When three longtime friends, all successful in their own respective careers, decided they wanted a creative, hands-on way to transition toward retirement, they didn’t choose golf courses or leisurely travel. Instead, they built something new: a business that combines their shared love of design, home innovation, and high-end lifestyle products.
The result is Bilt Bayou, a Louisiana-based, concept-driven company that blends elements of custom home building, product showcasing, and influencer marketing. Their flagship project, an ambitious smart showhouse, is designed to feature cutting-edge products from multiple manufacturers, from retractable screens to high-end kitchen equipment. Visitors will not only see these products installed and working in real spaces, but they’ll also be able to learn about their features through professionally produced videos and social content.
The concept for Bilt Bayou originated from the trio’s desire to channel their expertise and passions into something tangible. Rufus Cressend, a certified financial planner with 30 years of experience, teamed up with two close friends — one semi-retired (Nate) and the other (Walt) recently retired — to create a venture that was both enjoyable and marketable.
“We didn’t want to get into full-scale construction,” Cressend explains. “But we love design. We love creating spaces with personality. We’ve done it for our own homes and for friends, and we wanted to keep that creativity going.”
Design-Forward Spirit
The name Bilt Bayou (originally “Built by You”) captures the hands-on, design-forward spirit of the company. As described on its website, “Bilt Bayou isn’t about the ‘need-to-haves;’ it’s about the ‘nice-to-haves,’ for no other reason than we just want it.” (The “bayou” in Bilt Bayou is also a nod to the Southern Luisiana roots of the three entrepreneurs.)
Bilt Bayou’s showhouse is more than a model home; it’s a live demonstration space and content hub. The company is building its brand as a type of “influencer for the high-end home market,” targeting homeowners who are willing to invest in premium features. Toward that end, manufacturers are sending products to be installed and displayed, knowing they’ll benefit from the visual storytelling Bilt Bayou is producing.
One of the Bilt Bayou showhouse’s most exciting areas is its outdoor pavilion, an entertainment zone featuring a fireplace, retractable screens, heaters, and surround sound. This space will host everything from casual barbecues to big-game watch parties. There was just one problem: the TV location. Mounted high above the fireplace for visibility during parties, it was fine for the standing crowd but would force seated guests to crane their necks uncomfortably upward.
The solution came in the form of MantelMount. What separates MantelMount from other manufacturers is that while most mounts offer both swivel and tilt movement, MantelMount offers vertical travel, allowing the screen to drop from its high-mounted position to a comfortable eye level. The automated mount accomplishes this with smooth, motorized precision. Initially, Cressend intended to tell the story of the manual mount. But then Remy Kale, MantelMount’s director of client management, suggested an upgrade to the motorized MM815. Cressend was sold.
“We love the manual mount, but when Remy told us about the MM815 motorized version, we thought, ‘You know what, we need to be excessive. We need to go over the top. We need it to be badass.’”
Manual First, Then Motorized
Consequently, the Bilt Bayou team plans to film the manual MantelMount, demonstrating its ease of use and benefits. Then, they’ll upgrade to the motorized MM815 model, documenting the step-up in convenience and “wow factor.” Viewers will see both ends of the spectrum: a high-quality, affordable solution and a fully automated, premium option. The manual unit will be re-purposed for another room in the main house, making the installation both educational and practical.
The MM815 model offers programmable presets, so with a single button press, the TV can move into the perfect position for either standing-room gatherings or cozy seated viewing. For the Bilt Bayou pavilion, this means gameday flexibility and movie-night comfort. Bilt Bayou’s integration of MantelMount goes beyond functionality; it’s about aesthetics. The pavilion’s fireplace wall is brick, with a recessed opening behind it. The mount itself will be installed so that, when closed, the TV sits perfectly flush with the brick surface. The mechanics are hidden about six inches behind the wall, creating a clean, built-in look.
“I wanted something that would fit in the recessed space so that when it’s closed, there’s no gap,” says Cressend. “We measured the drop, the reach, and the swivel radius. We looked at build quality and the weight capacity. MantelMount checked every box.”
While MantelMount is well-known among home theater enthusiasts, it wasn’t a default choice for Bilt Bayou; they did their homework. Competing mounts lacked the vertical drop needed to bring the TV to a comfortable eye level. Others didn’t offer the same robust construction, smooth motion, or recessed installation options.
The decision also came from personal experience. Cressend’s living room TV is mounted above a fireplace, requiring viewers to tilt their heads upward for extended periods, a discomfort that sparked the idea of seeking out a better solution. The plan is to eventually install a MantelMount there as well, extending the viewing comfort inside the home.
While this first showhouse is part of the founder’s personal property, the team is clear that this isn’t just about outfitting their own space with high-end gear. Future projects include a “barndominium” and a lake house executive retreat, each incorporating many of the same products highlighted in the current build. The intent is to eventually begin outfitting other people’s builds, much the way it’s handled on many popular home makeover shows.
For MantelMount and other product manufacturers, partnering with Bilt Bayou offers a unique marketing advantage. Instead of staged studio shoots, products are shown in real-world, high-end environments, integrated with complementary technology and design. As a result, these companies gain exposure to a targeted audience: homeowners who appreciate quality and are willing to invest in it. And their products are beautifully showcased through professional installation by experienced builders and designers.
For more information, visit https://www.biltbayou.com/ and https://www.mantelmount.com/.
