There is something sacred about home. It’s where our lives unfold, where laughter spills across dinner tables, where children grow, and where love leaves its mark on every surface. For Jon Atwood, founder of Atwood Custom Homes, building homes has never been about square footage or status. It’s about legacy. A promise to create not just elegant spaces, but meaningful ones. Atwood Custom Homes doesn’t just build houses. They build belonging.
When you step inside an Atwood home, you feel it immediately. The light. The flow. The calm. It’s in the subtle way the floorplan supports connection, in the textures that invite touch, in the quiet confidence of a space designed with people in mind. These are homes that live and breathe and hold stories. Because they were built with one thing above all: intention.
Jon Atwood launched Atwood Custom Homes in 2009—one of the most uncertain times in the housing market. With no showroom, no funding cushion, and no private office to retreat to, he took a leap of faith and began his journey from a small home office. What he lacked in resources, he made up for with vision, grit, and an unwavering sense of accountability.
“I poured my heart and soul into every project,” Jon reflects. “I knew that if we stayed focused on value, on doing good work for people who trusted us, it would grow.”
And grow it did. Today, Atwood Custom Homes is one of Southlake’s most trusted boutique luxury builders, known throughout the community for leading with character, craftsmanship, and care. But Jon’s story didn’t begin in construction. From 1996 to 2001, he worked in outside sales, building lasting relationships with homebuilders across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Eventually, an opportunity arose to step into the custom home world under a mentor. He took it—and never looked back.
Years of hands-on learning gave him a foundation rooted in excellence and empathy. When the time came to branch out on his own, Jon built his brand on the belief that every client deserved transparency, respect, and a home tailored to their real life, not just a Pinterest board.
“I saw a need for smaller homes that still offered the very best amenities,” he shares. “So, we built packages with value in mind: homes that felt elevated without being excessive.”
That commitment to value remains one of Atwood Custom Homes’ guiding principles. Presently, the company operates from their dedicated offices and design studio in Southlake, and they remain proudly boutique. “We’re not trying to be the biggest,” Jon says. “We’re focused on being the most intentional.”
That intention shows up in every detail. From the carefully curated product selections to the collaborative design meetings, clients are at the center of the process. They come with inspiration, and Atwood’s team helps shape those ideas into timeless, livable realities. Whether it's a mudroom that doubles as a family command center or a kitchen layout that effortlessly hosts three generations, every detail serves a purpose.
“Clients today come with a lot of vision,” Jon explains. “They’ve seen it all on social media, and our job is to help translate that vision into something that has longevity and real value.”
Atwood Custom Homes isn’t just a builder, it’s a culture. Inside their Southlake office, there are no closed doors. Everyone works shoulder-to-shoulder. From the design team to the project managers, the environment is collaborative and fluid. “Team building and education is our backbone,” Jon says. “We all work together to meet the client’s needs.”
The company is small by design, but mighty in talent. Jon still oversees the day-to-day operations, but credits his success to the people around him. “We’ve got creative designers, two energetic young project managers, and an admin who keeps everything moving so we can stay focused on the field,” he shares. “I learn from them every day.”
And they learn from him. Jon’s leadership style is grounded in humility, honesty, and human connection. “It’s not a numbers game,” he says. “Each home has a story and often, a relationship that continues long after the final walk-through.”
That heart-led philosophy is deeply personal. Jon and his wife, Trisha, share a blended family of nine children. Their weekends are a beautiful chaos of dance rehearsals, baseball games, volleyball tournaments, karate practice, and more than a few birthday parties. “It takes a village,” Jon laughs. “We rely on friends and other parents to help us shuffle everyone where they need to be.”
It’s this very real, very relatable home life that shapes Jon’s understanding of what his clients need. “We know what it’s like to live a full life,” he says. “So, when we design a home, we think about how it’s actually going to be lived in. Where backpacks will be dropped. Where the family dog will nap. Where dinner will be shared on a Tuesday night.”
That lived-in wisdom, paired with a “can-do” attitude, infuses every build. Atwood Custom Homes is constantly educating themselves on new products and amenities to ensure their clients get the best of what the industry offers. But they don’t chase trends for the sake of staying trendy. “We’re always striving to stay ahead of design demands,” Jon says, “but it’s about smart design, not just what’s flashy.”
And while Atwood’s homes speak for themselves, Jon’s quiet generosity speaks volumes. This year, he joined four other builders in contributing to a custom home project benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The initiative will raise life-saving funds for children battling cancer: a cause close to his heart.
Giving back is part of the Atwood DNA, even if Jon prefers not to shout it from the rooftops. It’s woven into the way they do business: one sale at a time, one lot at a time, one client at a time. Always with a sense of stewardship. Always with care.
So, what truly sets Atwood Custom Homes apart? It’s not just their architectural precision or design-forward approach. It’s the feeling. The intangible, unforgettable sense that you’re home.
When you walk into an Atwood home, it doesn’t feel staged or stiff. It feels like life is meant to happen there. Like your favorite people are just around the corner. Like your story already belongs within those walls.
It’s in the light that pours through well-placed windows. The way a porch invites a neighbor to linger. The way a room flows naturally, almost intuitively. These aren’t coincidences—they’re the result of a builder who sees his work as sacred.
“Perhaps the most extraordinary thing Jon Atwood builds isn’t a home,” a client once said. “It’s the feeling of belonging.”
And that might just be the Atwood difference.
It’s in the dinner table where stories are passed from one generation to the next. The hallway where backpacks are flung and hugs exchanged before school. The quiet nook where someone curls up with a book in the afternoon sun. These quiet, sacred moments are where Jon’s work truly lives.
He builds for the echoes of childhood laughter. For the candlelight of anniversaries. For the joy of gathering. For the rhythm of real life.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not the crown molding or countertops that make a home unforgettable. It’s the peace of knowing you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.