Welcome back to The ProSource Podcast, everybody.
Today I am joined by Rebecca Carlson.
She is the owner and founder of 3 Tree Design House.
Thank you so much, Rebecca, for joining me today.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
And this is really fun to be a part of, I appreciate it.
Yes. And Rebecca is one of our trade pro members.
And I just wanted to know,
how long have you been a trade pro a member of ProSource?
I.. it's been a few years now. Yeah.
So for quite a long time.
Okay. Cool. Cool.
So today we're just going to spend some time,
learning about your business, what you do, and then we'll probably dabble
into some home remodeling trends and fun things like that.
First, if you don't mind just sharing, like, a brief overview
of your business, what you do, who you serve.
Yeah.
So we're an interior design and renovation business.
So I'm a designer and a general contractor, so we can do
projects fully from start to finish.
And we also offer classes.
So we do a little bit where we help DIY project plan and, you know,
give them tips and also even skills training, to do work on their own home.
So that's kind of the part a little bit.
And yeah, that's, that's, that's a little bit about what we do.
That's awesome. I didn't know about the classes.
When did you start doing those?
That's actually a big part of you know, the 3 Tree Design process.
So, we have our design phase,
which is our first tree, our construction phase.
So roofing and finish.
That's our second tree.
And then our third Tree is really our way of giving back
to the community and connecting.
So we don't charge a lot for the classes.
We do a lot of free, things.
And it's just kind of grown over time into something that,
you know, is, is a passion project for us for sure.
Now that's really cool.
I do like the concept of, like the three separate trees,
then serving as three different pillars of your business.
That's really cool.
Yeah, yeah.
Three sided, you know, structures, our strongest structures.
And, we use a lot of trees and remodeling.
So that's kind of a, you know, it's a little bit of an ode to that
because you got to respect and try to not waste,
you know, where you can just remember where it's all coming from.
So, so yeah, that's a little bit about about that and then design House,
you know, it's kind of we want to make sure that we emphasize
that is the initial part of the, you know, process.
It's important to start with the plan.
That's super cool.
And I read on your website, you have over ten years of experience
in design and then over over eight in construction.
Can you share a little bit more about your personal journey
in the design and remodeling industry, and then maybe lean into,
like, what led you to start your own business?
Yeah.
So I have kind of a, you know, unique journey, to this.
So my, degree is in technical design.
So I started out basically basically in clothing construction.
So that's where, I started my design journey.
And my husband, Brian, he started a handyman company.
He worked in maintenance for a long time.
So he knows really everything there is about repairing a house.
I kind of started him.
Started with him, with that business.
I started the business, process.
So I learned how to start a business through that,
even though it wasn't my own, you know, business. Exactly.
And we didn't do a lot of design at the time, but within about a year, I.
It's kind of funny because I was working for
the biggest costume company in the world, doing really fun designs,
like for the Star Wars film characters and things like that.
And it was a really cool job.
But, it wasn't super, like gratifying.
You know, you don't get to see things through to completion or,
you know, clothing is kind of a, you know, you're kind of a cog in a machine.
So I joined, with him
and we just did latent, like, handyman stuff
for at least a year or two, before we went into remodeling and construction.
So I got the, you know, rough kind of get your hands dirty.
Learning of construction, learning to use a drill, learning
to install things, learning about a house, how a toilet works,
all the, like, kind of basic stuff that I never knew I wanted to learn. So,
yeah, I, I really
enjoy it, and, I didn't I didn't get to do a lot of designing.
I was doing designing on the side basically grew that over those ten years.
So I started out a little bit,
and then I was using Adobe Suite because of my design background,
to try to draw blueprints, which works as a vector.
And technically it was very difficult.
And I did that for a long time.
And then I got an architectural software that I learned, and I got my GC license,
a few years ago on my own, because I wanted to have a design based business.
I wanted it to be the focus.
So yeah, that's really cool.
That is very unique.
I don't know if I've heard of someone going from like, clothing design
to home remodeling, and that's that jump is pretty drastic.
But it also kind of works because you're thinking about designing homes.
It's I mean, it's very different, don't get me wrong.
But I'm sure a lot of the same, processes
kind of crossover, in terms of just like having that creative eye
and just being very, I don't know, like elaborate with functionality too.
That's the same as clothing.
You want it to be functional, just like a house.
That's really cool.
And so when you started learning all these elements
of remodeling a home, oh, things that I don't know how to do either.
Was that process super hard to jump into or.
I'm sure having your husband helping you was
was also very beneficial, but I'm interested to hear about that.
Yeah, my husband is the son of two teachers,
so he is like a very, very good teacher, very patient.
And so that's why we still continue to do the classes too, because it really,
it means a lot to him as well to, you know, get people to learn
how to do things the right way, in a way that is safe for them
and especially for their home and their investment.
So that that's what was nice for me.
And I know that not everybody has that as an option.
It was hard for sure because we, you know, we did things that were,
you know, we moved removed hot tubs from the top balcony.
Do I learned to tile which tiling is so much fun
and amazing, but like the most exhausting days of my life.
So I feel like,
it was it was kind of like a polished rock, you know what I mean?
Like, I was, I was in a rock polisher, and I didn't really realize it at the time.
But I feel like, you know, we're we're constantly becoming,
you know, more of the selves that we want to be because we're put
into these pressure situations to kind of give the best results for our clients.
So with our handyman business had five stars.
This business we're really we have five stars.
We're trying to maintain that because we want
it's very small, large town that we live in, the area that we live in.
And so having a good service is literally everything for your business and,
and have a good,
good experience with your community and give back in a, in a positive way.
Absolutely.
And I forgot to mention this earlier, but you're out of Northern Colorado, right?
Yes, yes.
So anyone listening to that, I'm sorry. Yeah.
No, that's my fault.
Also, I meant to do that and enter introduction.
But if you're in the northern Colorado area, if you're listening to this
and you need some expertise, you have found the right place to retreat.
Design house.
Yeah.
Who said that? Yeah.
I also wanted to make a note, too, about the the classes that you guys offer.
I bet it's very inspirational to hear people learn about, like,
your story, how you, you know, you knew nothing really about home
remodeling and all of those technical details.
And now you are where you're at now and you have your own business.
So, I imagine that's even more inspirational for people
that are attending the classes and your clients that are working with you.
I bet that's really cool.
Absolutely.
Because I definitely had the perspective,
like, there's no way I could ever and especially I met my husband, I would
he would come home from work and tell me about his day,
and I just feel like, I don't know how you do, I really don't.
Yeah.
And then just kind of being thrown into it at first, you know, it was just,
you know, it's obviously so different now looking back on it.
But I think it does help people to know that you can do it in a way
that, you know, you can gain a lot of value in your investment.
Yes. And, and in your day to day life, you don't have to live with.
Yeah.
You know, it's surroundings,
our surroundings have a powerful effect on us over time.
So it's actually,
you know, if you can't pay somebody to do it
all, you know, it's nice to be able to have that option.
You know,
you learned a lot of the technical parts of doing a home remodel, for example.
Do you do you feel like your husband learned a lot about,
like the design process in return, like home around you?
You guys kind of like swapped, skill sets in a way.
Do you feel like that's the case?
Oh, absolutely. It's kind of funny.
We thought we would have our own lanes, but really?
Yeah.
He has a great design.
I and really helps because.
And I think that's what makes us more efficient
because we as we're coming up with the design, we're thinking about,
okay, what how is this going to stay working long term?
How is this going to be functional?
You know, we do a lot of like layout changes.
We're working on one for an upstairs primary.
And they have the trying to move the laundry upstairs
because it's in the basement.
And then they have their kids rooms
and they're trying to make sure it's not going to be too loud.
And then you have, you know, making the bathroom bigger because it's
teeny and trying to fit all that into kind of their upstairs space.
And it's really hard to do that
without being able to visualize it and know all your code.
And and as a homeowner, they want to do it themselves.
So they're going to tackle a lot of the work.
But without a plan,
they end up wasting so much time and money to get to that end result.
Not to say that they couldn't get there, but I tried to save some hair pulling.
Like my mother is a big DIYer.
She's self-taught herself a lot and what she does is great.
But my stepdad makes a joke like, we kind
of, you know, paid someone to do this for cheaper.
Yeah, rather that not every project, but some projects because,
you know, sometimes she'll just have so much fun,
like changing her mind on this and that, and then they end up spending a little bit
more money in the long run
because she is not sitting there thinking about long term.
Factors or even just like a plan on what she wants to do.
She's just like, go, go, go, which a lot of DIY hours
I imagine are like that.
And they don't they don't stop and like think.
And I'm sure you're very helpful in that aspect.
It's like trying to do a puzzle without the picture.
Yeah.
And potentially missing puzzle pieces because you don't even know, like it's,
you know, it's just very, very difficult.
But I think people
that have the gumption to do it, I respect that, cause obviously that's
how I got into this.
Yeah.
So, so yeah,
I think that's where we try to help people because we most people are going to
if they're going to do it, they're going to do it anyway.
And oh yeah, hopefully they can. Yeah.
You know, in a way that it lasts and it doesn't, you know, we just asking
people time and money
that's kind of our after doing this ten years, that's the best that we can,
the best that we can offer. And renovation.
Are there any specific projects that you guys specialize in more so.
Or do you have a personal favorite type of space to design in the home?
For sure, yeah.
So I guess basements and kitchens are kind of a close tie for me.
I like the challenge of the kitchen because it's a lot of parts,
that go into it.
And typically something where you have to rework the layout.
But basements are like a fresh blank canvas.
No, not quite the same as a build, but
you get to really do a lot more.
When you're starting fresh with framing.
So I imagine
your kitchen would be much more difficult to remodel than a basements.
Usually.
Not all the time,
but I'm picturing just like empty people want to make it become alive.
When I think of basements as, like just this empty space
they don't know what to do with, do we want to put a bar down here,
or do we want to make it like a kids area or, and then home theater?
And so I feel like the endless possibilities are there with a basement,
with a kitchen, you're like, working with stove and,
you know, plumbing and all of that,
which could be probably a headache, but also a fun challenge as well.
It's a fun design challenge for like a GC because you can,
you know, it's not just a picture.
It's not just making it look beautiful, but the function of it.
Like, I have a whole meeting with my clients
where we sit down and talk about how do you use your kitchen,
what appliances, where do you put them, do you like them on here?
I like them on the counter. Like, do you want to drawers?
How many doors?
You know, it's important to get so many details in such a small space.
If I was going to come to you and say, you know, I want to remodel my kitchen,
let's just say, for example, could you briefly walk me through the process
of what I would experience if I wanted to start a project with you all?
Yeah.
So we typically start on the phone
with a quick call here about your project and then, if you want to schedule
a initial consult on site, we do a free 30 minute review your project.
You can walk us through it.
We show you our software.
You know, how we kind of help our other clients?
We have, like, video examples of our renderings and how they've turned out.
So we go through some of that.
And then
if you want to book with us, we schedule a measurement meeting that takes an hour
and a half to two hours to get it into our blueprint CAD program.
And so you get like an initial concept of your existing layout, no matter what,
as a part of the design and then we do an initial concept from there.
Sometimes I do 2 or 3 layouts depending on what we're trying to do.
And then once we get the preferred layout, we basically do a review meeting.
So we go through the different layouts.
We talk about like don't like
and then we do a revision and come to kind of a preferred layout.
Sometimes that takes a little bit of a journey to get to that point.
But once we do, we're kind of through the design phase
and we start to get bids from subcontractors.
When we create a proposal that's flat rate, not to exceed.
And then, we do a contract and we start up
that second treaty that, the roughing
and finish phase, which we divide basically that into two portions.
And then after that you have a as a as a warranty, as a resource going forward.
That initial phase you talked about right before, like the official design process,
is that that's more so just you learning what the client wants, right? Yep.
And what they're really wanting.
What they're going to get the most out of the remodel
I yeah, like I could definitely see that taking the longest.
So I'm sure a lot of people are like I don't know.
Well.
And when we do the 3D so like you see it because you think, okay,
I think I want it this way.
And then sometimes when you see that 3D in the walkthrough, it's like,
oh, maybe that, you know, we could do it a different way.
And, and, and I always try to do like a devil's advocate layout.
So people ask me to do it a certain way.
Most of the time they're like, draw it like this.
And I do every time.
And then I sit down and I'm like, okay, how can I make this a little bit better
and give them just something completely different
so that either they know that their original design is the best one
or, you know, maybe there's something that they didn't see at the beginning.
Do you have a favorite project
that you have worked on recently, and why is it your favorite?
So we just finished a basement finish.
It was really, really fun and elaborate.
He, wanted to do, you know, he wanted a bedroom downstairs
that he turned into a gym.
But his main, like, living space, he didn't miss, like,
stone wall with built in TV and multiple dry bars.
And then in the bathroom, we did a steam shower with this just
gorgeous floating vanity and everything that he picked was just very,
intentional.
He took his time with that process and was really excited about it.
And so it looks very modern and up to date and just a lot of really beautiful
textures that come together.
Yeah, that does sound very cool.
I want my house to look like that.
All my goals. Right.
So like he did some really cool like pilot themed.
So like, black and white old plane artwork.
But I don't know if that sounds as cool as it, but it looks gorgeous.
No. Yeah.
So, yeah, it just turned out, you know, it really came together well, so.
And he's adding himself into his home too, which I think is
the coolest way to do it,
because it's not just looking like a stock image or from a catalog.
You're adding a lot of your own
personality into the space, which is what he did with with the plane pictures.
Maybe that's not for me, but it definitely sounds like it is for him.
That's really cool.
Yeah. It was.
It's really well, we always tell people to have at least one point that is,
you know, focal point basically that is personal to them.
That's meaningful to them.
What are some of your favorite home
remodeling trends that you are seeing right now in 2025?
Well,
I can't even believe it,
but I'm I'm getting asked to do wallpaper again.
Wow, taking off so much wallpaper in my house, I say
with our handyman company, just,
just thousand square feet of wallpaper.
But I am actually looking at putting it back in.
And I really love the, boldness right now.
So there's, like, color drenching and natural textures.
Like, words are coming back a little bit more.
So I really I'm loving that.
Yeah. Wallpaper. Very interesting.
It's it's really cool to see old trends come back around and you're probably like,
are you sure you want to put this back up,
or am I going to come back here and tear it down in five years?
It's so funny because, you know, when I was a kid growing up,
the neighbor that we had,
he was like the best wallpaper installer in Fort Collins in our area.
And now as I'm scheduling these, he is still the best
wallpaper in the area and is like so overbooked.
It's it's amazing.
So, you know, it's funny how things work out like this.
What is one of the biggest challenges that you see homeowners face
when starting a remodel, and how have you all helped those challenges?
So yeah, so a lot of like the mystery of the unknown.
Like who do I hire? How much is all this going to cost?
Like how do I make all these selections and decisions if I don't know,
you know, what the prices and what it's going to look like?
So we try to tackle that early on and without charging a crazy amount,
you know, a lot of interior designers, they have a pretty high,
minimum or percentage of the project.
And we try to do a low flat rate entry to kind of get a good plan started.
Yeah.
And I imagine that is probably what maybe scares people
the most about a home remodel. Is that unknown?
And maybe they don't want to seem like they don't know what they're walking into
because they're just a little insecure about just not knowing.
Right.
And so I think it is important to work with a company like, like Three Tree
Design House
or anyone that really has expertise on it to make them feel like, okay,
you don't know these things and that's okay, because that's what we're here for.
Because I could see, like, myself being insecure about the fact, like,
oh, I don't know.
I like it's like doing taxes, right?
I don't know, I don't know what's going on with my taxes.
So I'm getting an expert to do my taxes for me.
People just kind of think of it the same way as doing a home remodel.
If they really want the most out of it.
Yeah, absolutely.
Because like our some of our biggest competitors, they have that kind of
it's almost an arrogance of like, yes, you know, should you even be calling us?
Do you have enough money?
You know, before you even get to that phase?
There's there's a lot of like of that that we don't appreciate,
especially as, like a, you know, we're younger business owner.
So, we understand that we can't afford a massive remodel
to our home or new homebuyers, you know, and so we really understand from a level
I know of most of our, clients about just trying to,
be smart
with their, you know, remodel as possible, so and realistic to.
Yeah.
The scariest thing is like, hey, we have this budget,
we have this big investment
we're wanting to make, but like, how do we guarantee that
either we're not going to go over how do we, you know, plan it
to a way that we not we're not, you know, terrified to to start.
So yeah.
What do you see is the most common reason another trade pro would come
2 or 3 tree design house.
For your expertise in business.
Well, we work with a lot of,
subcontractors, especially because we do this design process all apart.
So, like, we work with other agencies, we work with,
just to give them a flat rate plan like this.
So blueprints, a lot of contractors don't want to have to go
through the process of selecting materials.
But a homeowner, sometimes it can be very trying,
especially if you can't show them their selection
that that like indecision sets in and they start to panic.
Am I making the wrong choice?
Because I can't see it, and I don't have somebody who can really tell me this.
And a lot of contractors don't want to have to tell somebody what to pick.
You know, it puts you kind of in a tough position.
So so we take that role on for them.
And then, you know, we use a lot of good technology and software
and we try to pass that information along to other people that we know.
And in the business world,
try to make the industry, you know, improve it as much as we can, you know.
So you said you've been with Prosource for about like a few years now, right?
Yeah.
So you kind of have a good understanding of, of how you collaborate with Prosource.
And it's it's interesting to me
because when I talk to trade pros, it's always so different.
From business to
business trade from member to trade pro member.
I could definitely see that.
Yeah.
Prosource offers so many, yeah.
Great services and resources.
For us, my husband found Prosource,
and told me about and we had a small office showroom
at the time, and it was so hard for me to get the brands in and compete
because our area, you know, it's just it's hard for the small guys
to compete sometimes and be able to show those samples that,
and we like to show them in our clients homes anyway,
we don't really like to have a storefront.
And so Prosource is kind of the perfect, thing that helped
keep our overhead down and give our clients kind of this,
luxury service of picking their,
quality, you know, reputable materials.
And then in doing it in a way that's a great partnership.
And it wasn't,
you know, I wasn't sure until I went in and met with Melinda.
And she's just amazing from the very beginning.
And so it was like, just kind of a match from that point.
And we have our clients come in and having us at the showroom,
you know, it just adds a lot depth to our, our business with them.
It's really nice and convenient.
But what advice would you give to other trade
professionals, business owners that are looking to either,
start their business or grow their business?
Lean in to connecting with your community because that's something that
in construction, you know, you get so busy,
it's really easy to put your head down and like, focus on your client only,
but connecting with other contractors, connecting with like, homes
versus network, like,
we've gotten so many connections of other subcontractors through them.
So that
can help just along with keeping your business,
you know, more consistent with volume and all that.
Yeah.
I mean, I think the events you guys hold are very smart
because it's like you're dipping your toes into that community.
And that's not only helping your clients learn more about the industry,
but it's also selfishly helping you guys because word of mouth is everything.
Right. For a business.
And I know you're getting you're helping both sides.
You're helping your clients, but you're also helping her business.
I think that is a very smart thing
for businesses to do as little events or free classes like that.
Reflexes are great, even just information.
Our Q&A is, you know, have a
yeah, you know, doing things where you're just getting information out there.
Because a lot of people are afraid to ask.
It just makes you feel it makes you think about things also.
So I think that's good to get more feedback in these types of classes
and learn more about what people need, and learn
more about what people are wanting in their home, too.
So it's just it's been really, really cool.
We really enjoy that aspect of it.
How do you see your business growing in the next five years, and
do you have any exciting plans or goals set in mind for three three?
Yeah, so hoping to grow,
our design and renovation build side to do bigger projects.
We'd like to really focus more on like the high end design
if we can, because our program really allows you to reach
for the maximum, design without being worried about,
you know, what, what is the cost and how is this going to actually work?
So we would really like to do some bigger projects as it relates to that.
And in the next five years, we just we hope to grow with our team.
So we have a really wonderful team of subcontractor
experts, and we have what we call our recommender team.
So they're kind of our commission based, contractors
that they make referral commission by finding projects and connecting us.
And so having a bigger group of, of those
that are kind of like our little birds out there,
you know, keeping their ears open for people that need help.
It's kind of our, our plan right now.
Where can listeners follow your work and learn
more about working with you all if they're interested?
Well, we are on Instagram.
So our three tree design house,
and Facebook,
and we try to do construction con every year.
We also just do these classes.
So if you're, if you follow us on social media, we'll do announcements.
When we're doing, you know, just our little pup classes,
you can also reach out to schedule private quests.
For our website.
I have really appreciate you joining me on today's episode.
It was really exciting and interesting to hear about your journey in this industry.
It's very unique,
like I mentioned earlier, and I also think, like
I mentioned, just very inspirational.
I think that if you're not born into a family, that's what the home
remodeling industry and you just have like a little bit of interest into it,
you can do it right.
With with enough, passion and hard work, you can
maybe find yourself opening up your own business like you did.
Yes, absolutely.
Definitely be empowered to to do it because it's,
you know, it's just step by step and learning.
So I really appreciate it.
Mollie, I appreciate you having me on and your questions and I guess thank you.
Thank you for joining us today on The ProSource Podcast.
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check out our website at prosourcewholesale.com, and visit
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