Meet landscape designer and TV host Mike Pyle at the Richmond Home + Garden Show, Saturday, March 4. (Photo courtesy HGTV)
Landscape designer and HGTV’s “Inside Out” co-host Mike Pyle has always enjoyed working with his hands. “My father owned a pool company, and I was immediately drawn to the landscape side,” he says. Today, Pyle owns a landscape design firm in Orange County, California, where he manages a team of designers and projects spanning the West Coast. In his spare time, he works with his “Inside Out” co-host, Carmine Sabatella, to balance client priorities and budgets to create stunning spaces indoors and out. Pyle will share ideas for adding value to your home with curb appeal at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, March 4, at the Richmond Home + Garden Show at the Richmond Raceway Complex.
R•Home: You’ve done landscape design for 20 years. What’s it like showcasing your skills on TV?
Mike Pyle: The show is about the clients, not about me. There’s always a limited budget, and we need to give them the best product within that budget. So, it’s given me a different way of looking at things and having to be more creative, whereas before I would think “Let’s grab the nicest materials and create this really cool moment.” But now, it’s, “How can we make this budget work and not take away from the project [something that’s] functional and appealing to the eye?” It’s been a neat experience — I’m very thankful for it. It’s made me think even more about how I can help all types of clients [to be] happy at the end of the day.
R•Home: What will you share with attendees at the Richmond Home + Garden Show?
Pyle: I’ll be talking about adding value to your home with curb appeal, which to me is very important. It’s always been at the top of my list. Whether you’re selling your home or holding on to it, there’s that first moment when you’re coming home from work when you want to have that instant [notion] of, "This feels good.” It really makes a big difference if you’re driving [home] to something that makes you happy and brings you joy. I’ll be giving tips on how to create curb appeal, [areas] where it’s worth spending more money and where it’s not, and little tricks on how you can add value and aesthetic to the front of your home.
R•Home: What advice would you give to homeowners who want to update their outdoor spaces?
Pyle: In Richmond, you guys probably have a little more land [to work with] than we do in California for your average home. My theory is that, once you walk out the back door, there should be a space that gets you away from your home, whether it’s a simple pergola with a fire pit below it or a nice seating area. It should be something to get you out of the house and create a moment that lets you enjoy the space. [Your backyard] is more than just a lawn.
