Behind the Build
The Designer Behind Trilith and Serenbe Is Rethinking Modular Homes & Communities, Behind The Build
July 24, 2026 Length: 18 min Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
In this Behind the Build episode, Stefanie Couch meets town planner and designer Lew Oliver in Clarkesville, Georgia, near Lake Burton, to talk about his MOD collection of modular homes. Lew, who helped design Trilith, Serenbe and Vickery, also shares his new millwork collection with Magbee Contractors Supply.
About This Episode.
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.
Explore the Lew Oliver Millwork Collection at
Behind The Build takes you inside the companies that supply, build, and deliver America's finest homes.
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
Key Takeaways.
- Lew Oliver's MOD collection treats modular construction as more than a commodity, with high-end finishes, solid construction and classical detail.
- Modular homes can cut construction cost and cycle time, so walkable communities like Trilith and Serenbe aren't only for the affluent.
- Traditional neighborhood development can put 100 houses on 15 acres, preserving forests while building real community.
- Lew designs windows with the golden rectangle, the same proportion used on the Parthenon, and Pella Windows is his top pick.
- Magbee built a custom 42-inch by 9-foot thermally modified ash door, kiln-cooked at 850 degrees with zero chemicals.
Questions and Answers.
Can modular homes have high-end design?
Lew Oliver of Lew Oliver Inc. designs his MOD collection of modular homes with the same classical detail as his custom work. The homes use high-end finishes and solid construction.
How can modular homes make walkable communities more attainable?
Lew says modular homes can cut construction cost and cycle time, so communities like Trilith and Serenbe aren't only for the affluent.
What is the Lew Oliver Millwork Collection?
It is a new millwork collection with Magbee Contractors Supply. It includes a one-of-a-kind poplar tongue and groove wall, cavetto crown molding with Egyptian origins and baseboards modeled after column bases.
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