Pinhoti Peak By Wade Works Creative

Design
Architect: Chip Wade
Photographer: Tomas Espinoza

Materials
Cd-series heaters
motif contemporary decorative fascias
universal control panel

Architecture, design, and real estate firm Wade Works Creative is led by Chip and Pauli Wade. Lead designer Chip grew up working on woodcraft and carpentry projects with his father and eventually became interested in design, landscaping, and renovation. He graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering, earned a certificate in residential construction and began working for a home builder in his hometown of Atlanta. In 2007, Chip joined the Atlanta carpentry team of HGTV’s Designed to Sell, which led to appearances on HGTV’s Curb Appeal: The Block, Ellen’s Design Challenge, HGTV’s Showdown, HGTV’s Design Star, HGTV’s Wise Buys, Oprah, and CNN. He is also the host, designer and executive producer on the Emmy-winning series, Elbow Room. He enjoys helping viewers create homes geared toward their individual lifestyles, with a focus on innovative materials and processes, and designs infused with authenticity and creativity.

Before construction The Pinhoti Peak property was so enchanting the Wades couldn’t believe it hadn’t already been built out. With fifty miles of trails for exploring the woods and riding ATVs, this expansive wilderness location was truly a hidden gem. When they serendipitously found a parcel of land for sale, they snapped it up. What was initially conceived as a small mountain concept soon became a dream mountain-modern build. Project goals Chip wanted an off-the-beaten path location that was also within a thirty-minute drive of any essentials–the ideal place to spend time away with his family. His goals for the house were simple: Pinhoti Peak should be efficient and not wasteful, a true escape that required minimal maintenance and that would last for generations.

[infratech’s] great design and its great quality allow us to appreciate its effects without having to focus on its presence, which to me is a benchmark for a quality product in the architectural space.

— Chip Wade

Project Inspirations
The architecture of the space was intended to blend into the stunning natural landscape. Chip chose to build the home like a commercial building: all steel, no wood, fire and termite proof. Essentially, the property would be a showplace for the surrounding countryside that was built to last without a lot of effort.

Outdoor Design Approach
Chip took great care to integrate outdoor living from the outset. The property features an outdoor fireplace, a full living room overlooking an infinity pool with spectacular mountain views, and 4,000 sq. ft. of hardscape patio and retaining walls that create a practical yet astonishing living space, carved from the side of a mountain

About The Design
Outdoor living was the priority, not an afterthought as it is in many designs. From the edge of a steep mountainside, the land was transformed into a beautiful, luxurious, livable property where the family could spend time together and large outdoor gatherings could be accommodated.

Integrating Infratech
Propane heat was dirty and provided limited heat penetration, large air curtains took up too much visual space, and unattractive gas options battled the architecture. Infratech’s subtle design, varied mounting options, and high-quality controls with the ability to cover large spaces like those at Pinhoti Peak made these heaters the natural choicer.

I think my favorite area of the home is the central stair. Before, it was essentially an excessively large utilitarian object dropped into the center of the house. Our objective was to turn the stair into the heart of the house

We strive to develope environmental modernism informed by the geography, climate and lifestyles of our clients.

City views are a benefit of living in a beautiful city and building a home to highlight those views, to make the most of the scnerey, is always our objective .

Outdoor living spaces are an essential component of this approach because they provide a sustainable medium by which to recapture usable space at a site.

"Infratech offers a good balance… by offering incredibly high-power, high-coverage, low-profile fixturing that can blend in effortlessly with different styles from super modern to transitional, all the way to coastal and everything else." — Chip Wade