Interior designer Annie Sumang, owner of Annie Sumang Designs, reached out to us about a lakehouse remodel she was leading in Huntsville, Texas. Her clients wanted their kitchen and laundry room to feel warm and timeless. Something that was natural enough to reflect the lakeside setting but durable enough to handle real, everyday life.

Annie’s design already included clean cabinetry, updated appliances, and fresh lighting. She brought us in to handle the finishing touches: live-edge Pecan countertops and a custom copper vent hood that would pull it all together.

Our job was simple: build natural details that looked like they’d always been there.

I’ve worked with a lot of woods over the years, but Pecan has become one of my go-to choices for kitchens. It’s tough, dense enough to handle all the daily wear and tear a countertop sees. And when we kiln-dry it out at Pratka Ranch, like we do with all our slabs, it stays stable even in the heat and humidity of a busy kitchen.

For this lakehouse, I wanted a wood that had natural beauty but could hold up for years. Pecan’s grain takes stain beautifully, and the walnut finish our team applied brought out just the right amount of depth without making the space feel too dark or heavy.

The best part about working with Pecan? If a countertop ever gets scratched or dinged, it’s no big deal. You can sand it down, oil it up, and it’s good as new. That’s the kind of longevity we like to stand behind at Tin Roof.

Every slab we milled for this project was different. No cookie-cutter looks here. Leaving the live edges gave the countertops a little movement and texture that made them feel like they had always been part of the house.

The vent hood we built for this project wasn’t just about function. It was about finishing the space with something that felt intentional. Annie was looking for a way to add contrast to the Pecan wood and cabinetry, and copper checked all the right boxes.

It brings in warmth without feeling heavy. It works great with wood tones, and over time, it develops a patina that adds even more depth. From a design perspective, it’s a smart choice. It holds up well in the kitchen, and it gets better with age. That is exactly what you want in a space that’s going to be lived in.

On our end, building it was second nature. My dad, Mark, owns Mark’s Machine here in El Campo, so I grew up around welding and metalwork. That side of the trade has always been in the family. At Tin Roof, we’re lucky to bring both wood and metal together under one roof.

When Annie came to us for a project like this, it wasn’t two companies working together. It was just our crew doing what we do best — wood, metal, and everything in between.

This hood came out clean and classic with a soft patina. It doesn’t shout for attention, but it anchors the space in a way that pulls everything together.

LIVE-EDGE PECAN COUNTERTOPS

INSTALLED IN BOTH THE KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY ROOM

WALNUT-STAINED TO DEEPEN NATURAL GRAIN

KILN-DRIED, MILLED, SHAPED, AND FINISHED IN-HOUSE

LIVE EDGES PRESERVED FOR ORGANIC TEXTURE

CUSTOM COPPER VENT HOOD

CLEAN LINES AND A SOFT PATINA FINISH

DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT CABINETRY & PECAN WOOD TONES

FABRICATED AND FINISHED BY HAND AT MARK’S MACHINE

Working with Annie on this project was a great experience. She had a clear vision, and it made our job easy to bring in the natural materials that tied it all together.

We’ve partnered with designers on plenty of projects, and seeing Annie’s design paired with our team’s work reminded us how much we value those collaborations.

We’re thankful she trusted us with her clients’ home and excited to already be working with her again on another project.

LET’S BUILD SOMETHING THAT LASTS

Great design deserves great materials and a team that knows how to work them. Whether you’re a homeowner planning your dream kitchen or a designer looking for a trusted partner to bring your vision to life, the Tin Roof team is ready to get to work.