center point of this largest radius circle is the same as the center point of this. Which is the same as the center point of the round window. So when you look through it, you might not even recognize it, but if it wasn't that, it would not feel this way.

Stefanie Couch  08:22

It just feels good inside.

Chip Wade  08:25

That's right. And we wanna compress and then we wanna expand. So we create a little bit of unknown what's happening back here. This just makes you want to squeeze back around.

Stefanie Couch  08:33

Well, that's what I'm gonna do right now.

Chip Wade  08:33

And have a nice little coffee.

Stefanie Couch  08:35

I can't stop myself coming back here. I feel like I need a good book and a cup of cake.

Chip Wade  08:41

I'm telling you. And this one, it's fun. But some of the little nooks and the other ones are maybe even a step above. Lots, lots of books, I'll just say.

Stefanie Couch  08:49

I can't wait to see it. Sort of like a Beauty and the Beast Belle moment I'm gonna have.

Chip Wade  08:53

That's right. That's right. And I'll do a trivia question on how many books you think it takes to decorate a library wall.

Stefanie Couch  08:59

Oh, I'm sure it is beyond obscene.

Chip Wade  09:00

Yeah. Every thrift store in the southeast shuddered to see me coming.

Stefanie Couch  09:04

Well, let's go check out the next spot.

Chip Wade  09:07

Sounds good.

[09:08]  Murphy Doors: Hidden Door Design Ideas for Any Home

Stefanie Couch  09:08

One of my favorite products that I saw on the floor at IBS last year was Murphy Door, because it's a little hidden moment and I'm a door nerd.

Chip Wade  09:16

That's right. They got some great stuff.

Stefanie Couch  09:17

But this is epic because not only is it a hidden door, but it leads to a room with a pink toilet in it.

Chip Wade  09:25

Go on in, check it out.

Stefanie Couch  09:26

It is black in here with wallpaper and a pink toilet and an amazing decorative sink from Kohler. This Murphy door is just hidden away, so you may not even know you're here, but there we are.

[09:42]  Custom Front Door Design: From Napkin Sketch to Magbee Build

Stefanie Couch  09:42

When you told me about this project, you called and said, hey, I need some doors. Thinking wood doors, I'm thinking front doors. Tell me what you can do. And I said, I have ideas.

Chip Wade  09:52

Yeah, I know, I know something about this.

Stefanie Couch  09:55

And I heard about The Jenny, which is where we're standing, and you said, I want something cool and it can be pink. And I said, I'm your girl. So we actually drew out this door, which Magbee Contractor Supply made for you. And it is a Dutch door.

Chip Wade  10:11

It is heavy.

Stefanie Couch  10:12

Heavy wood, thick. Everything is custom. It's got these amazing simulated divided light grills. And it actually does open as a Dutch door on a pretty day. You could have the sunshine coming in. This is my favorite part of the whole house. You said this kind of inspired the vision for the whole house.

Chip Wade  10:29

Yeah, really the subtle round geometry of this starts to cascade through everything from a barrel to entry ceiling here, to like we were just at. The area here, everything just kind of has that subtle architecture to it. And it's really an easy design hack to be able to get consistency and just a common comfortable feel to a place without having to reinvent the wheel.

[11:04]  Why Custom Front Door Design Beats Off-the-Shelf

Stefanie Couch  10:52

And getting one or two wow moments. Even if you can't, I mean, you obviously went all out on every moment in this place is amazing, but if you're in your home and you wanna do one or two little small things, a front door is a great way to do it. Even with paint.

Chip Wade  11:05

Yeah. Well, if you're gonna get something quality, there's a couple of things that I always elevate. Anything that you physically touch and move on a regular basis, you need to prioritize more quality. And whether that has to be more money or not, cheapen up on something else. Get you nice hardware. Get you a nice front door. Even if you're not happy with your house, it's gonna make everybody else feel like your house is better than it is just by getting a nice entry door. And this is a consolidated, fairly simple project to do. Great plumbing fixtures, don't buy the $199 toilet if you can afford a little bit more. And a kitchen sink faucet. Just make it happen. Those are the things that will change even your own perspective about your own house.

Stefanie Couch  11:44

And wear and tear on those items is huge.

Chip Wade  11:46

That's right.

Stefanie Couch  11:46

For someone who's interested in something like this, you can kind of dream whatever you want. We literally drew this out on kind of a napkin and said, this is what we're wanting. And they built it for us. But even if you don't wanna do that, if you want something like fiberglass or something, there's a lot of options that you can customize.

Chip Wade  12:01

Well, even if you're not a great architect, artist, or designer, I mean, even though we could have drawn this all out to the nth degree, we basically created a sketch. And then the folks over at Magbee took that and brought it into a realistic shop drawing, which you can look at and say, hey, this is exactly what I want. Or, oh, hey, that looks a little bit different. Let's tweak it. And then once it's there, it's gonna happen. So a high level of confidence. We get what you want.

Stefanie Couch  12:29

I love doors. Such a door nerd. But we gotta move on. We can't stand in front of the pink door all day. Let's go upstairs and check out this bathroom.

Chip Wade  12:35

After you.

[12:36]  Inside the Master Suite: Steam Shower, Sauna, and York Wallpaper

Stefanie Couch  12:36

We're heading into the master suite here at The Jenny. And I can't wait because I can already see from a peek, this is a luxury retreat.

Chip Wade  12:44

You got it. You got it.

Stefanie Couch  12:45

Let's go.

Chip Wade  12:46

Yeah, we got a big steam shower, beautiful vanity, round windows, which kind of make it a little bit of a challenge to get privacy, but, you know. You can be an exhibitionist if you want.

Stefanie Couch  12:58

Yeah. These round windows could be fun for the next person across the street, right?

Chip Wade  13:02

That's right. Exactly.

Stefanie Couch  13:03

Exactly. No, it's so pretty though. What could you have put there? You had to put a round window.

Chip Wade  13:06

Round windows are tough to install and finish out. But the difficulty pays off in differentiation for sure.

Stefanie Couch  13:14

Well, and windows are one of those things that this light in here just makes it feel like a totally different space than if you had a small room here. Well, everything up here is white and pink. It's so clean cut. I love it. The wallpaper, where'd the wallpaper come from?

Chip Wade  13:29

This is from York Wall Coverings. So they have a whole assortment, everything from the mural that you saw downstairs, to some of the more masculine looks that you'll see in some of the others. They had great selections.

Stefanie Couch  13:39

Wallpaper can really make a space just feel like art. The right wallpaper, so much.

Chip Wade  13:45

Yeah, absolutely.

Stefanie Couch  13:45

And behind us is a steam shower here.

Chip Wade  13:48

So this is a full sauna here. So this is actually a great luxurious setup. Getting in the sauna, getting baked out. Jump in the steam shower, jump right in the bed. Never have to leave the master suite.

Stefanie Couch  14:00

It's amazing.

Chip Wade  14:01

I'd be lying if I said me and my wife didn't try this one out.

Stefanie Couch  14:05

That it holds up.

[14:05]  Bonded Rubber Mulch: A Durable Outdoor Building Product

Stefanie Couch  14:05

That is something. This winter, I'm sure. We just walked outside here at The Jenny and I saw something I actually haven't seen before. You were just telling me this is a really cool bonded mulch, you call it.

Chip Wade  14:15

That's right, that's right. So you might see this on real high end commercial playgrounds. Or even like municipal walk paths. Basically it's recycled tires. It's rubber mulch. You can get it, this is a cypress color, but you can get black, red. Basically you mix this together in a concrete mixer with resin. And you pour it out and you trowel it like concrete and then it dries. And this stuff is so resilient. You're not picking this stuff up. It's like it's stuck. I pressure washed this. Pressure washing mulch. Think about this. You can keep it clean, and it's comfortable to walk on and it's gonna last and you're not gonna have to replenish it.

Stefanie Couch  14:49

I mean, it passes the stiletto test. It doesn't even come up when I'm pulling my heel out.

Chip Wade  14:53

The fact that you can even walk on this in stilettos is something, but yeah. Very cool. I have it really deep on the walkway to the pickleball court. It's about 14 inches deep where I had to build it up, but it structurally holds. And even the manicured side, you see kind of where I just let it go down there. But the edge of it, I'm never gonna have to weed. If grass and weeds grow all the way up to that edge, I'm still good.

Stefanie Couch  15:14

Alright, we're heading to the next house.

Chip Wade  15:15

Let's go.

[15:15]  Touring The Tom: A Darker, More Masculine Treehouse Build

Stefanie Couch  15:20

We are at...

Chip Wade  15:21

The Tom.

Stefanie Couch  15:22

The Tom. And we've got another beautiful front door. Tell me a little bit about this one.

Chip Wade  15:26

You know, this one was intended to be a little bit more modern, masculine, but still have those touches of real warmth. Obviously this style still slightly more craftsman with the seeded glass. This house, as we go in, you'll see is very rich, much darker. We wanted to get as much natural light in here as possible. So this take on this big eight foot slab is, I think, a winner.

Stefanie Couch  15:48

It's beautiful. It's mahogany, right?

Chip Wade  15:50

That's right. Thick, thick, thick.

Stefanie Couch  15:52

Let's see this masculine one.

Chip Wade  15:55

Let's turn some lights on.

Stefanie Couch  15:56

I like this one because it just feels like very comforting inside. Like cozy.

[16:00]  Cast Fireplace and Two-on-One Cabinet Design

Stefanie Couch  16:00

This fireplace is cool.

Chip Wade  16:03

Yeah. So this is another cast fireplace from Oltre. Again, this one's a lot more modern. But same deal. I wanted to make this actually a bar seating. So even though I have this styled right now as kind of a living room setting, I made this to actually where we can bring bar stools over here. And this is really more, I truthfully was gonna get rid of the dining table altogether inside this one to switch it up a little bit. I'm still kind of on the fence. I designed all of this to be a hybrid between a nook and a dining setup. So we looked in The Jenny, that was a little bit more of that nook. Now, if you look at the general massing, square footage is identical in all three, but this is a great testament to how the same exact square footage can act and be completely different.

Stefanie Couch  16:48

Yeah, this one feels a lot bigger.

Chip Wade  16:50

Do you think so?

Stefanie Couch  16:51

I feel like it feels a lot bigger in here.

Chip Wade  16:54

And we have dark ceilings, dark walls, the whole nine yards. And you'll see when you go into Jake. That one I think feels even bigger than both of them. Again, you might think, oh, stained cabinetry, this dark, gets so dated. But there's definitely ways of blending it. One thing that's subtle here that you pick up is that we have two-on-one cabinets. Which again is something that you don't necessarily see a lot in a kind of a monolith wall.

Stefanie Couch  17:17

Yeah.

Chip Wade  17:18

But I think it works pretty well.

[17:19]  Vanna Hood Vent: Big Look Without the Big Price

Stefanie Couch  17:19

You almost miss it if you don't pay attention to it. But it's there. The countertops are a beautiful touch too.

Chip Wade  17:24

Yeah. So this is one quartz from Daltile. Fairly easy to use. I use a lot of the composite quartz. You just can't go wrong.

Stefanie Couch  17:30

The vent hood is giant.

Chip Wade  17:32

Whenever you're dealing with appliances, you're in one school of thought or the other. You either go for the typical, let's get the big 48 inch Wolf Sub-Zero, the iconic whatever. But you pay for it. I wanted to have something, again, these are now gonna be open to a lot of different folks. Goodness knows how they get treated. So we need to make sure that if anything ever happens, that it's not a $15,000 replacement on somebody doing something irresponsible. So I try to keep the appliances attainable, but this is a testament to how a standard small range can look much more grand. And we don't necessarily have to go 36, 36. We can expand. So this is a full six foot wide hood vent, but I actually had them downsize the blower unit in here, or else it would suck all the air out of this 1500 square foot house like that.

Stefanie Couch  18:22

Pull my hat on.

Chip Wade  18:23

That's right. So I actually had them downsize their standard blower from a 600 CFM down to a 300. Just to make sure that it would work correctly.

Stefanie Couch  18:31

And who is this by?

Chip Wade  18:31

This is Vanna Hood.

Stefanie Couch  18:32

Okay, Vanna Hood. This is really cool. It makes a big difference in the way that this looks here.

[18:38]  Shelfology Steel Shelves and Mtech Hardware

Chip Wade  18:38

Really, really nice. And again, bringing the quartz up on the backsplash. Keep it simple. Not too much crazy stuff going on here. Just kind of nice and classy. This is cool actually. This is from a company called Shelfology. Basically they make all kinds of different supports, but these things are ridiculously robust, solid steel powder coated to your spec. They make solid wood too, and steel. Really, really clean. I mean, if you look at this, this is cut, everything's thought out. Magnetic coverings for the structure. So it's still very versatile. Great. All kinds of different things. I use these throughout.

[19:11]  Painted Shaker Doors: An Affordable Way to Add a Wow Moment

Stefanie Couch  19:11

We're in the actual bunkhouse. You call this The Tom, and you've painted these doors, just one-panel shaker doors, but you've got 'em in this amazing yellow. Just a great place to make color pop. But I love that this is a really affordable way to use paint to make something look a wow moment.

Chip Wade  19:28

That's right. And when you bring the same color throughout, even a bold color like this can somehow still make sense and not feel tacky.

Stefanie Couch  19:37

Where are these handles from?

Chip Wade  19:38

That's all Mtech. Absolutely. You're able to customize the finish of this piece versus this is walnut handles. We have a pewter base here. Real nice.

Stefanie Couch  19:48

I like the juxtaposition between this super playful door and this very serious handle.

Chip Wade  19:53

Well, it kind of makes even a standard door feel a lot better when you dress it up, right?

Stefanie Couch  19:57

It's beautiful.

Chip Wade  19:58

This is a whole sleeping loft up top with games up here.

Stefanie Couch  20:02

Wow.

Chip Wade  20:03

So it's a lot. So you can get over there.

Stefanie Couch  20:07

I feel like I need to take my shoes off and go up there.

[20:09]  SkyWorth Outdoor TV for All-Weather Outdoor Living

Stefanie Couch  20:10

So the SkyWorth TV over here. Tell me a little bit about that, because you said they're super bright for outdoor.

Chip Wade  20:16

Yeah. I actually came across their brand walking a different expo called CEDIA. And the TV was so bright across the inside of a trade show. I was like, what on earth is that? And I went and looked. So basically they have direct sunlight and even partial sunlight televisions. So this one is a partial sunlight television, but it is so bright. Like literally you can be 500 feet away and just watch stuff in crystal clarity. From there, so here, completely exposed, which opens the opportunity for your creativity on where a TV. Maybe you don't have room for it. And now all of a sudden you're like, oh, but if I could put it out there in the rain, in the sun, and it still worked great, then you can have a better outdoor living area.

Stefanie Couch  20:57

Well, and here in Georgia where football is king.

Chip Wade  20:59

That's it.

Stefanie Couch  20:59

You gotta have that outdoor.

Chip Wade  21:00

Yeah, but it works great. A great use of that wall that's doing nothing but hiding mechanicals and a trashcan.

[21:10]  Touring The Jake: Gothic Arch Front Door and Old World Style

Stefanie Couch  21:10

So we're standing here on the last treehouse, The Jake.

Chip Wade  21:14

That's it.

Stefanie Couch  21:15

And I just wanna show this view first of all. It needs a moment by itself because it is so stunning. But we have looked at the super feminine one. The, are you calling this the masculine one?

Chip Wade  21:28

You know, for lack of a better one.

Stefanie Couch  21:29

Okay. I don't know. And this is the craftsman, right?

Chip Wade  21:31

Yeah. Or, or whatever. This is kind of like the old world kind of mixed look. But this one, how I switched it up is I brought the sauna outside. And made, I kind of covered this in here. And we have a little bit of a different gable structure here, but generally still the same square footage. But a nice, spacious outdoor living spot. Legit slides and everything else.

Stefanie Couch  21:53

I was gonna say, and the slide is upgraded here, a little bit bigger slide. My favorite shape when we're talking about windows, doors and openings is this beautiful gothic arch because it's so rare. You just don't see it, and you have this mimicked throughout in this home. So I'm really excited. But this front door is the start of it. And you've got a cased opening here in the outdoor area. So tell me a little bit about this door.

Chip Wade  22:15

This is also a solid mahogany door. It's not really any harder really to do a shape like this than any other. If it's a custom door, it's a custom door. And so it really gives that European flavor. There's nothing that beats just the natural stain look of a rich fine-grained hardwood. We got two plus inches thick. When you open that door, you know you're entering something.

Stefanie Couch  22:33

And the hardware stands out with that brass on that wood tone.

Chip Wade  22:37

So it's a timeless combo. The brass on dark stained wood is so beautiful. You just can't go wrong with it. It just kind of puts you in an involuntary smile.

Stefanie Couch  22:49

It's hard not to smile when you're looking at it.

Chip Wade  22:50

It's pretty awesome.

Stefanie Couch  22:52

Alright. I can't wait to go inside.

Chip Wade  22:53

Let's go.

[22:53]  Magbee Custom Mahogany Doors With Mtech Brass Hardware

Stefanie Couch  22:54

We have found a gothic arch double door with sidelights. Never seen anything like this, Chip, in real life. Only in my dreams have I seen this. This handle set is Mtech.

Chip Wade  23:06

That's right.

Stefanie Couch  23:06

And the door is Magbee Contractor Supply, custom built. You drew this out.

Chip Wade  23:11

That's right. And similar cascading the same architecture through. So you see this, and even this door, I took the geometry of this door and I offset it by about eight inches to make that opening. So if you ever happen to be floating in space outside and looking in, it'll be perfect.

Stefanie Couch  23:29

Yeah. The angle was just right.

Chip Wade  23:30

That's right.

[23:30]  Solid Porcelain Countertops From Daltile

Stefanie Couch  23:30

And you brought blue in here with the cabinets. Tell me about these counters, because these are a beauty.

Chip Wade  23:36

This is actually interesting. This is a new category of countertops that's solid porcelain. So you've probably seen big porcelain slabs for tile that's about a quarter of an inch thick that you can use for wall panels. Now they're making full, solid surface, two centimeter thick porcelain. So we have through veining. And again, this has all of the values of porcelain tile. So it's completely non porous. It's not gonna stain, you're not gonna have to worry about heat. Really great stuff. And of course, with some of the induction cooking technologies, this is gonna be plug and play for that as well. But again, this is from Daltile, really beautiful stuff, very resilient. You can use this for wall slabs, but big enough to actually bond a strong 90 degree corner or waterfall edges because you have that extra thickness.

Stefanie Couch  24:24

It's magnificent.

[24:25]  RTA Cabinets Flat-Packed and Shipped in One Week

Stefanie Couch  24:26

The way that you framed this to look like the other arches and just a little moment here in the corner. A little library nook, as they might say, with the seating area. It's beautiful.

Chip Wade  24:35

Well, and I made this, honestly, I used upper cabinets as base that are the same. So no cabinet in this entire property is custom. So that's another cost effective strategy of getting something quickly. And in fact, all of this was quick ship. All these cabinets are from RTA Cabinet Store. So every single cabinet that's in here was literally flat-packed and shipped to me in less than a week from me ordering it.

Stefanie Couch  25:04

Incredible.

Chip Wade  25:05

In cabinet terms, that's crazy.

Stefanie Couch  25:07

And then you just took a walnut slab...

Chip Wade  25:09

Then I just took some Boos walnut slabs. Put it in for seats. So this now is a nook, but just as easily I could change this area to be a living room. Bring dining over here, so we have a little bit of flexibility in layout, which is never bad. But this works either way as a banquette.

[25:25]  Color-Matched Library Walls: 1200 Books Sourced From Thrift Stores

Stefanie Couch  25:25

Okay. I have found my Disney Princess Library moment. I'm feeling like Belle and I even have found, you said, the guest. You're not the Beast today.

Chip Wade  25:34

I'm not the only one that says it.

Stefanie Couch  25:36

How many books? You said you're gonna let me guess?

Chip Wade  25:41

Yeah, take a guess.

Stefanie Couch  25:43

Hold on. Let me think.

Chip Wade  25:44

It's a lot. It wraps all the way around. These are all color matched too. I needed a certain number.

Stefanie Couch  25:49

I'm gonna say 677.

Chip Wade  25:53

Not a bad guess, but you're just under half.

Stefanie Couch  25:57

What?

Chip Wade  25:57

Yeah, in this house alone there's over 1200 books.

Stefanie Couch  26:01

But in this exact moment...

Chip Wade  26:03

There's about 700 up here.

Stefanie Couch  26:04

So it's off by like less than 30. Did I win? Pretty good.

Chip Wade  26:08

You didn't go over, so yeah, Rod Roddy says it's okay.

Stefanie Couch  26:11

I'm the only one playing, so I have to win if I didn't go over. This is really cool. How did you find all these color matched?

Chip Wade  26:19

You know, I had to get a lot. I went to every thrift store sale I could possibly go to. Now, if you're doing a library wall like this, what I found that I didn't realize is usually there's one day a week where books go on extreme sale, like 50% off at thrift stores. And so I bought up everything that I possibly could and then went through. You'll find a lot of interesting books that you can't put out, as you can imagine. But then I color matched everything. And then sorted them by color. Which makes for kind of a fun vibe.

[26:53]  Stairway Shop Custom Walnut Library Ladder

Stefanie Couch  26:53

I love it. Love the library ladder. Where did this come from?

Chip Wade  26:56

This is from a company called Stairway Shop.

Stefanie Couch  27:00

Okay.

Chip Wade  27:00

You can get it custom height. I just basically gave them the height that I wanted from the center of the bar to the floor. And you can pick your base hardware, you can pick your wood species. It can be painted, it can be natural, like this walnut ladder. Really, really easy.

Stefanie Couch  27:17

Wow. Okay.

Chip Wade  27:18

Pretty cool, right?

[27:21]  Hidden Murphy Door Master Suite Entry

Stefanie Couch  27:19

Yeah. Is this the end of the journey here?

Chip Wade  27:21

Well, what we did here is we used Murphy Doors again to create a hidden door into the master suite. So as you come in...

Stefanie Couch  27:27

Beautiful.

Chip Wade  27:27

It really gives you a little, it's...

Stefanie Couch  27:29

It's so pretty.

Chip Wade  27:30

A little bit more action in the gray.

Stefanie Couch  27:31

Oh, and it's French, so double opening here. That is beautiful. I love this tile.

Chip Wade  27:40

Yeah. Isn't this nice?

Stefanie Couch  27:41

These are a whole moment.

Chip Wade  27:43

And they're as heavy as they look.

Stefanie Couch  27:45

Those are stunning.

Stefanie Couch  27:47

I like this bed. Literally looks like a bench from the back.

Chip Wade  27:50

Yeah.

Stefanie Couch  27:51

You can't really tell it's a bed until you walk up and it looks like a seating bench. It's pretty cool.

Chip Wade  27:56

So I might play around with the layout of this room a little bit. But with a view like this, this is kind of the money shot.

Stefanie Couch  28:01

No, I think this is perfect.

Chip Wade  28:03

Even though the initial plan was not this, I was going to actually use that hanging swing bed down there. I was gonna hang it from the ceiling here, facing out, and the back of the swing bed was gonna be the headboard to the bed. So you could have a bed this way and then have a little bit of a kind of conjoined thing. I do that a lot whenever you're dealing with spaces that might just feel a little bit too tight to have two individual layouts. I found great success in just committing to the combination. So something like that could work really well with a prefab piece, but it kind of gave that weightlessness. But that could be a fun thing, whether you're in the top of a great mountain view vista or just in a suburban neighborhood. Could be fun too.

Stefanie Couch  28:42

And a little hidden fireplace in the back.

Chip Wade  28:44

Yeah. Just to give you a little something. Oh yeah. And there's the chandelier from...

Stefanie Couch  28:52

Highly beautiful, highly do not recommend assembling, huh?

Chip Wade  28:54

Yeah. When you assemble that, you put each one of those things on by itself.

[29:00]  Final Pick: Which Treehouse Is Chip Wade's Favorite?

Stefanie Couch  29:00

Wow. Alright. Question of the day. If you had to pick one, which one's your favorite?

Chip Wade  29:08

That is a question. You know, I think if I were to stay in one, it would probably be The Jenny. If I were to live in one, it would probably be The Jake.

Stefanie Couch  29:15

Yeah, I agree. I like this one because it's pretty mixed between masculine and feminine, and The Jenny is just obviously pink.

Chip Wade  29:22

But I will say the feedback I get from everybody else is The Tom. When other people say what they like the best, they typically pick that one. That surprises me.

Stefanie Couch  29:30

There's a lot of wow factor in there. I think it's because it's so dark and moody that it's really stunning when you walk in. And everything outside is so different than that dark saturated feel.

Chip Wade  29:38

But hey, you can stay in all three.

Stefanie Couch  29:39

I was gonna say, you don't have to choose. You could do a night in one, a night. Better. You could make it work.

Chip Wade  29:45

Let's do it.

[29:46]  Closing Thoughts and Where to Stay at The Perch

Stefanie Couch  29:46

Well, thank you for coming with me and showing me these amazing projects, and I'm excited to see what your next project is.

Chip Wade  29:52

Well, you'll be first in line.

Stefanie Couch  29:53

Yeah. And thank you for joining us on Behind the Build.

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