In May, Tin Roof hit a major milestone, one I’ll remember for a long time. For the first time, furniture built right here at our sawmill in Lane City, Texas made its way to one of the most powerful addresses in the country: 801 Pennsylvania Ave NW in Washington, DC.

I had the opportunity to partner with CheckMate Government Relations to design, build, and deliver more than two dozen custom pieces for their brand-new DC office. From the conference room to the entryway, every table, desk, and accent was made from Pecan and Sycamore wood, sourced and milled right on our family’s land at Pratka Ranch here in Texas.

This wasn’t just another job. It was about bringing a story, a legacy, and a little bit of Texas into the heart of the nation’s capital.

I first met Ches McDowell back in 2023 on a bear hunt. We crossed paths again on a hunt in Botswana in 2024, and not long after, he reached out about a new office his team was moving into at 801 Pennsylvania Ave NW in Washington, DC. He wanted a custom conference room table, something that didn’t look like everything else in town. Something with a story.

As soon as he saw photos of the Sycamore and Pecan wood coming out of our sawmill here in Texas, Ches’ vision expanded: tables, desks, coffee tables, consoles, and more. We were no longer building just one piece, we were furnishing his whole office!

What made this project special was how different it was from the typical DC office aesthetic. He wasn’t looking for polished and generic pieces. He wanted furniture with depth, story, and a sense of place. He was going for a refined rustic look. Polished where it needed to be, but still full of texture and handmade character.

We built everything from Pecan and Sycamore wood, milled at Pratka Ranch, our family’s land here in Texas. From sourcing and cutting to welding, powder coating, finishing, and delivery, every step was handled start to finish by the Tin Roof team.

Made from a log that had survived a fire. The outside was charred black, but the inside revealed stunning grain and natural color. We chose to leave the live edge burned and untouched. A raw and powerful reminder that even damaged things can become something beautiful. It’s now the centerpiece of the office, set on custom powder-coated black arched steel legs.

60" Round Pecan Office Table

Solid, elegant, and built to last generations. Rooted in Texas and crafted with intention, this round table brings warmth, strength, and quiet authority to the room. Its clean lines and natural grain make it as timeless as it is functional — a true anchor piece for any space.

With an inlaid wood chess board and a bold pedestal base, this piece was built for both meetings and mid-day brain breaks.

Entry Coffee Table

A 5" thick Pecan cross-cut slab with another chess inlay, supported by a custom steel base that was rolled to match the natural contour of the slab. Powder coated black to match the conference table.

Built in various sizes and configurations to meet the needs of each team member and office layout. Every desk had its own story and was unique in grain, size, and purpose.

Including console tables, end tables, and other custom additions that came up throughout the process.

Our turnaround time for this project was tight. Ches was moving his team in fast, and we had to get the furniture there before day one. We ended up making two deliveries, one for the conference table and one for the rest of the buildout.

The first trip was a trek. Some of our crew drove nearly 30 hours straight with the table and gear in tow, while others flew out to meet them for the unload and install. The goal of the first delivery was to get the Sycamore conference table in place. They needed it immediately for their high-profile meetings.

By the time we showed up with the second load of furniture, the office was already buzzing. Clients were coming and going all day, walking past the Texas-built entry table, gathering around the charred-edge Sycamore conference table. It was wild (in the best way) to see our work in use like that, in such a fast-paced, high-profile space.

Just as we were wheeling in the final pieces, another team was rolling in a full-body mounted black bear for the front entrance. Yes, you read that right. Between the furniture and the bear mount, the CheckMate office has a personality you won’t forget.

This project hit all the marks for us. It pushed us on timeline, volume, and logistics. But it also let us do what we love: take wood with a story, some of it charred, some of it clean, and turn it into furniture that means something.

That burned Sycamore log? It could’ve been thrown away. Instead, it became a showpiece in one of the most prestigious offices in DC. That’s the kind of work we want to keep doing! Custom furniture built with meaning, built with purpose, and built to last.

“This stuff is great. Really appreciate you getting it done so quickly. Can’t thank you enough.” — Ches McDowell, CheckMate

Ches has already come back with more requests: extra desks, a custom bookshelf, and a few other ideas we’re already working on. That kind of trust means a lot to us. It tells us we delivered something that really worked for their space, their team, and their story.

WHAT’S NEXT? WE’RE READY FOR IT!

Big or small, office or home, we’re here to build pieces that actually mean something. Not just furniture, but something with story, substance, and staying power. If you've got an idea, let’s talk it through! We’ll figure out the wood, the design, the details and build something worth passing down.