Interior Designer from Elkridge Stars in TV Pilot

In a room with producers glued to their scripts and cameramen posing their subjects, April Force Pardoe stands out.

The Elkridge resident with the sunny personality said that the producers of a pilot for a home renovation show told her they selected her, in part, because women responded so positively to her on tape.

On the show, she hasn't needed to use a script for her role as the designer. “It’s from the heart,” said Pardoe. “We've been ad-libbing.”

As an interior designer by trade, Pardoe, who lives off Old Washington Road in Elkridge, listens to her clients and translates what is important to them into colors, textures and decor inside their homes. She has transformed homes in Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and surrounding counties for the past four years.

In the yet-to-be-named TV show, she and a contractor, realtor and host were tasked by the show's producers with renovating the first floor of a Towson rancher to make it marketable.

The show’s producer, Patrick Clark, grew up in the home, which was outfitted with 1960s and 1970s décor. When his parents passed away, Clark thought it was time for a makeover, said Pardoe, and that became the premise for the show.

Pardoe and the other cast members went through a rigorous audition process before being selected to work their magic on the home.

For example, the producers asked Pardoe what she would do with an old napkin holder that had an owl on one side. First, “I asked if it would be OK to destroy it,” she said. Pardoe had the contractor cut it in half, then she spray-painted the owl and hung it on the wall as art.

Clark’s sisters provided input on what they’d like done to the house.  Once Pardoe processed that information, she put together a budget and went shopping at places like Pier 1 and Target.

“There’s always a reason why you pick things,” said Pardoe. “The No. 1 thing for me in your house is what means something to you. It makes your house yours.”

The owl, said Pardoe, has special significance to one of Clark's family members. That was one of several secrets in the show, which has a twist she couldn’t reveal yet to the public.

Pardoe wrapped up filming earlier this week. Now, she said, it’s up to Clark to pitch the “sizzle reel,” or abbreviated demo tape, to networks.

Clark is no stranger to the industry—he is the sound engineer for the show Family Guy. He and his wife (who co-produced the show) live in Los Angeles and have been commuting while working on the project in Towson.

Pardoe said she doesn’t know how long the editing and pitching process will take and in the meantime, she will do what she's been doing—interior design.

Pardoe hasn't neglected her regular clients during the three days of shooting. She even picked up new ones on set. The realtor on the show, Re/Max Advantage agent Zugell Jamison, said she’s ready to hire Pardoe to design her home in Sykesville. “I love her work,” said Jamison.

Before Pardoe gets on the little screen, you may see her in the local media as well. She’s going to be featured in an upcoming issue of Howard Magazine for a design challenge that she and photographer Mary Gardella took in redesigning homes using residents' personal photographs.

Pardoe also has a blog chronicling projects she's working on. She said that design was what she loved. As for TV, she explained, “I’m doing this for fun.”