Prime Tyme

interview: Amy Mangan photography: Djamel E. Ramoul

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 -

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He’s the host of ABC’s top-rated show that gives families a new home and new beginning. Never known for understatement, Pennington goes full speed in everything he does…including his interview with Ocala Home.

Ty Pennington is in a hurry. A half-eaten sandwich sits neglected on a plate next to the star of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” who’s talking to three people at once while also preparing for a photo shoot and an imminent media interview with one grateful Ocala Home writer.  He’s at the Orlando Home Show, having just completed presenting one of two live hour-long shows to the Orange County Convention Center audience. I have my tape recorder primed and ready which will get a workout, indeed, recording one of the busiest, and most popular, celebrities today. As the interview begins, Pennington needs little prompting. From “hello,” he launches into rapid-fire answers that are part introduction to design, part stream-of-consciousness, a little introspection, and full-on Ty Pennington. I’m just along for the ride.

You’re one busy guy.

I’m guessing I probably have one of the craziest schedules of anybody in the entertainment industry. There’s always chaos (doing the TV show) because there’s always something going wrong. A print didn’t get on site in time, or it arrived blurry and isn’t high res., it has to be re-done and overnighted from the printer to put on the walls. Just a while ago, I was literally talking to a printer about a design I want to put on a wall of a home we’re working on and I was walking him through PhotoShop so the image would be crisp.

Good thing you know how to multi-task!

Yeah! And I think a lot of people think I scream into a megaphone and move the bus and that’s it. But, there’s so much design element into what I’m doing. That’s the fun part, tying it in all together and pulling a story into design, but sometimes you don’t find out about the key for that story until you get to the home.

The story changes?

Sometimes, because you find out even more about the family. There’s a show we did in Kentucky. I knew the mom had been through a lot, she almost lost her husband and brought him back to life when he was in a car accident because she happened to be an EMT, so they had a second chance. She quit her job and became a massage therapist so she wanted a massage therapy room in her home to bring income back into the family. But, it wasn’t until I met this couple that I decided to make a change with what I was doing. You may have the basic story in mind, but until you meet the person, you can’t completely design a home. Anyway, how long have I been talking? (Ty begins to laugh.)

You’re doing fine. So, you’re deeply involved in the design component of each home project, aren’t you?
Absolutely. You see, that’s the misconception. People think I’m just a carpenter. I’m an art school major. My background is graphic design and fine art. I broke into a lot of grade schools and broke into their equipment. No, seriously, I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta and tried to go to other art schools, but couldn’t afford to because I had to work full time. I was smart enough to take a night program that gave me a degree as a commercial art technician which taught me how to make things print ready which is hilarious because then the Mac computer came out. But, I was never meant to do mechanicals, I’m all creative. I come up with creative ideas. Visual arts are what I’ve always done. But, I’ve also always been able to do things with my hands, so I was able to build which is how I got on “Trading Spaces” (the TV show). But because of that show, many people still only see me as a carpenter. On that show, I would always try to redesign what the designers would bring me which was…um…interesting because there are egos involved!

But, it was a great opportunity to grow. You try to get good at what you do especially when you’re in crisis mode!

So, what’s next for you?

I’m playing around with a bunch of ideas for TV shows — ideas that are kind of on my bucket list.  I get a lot of inspiration from travel — more continental type of travel even though you can get inspiration from cornfields. Maybe I’ll incorporate travel. There are so many things I want to do. I want to screen-print my own textiles, but I’m not one who just wants to do it to put my name on it. I want to be involved. I could tie dye my backyard but that doesn’t mean I’ll do it! Maybe get into creating some tapestries. Pull in some photography. A ton of things I could do!  I’m just one of those creative dudes who wants to do a lot of things. Maybe having ADD helps in a sense in that I can actually have a foot in one bucket and bounce around while having my other foot in a few others. What can I say? I love cat juggling!

…sounds more like juggling chainsaws!

You know what? I believe chainsaws are predictable — you know where the teeth are. With cats, it’s hard to tell.  And that’s what’s fun.

I’m excited about the furniture line I’ve done with Howard Miller. It’s great. I definitely choose a style to help humans personalize their furniture. It’s not just about something that can fit in a home. What I’ve learned about designing furniture is that it’s a piece that needs to blend in a home. It’s sort of like when you first want to be recognized, you want something that stands out. But, you can’t design standout furniture that isn’t comfortable and expect it to work. You want something that is not only comfortable, but also works with what is around it. More importantly, furniture needs to be personalized to the way we are today. Now we’ve got these gadgets — phones and iPods — so, instead of just coming home and throwing our keys and change on a table, we’ve got to plug everything in. So, I’ve designed furniture that you can open up a drawer and there’s a dog leash! It’s more about when you come home, what’s there. You may have a piece with a shelf that slides out and there’s a list of things that has to be done or a drawer with a dog leash and a bowl.

…it’s practical.
Yeah, it’s practical. Not only that, it’s personalized. You make it your own. But, it also feels like it’s part of the family already. You have to have the experience of really understanding people and realizing what works. Everything I do in a room — whether it’s the bed or some other project on our show — there’s always the emotional element that really ties to the person. It may be a bunch of photos of the family — something that resonates emotions. Furniture is the same way. As a society, we look at things as disposable and now that we’ve disposed of stuff, now what do we do?  How do we figure out how to make furniture meaningful? You don’t want to throw it away — make it renewable, too.

I have a great job where I not only get to design things for people and use my creativity to inspire better design, but I also use materials that are cutting-edge. We’re seeing green technology coming into furniture, so I get to help bring that into the home. We need to get to a point where home isn’t expensive to live. It starts taking care of itself; a self-sustaining lifestyle. We’re not there yet, but, we’re trying.

You’ve brought celebrities on your show. Who has surprised you?

Well, the celebrities are great fun; Patricia Heaton was hilarious and fun to work with. I think a more important question is — what families have surprised me? With all the families I’ve met and the stories I’ve heard, I still get surprised.  There’s a different connection each time.  I’m amazed by the families I’ve met. Sometimes, it’s a family just letting down their guard and sharing what has happened and what this home renovation means. It blows me away to not only see the impact made on the family, but also the impact a family can have on a community.

Personally, I can tell you that watching your show is an emotional experience!

It really is. I’m still surprised by the love of a family and community. It’s nice to see this happen, especially in the television industry. It’s not just about the show. Thanks for saying that and for sharing what we’re trying to do.

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Ty’s Designs

Pennington has partnered with Howard Miller Furniture to develop a “furniture pairing” system that features 200 pieces. Called Howard Miller Signature Home Furnishings by Ty Pennington, the line includes upholstery, occasional, dining and bedroom categories.

The “pairing” concept of the line is intended to help educate consumers on how best to express their style when decorating their home. Consumers can pair and match furniture and accents with a professionally decorated look, easily coordinating the pieces in a variety of ways.

The line offers casual, traditional and contemporary pieces. Nine wood finishes are available and color-matched to 170 fabric choices for upholstery.

“We know that consumers can sometimes get uncomfortable when faced with the challenge of decorating their home. Our partnership with Ty has resulted in a new group of home furnishings and accessories that can alleviate that discomfort,” said Mark Siciliano, marketing director for Howard Miller Total Home.

For more information, go to howardmiller.com and typenningtonstyle.com.
“Extreme Makeover” airs on ABC Sunday nights at 8 p.m.

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