The Ultimate Product Test: Why Hatcliff Construction Chose Pella for Personal Lake Home

When Patrick and Mary Hatcliff first pulled into the driveway of what would become their Tennessee lake retreat, they didn't see a finished masterpiece. They saw potential.

Built in the 1940s, the home needed significant renovation, but the property itself was undeniable.

"We pulled up in the driveway and didn't even go inside," Mary recalls. "The property is why we got it."

Today, the transformed lake house has become a local landmark, earning a feature in Southern Living and drawing attention from passing boaters. For the team behind Hatcliff Construction, the project serves as a showcase of one of their core design philosophies: never underestimate the impact of windows.

For many lakefront projects, the view is the home's greatest asset. Yet Patrick notes he's often surprised by how many new waterfront homes fail to capitalize on it. "It's amazing how they don't have enough windows," he says. "That's why you bought it on the water."

As custom home builders and esteemed members of the Southern Living Custom Builder Network, the Hatcliffs encourage homeowners to invest strategically. While finishes and decor can be updated over time, windows shape the experience of a home for decades. "The number one thing I tell our clients when we first start working with them is: don't skimp on windows," Mary says. "Make them bigger than you think you need. You can remodel a kitchen later, but you can't really change your windows. Do it right from the beginning." 

That philosophy guides them with their clients and through every decision during their personal lake house renovation. The design goal for the Hatcliff home was simple: maximize sightlines and create an immediate connection to the lake. When collaborating with the architect, Mary sketched out a plan that honored the architecture of the 1940s home but amped up the amount of glass. "I wanted tons of glass," she says. "I wanted to be able to walk up to the front door and see the lake through the house." 

The first stage of the renovation began six years ago with an impressive wall of windows that stretches floor to ceiling on three walls of the living room. In the second stage, they turned to the primary bedroom. 

The original home included a primary bedroom with no windows and no natural light. During the renovation, the Hatcliffs added a new primary suite wing with large casement windows to capture the breeze. They also replaced every single aging and broken steel window to expand the home's connection to the lake. Today, every window in the house is Pella®, and nearly every room connects in some capacity to the surrounding landscape.

Patrick explains, “When you arrive at the lake it’s just a different feeling. You’re relaxed. You hope your phone doesn't ding or ring. There’s just something about being on the water.”

When visitors arrive, they are greeted by the lake the moment they enter. The mahogany front door complements its architecture with beveled glass, oil-rubbed bronze hardware, a bronze sill and two site-mulled sidelights. A two-story foyer framed by walls of fixed Pella Lifestyle Series aluminum-clad windows establishes the home's connection to the landscape and creates a visual experience that continues throughout the floorplan. “Because we are on a point, you can stand in one spot and see water through every window, every which way you look,” he notes.

"The windows make you feel close to the lake," Mary adds. "They bring the outdoors in."

The renovation featured a mix of fixed and operable units, selected according to the needs of each space. Because many of the home's largest openings were designed primarily to capture expansive views, the Hatcliffs chose fixed units in several locations. "A lot of our big windows, I've chosen to make fixed," Mary explains. "You're paying for hinges and functionality you may never use. We'd rather put that investment into the glass itself."

The project primarily utilizes Pella Lifestyle Series aluminum-clad casement windows with an Iron Ore exterior finish, along with Pella Reserve™ – Contemporary hinged patio doors. All products feature SunDefense™ Low-E Insulating glass to help reduce solar heat gain while maintaining comfort and minimizing UV-related fading. The windows and doors also have matte black hardware and applied grilles with a spacer in a traditional pattern to honor the home’s architecture.

Performance doesn’t stop at the glazing—it extends to the installation. The home also incorporates the Pella Steady Set™ interior installation system across many openings, an innovative solution Patrick specifically highlighted saying, “Steady Set is really amazing. The product itself is, to me, one of the best by far.”

The same attention to detail that shaped the lake home also defines their client experience. When designing custom homes, the Hatcliffs routinely bring homeowners into the showroom early in the process. Together with their longtime Pella representative, they review every opening, function and hardware choice.

"We'll go through each window on the plans," Mary says. "Do you want it to swing this way or that way? Do these need to be operable? Which hardware color do you want? We look at every single window in the house." 

Patrick believes that education is essential because most homeowners simply don't encounter these decisions often enough to fully understand their options. That collaborative approach helps streamline projects, reduce surprises and ensure homeowners feel confident in their selections.

For Hatcliff Construction, product quality is only part of the equation. The company has worked with Pella for decades and relies heavily on the support of local representatives and service teams. Patrick points to responsiveness and problem-solving as key reasons the relationship has endured. "The service is awesome. The windows are awesome," Patrick says. "Pella takes care of us, and they take care of our customers. Using Pella lets us sleep good at night." 

For Mary, that consistency reflects the confidence they've developed after decades in the building industry. "We've been using Pella pretty much exclusively unless we have a client that specifically asks for something else," she says. 

What makes the Hatcliffs' endorsement particularly meaningful is that they don't just specify Pella products for clients. Selecting products for their own homes represents the ultimate test and demonstrates the trust in the products they recommend to their clients every day. From their restored 1922 residence to their award-worthy lake retreat, that decision underscores a simple message builders understand well: when reputation matters, you build with products you trust. "One less thing that we have to worry about," Mary adds. "And there's plenty to worry about."