The Grit Blueprint
The Designer Behind Trilith and Serenbe Is Rethinking Modular Homes | Behind The Build
Jul 24, 2026
Grit Blueprint
Lew Oliver helped design Trilith, Serenbe, and Vickery, some of the most sought-after walkable communities in Georgia. His next act might surprise you: modular homes.
In this episode of Behind The Build, I'm in Clarkesville, Georgia near Lake Burton with renowned town planner and designer Lew Oliver. We talk about the Lew Oliver MOD collection, modular homes designed with the same classical detail as his custom work, built to make walkable neighborhoods attainable for people who have been priced out of them. We also walk the Burton community, tour his newly renovated office, and get into his new millwork collection with Magbee Contractors Supply, including a wall that exists nowhere else in the world.
What's inside:
✅ The MOD collection: why modular construction is not a commodity, and how Lew is designing modular homes with high-end finishes and solid construction
✅ How modular homes can cut construction cost and cycle time so communities like Trilith and Serenbe aren't only for the affluent
✅ Traditional neighborhood development and new urbanism: 100 houses on 15 acres instead of 100, preserving forests while building real community
✅ The one-of-a-kind poplar tongue and groove wall from the Lew Oliver Millwork Collection
✅ Cavetto crown molding with Egyptian origins and baseboards modeled after column bases
✅ Why Lew designs windows with the golden rectangle, the same proportion used on the Parthenon, and why Pella Windows is his top pick
✅ A custom 42-inch by 9-foot thermally modified ash door by Magbee, kiln-cooked at 850 degrees with zero chemicals
✅ Thermally modified pine floors, Portola Roman clay finishes, Emtek Hardware, and exposed original brick
✅ Roofscaping: the community design detail most people never notice
✅ A shou sugi ban table finished on a barbecue grill by Deadwood Tables
Featuring:
Lew Oliver, Lew Oliver Inc.
Liz Treadwell, Lew Oliver Inc.
Austin Treadwell, Builder
Magbee Contractors Supply
Craig Decker, Deadwood Tables
Explore the Lew Oliver Millwork Collection at https://magbeeluxury.com/the-lew-oliver-collection/
Behind The Build takes you inside the companies that supply, build, and deliver America's finest homes.
Subscribe for more from the building materials industry.
Connect with Stefanie Couch:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch/
Website: gritblueprint.com
Podcast Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grit-blueprint/id1739088553
#ModularHomes #WalkableNeighborhoods #Trilith #Serenbe #NewUrbanism #Millwork #BuildingMaterials #CustomHomes #LewOliver #BehindTheBuild
Build Authority. Gain Visibility. Drive Growth.
You do great work. The right people should know it.
Grit Blueprint helps building industry companies and leaders build authority, increase visibility, earn trust, and turn that trust into revenue.
📅 Book a Strategy Call
Ready to become more visible, more trusted, and easier to choose?
https://meetings-na2.hubspot.com/stefanie-couch
📧 Join the Newsletter
Get practical strategies and tools to build your authority, grow your visibility, and strengthen your business.
https://421r60.share-na2.hsforms.com/2RMwQMXe2QLyk3sl9dv2gXQ
🎥 Watch More Grit Blueprint
Subscribe for honest conversations and growth strategies for the building industry.
https://www.youtube.com/@stefaniecouch
🚀 About Stefanie Couch
Stefanie Couch is the founder of Grit Blueprint and a third-generation building industry professional.
Grit Blueprint helps manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and industry leaders build authority, grow visibility, and become unmistakable in their market.
🔗Learn more: https://gritblueprint.com
Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial
LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch