Ron Pivarnik steadied a long, slender piece of wood on his work table and quickly marked it using his carpenter's pencil. The ordinary timber was slated to be part of something more spectacular: a bakery-themed piece of furniture for one of the bedrooms in the largest home in the history of " Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
"We're trying to take their vision and make it tangible," said Pivarnik, 40, a self-employed project manager from Glen Burnie who spent an entire week making custom furniture for the recipients of the Northeast Baltimore home: seven girls from Boys Hope Girls Hope, an international nonprofit that places bright, at-risk children into group-home-style settings.
When the ABC reality TV episode debuts in September, Pivarnik might not get much screen time, but he and other volunteers are responsible for many of the "oohs" and "ahhs" that the cameras will catch as the girls explore their new home.
"They are the house," said Chris Rachuba, chairman of the Maryland Community Builders Foundation, which organized the build. "If they are not here to do the work, the house doesn't get built."
More than 1,000 volunteers were used to build the 11,120-square-foot, three-level house. Many of them were local home professionals who were responsible for design elements such as decorative murals, window treatments and floral design.
Jake Scott, 31, one of three carpenters who travel with the show, was impressed with the skill set that the volunteers brought to the house.
"[They] are 100 percent critical," he said. "We need them. There is way too much on our plate."
One of the desks that Pivarnik constructed was used in a travel-themed room. The desk drawers were made to look like pieces of luggage by using suitcase handles to replace traditional drawer pulls.
"Everything is custom," Pivarnik said. "It is a labor of love."
Lisa Bower, interior decorator
Background: Owner of Madella's Interior Decorating, based in Ellicott City. Bower, 39, has studied at MICA and is a member of WCAA (Window Coverings Association of America)
'Extreme' role: This was Bower's second time with the show. "It was such a great experience the first time," said Bower, who worked on an 'Extreme Makeover' house for a family in Pennsylvania in 2008, that she decided to do it again. "This was such a great way to give back to the community," she said.
On the set: Bower worked with a group of 13 window treatment designers from her local WCAA chapter to transform store-bought drapes into custom-looking gems. Bower and her crew also made 80 pillows to be used throughout the home.
TV secret: The larger pillows are being used in the basement area, which is being called a lounge. Smaller pillows, embroidered with messages to resemble the heart-shaped candies associated with Valentine's Day, are being used in one of the themed bedrooms.
Eddie Wingrat, floral designer
Background: Owner of Flowers and Fancies in Owings Mills. Wingrat, 60, began working in a flower shop shortly after graduating from college with a history degree. He realized that he had a knack for the trade and has owned his business since 1971.
'Extreme' role: Wingrat donated 35 floral arrangements and positioned them throughout the house, augmenting the common area spaces and some of the bedrooms, the great room, bathrooms, and computer area. "We added florals to the designated areas to make the house a home," Wingrat said.
On the set: "The designers gave us the ability to work with the flowers," Wingrat said. He was able to have fun using tons of colorful flowers to go with the themed rooms. In an outdoors-themed room, Wingrat incorporated a lot of branches and garden-type flowers such as delphinium, hydrangea, roses, orchids, allium, and wheat grass. Sherbet-colored roses such as bright orange, lavender, and pink were used for a Parisian Bistro-themed room.
TV secret: "Flowers can last a while if treated properly," said Wingrat, whose buds were unaffected by the delayed construction schedule. He used flowers shipped in from various regions of the country and South America. "The flowers were very fresh. It was really perfect timing. Whether it had been Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, the flowers were perfect."
Judi Miller, architect
Background: Owner of Architecture by Design in Ellicott City. Miller, 45, has been an architect for more than 20 years and has extensive experience with multifamily projects.
'Extreme' role: Miller worked as the lead architect for the $1 million home. She completed the concept for it in a single day and finished the construction drawings in just about two weeks. Miller worked around the clock at the house, leaving only for a few hours to rest, but she said it was worth it. "It was a opportunity of a lifetime, and it was an opportunity to make a true difference in others' lives," Miller said. "I'd do it all over again."
On the set: Miller said she was most happy with being able to incorporate the girls' past, present and future through her architecture. She's also pleased with the home's curved roof, as inspired by Baltimore's National Aquarium.
TV secret: Miller missed the reveal — torrential rains pushed back construction of the house by two days — because she was scheduled to go on a cruise. "I feel like Cinderella not getting to go to the ball," she said.
Dee Cunningham, decorative painter
Background: Owner of Deelite Design, based in Ellicott City. Cunningham, 33, was a high school art teacher for eight years before quitting two years ago to study art in Florence.
'Extreme' role: "I wanted to be a part of something huge," said Cunningham, who oversaw a group of 40 decorative painters in the house. "I did it so I could witness the mayhem that is 'Extreme Makeover.'"
She was responsible for infusing life into the home by painting furniture, murals, ceilings and other pieces throughout the home.
On the set: She was worried that paint would be spilled on the home's new floors, but there were no major disasters with her crew. "Our crew stayed intact," Cunningham said. "They were great troupers."
TV secret: Cunningham said one of her favorite pieces will be featured in the Great Room, but she didn't want to ruin the surprise by giving too much away.
Ron Pivarnik, project manager
Background: Pivarnik, 40, is self-employed and lives in Glen Burnie. He holds an electrical engineering degree from Johns Hopkins and an MBA from Loyola College.
'Extreme' role: Pivarnik worked 12-hour days the entire week building custom furniture, but what he really enjoyed was the camaraderie. "My favorite part was working with people from diverse backgrounds," he said. "The volunteers came from all walks of life. I also liked doing it because it was for a good cause. I liked the idea of helping somebody else out."
On the set: Pivarnik worked mostly in an area called the "Art Tent," which housed dozens of craftsmen who made custom furniture used throughout the house. Pivarnik said he had fun working on the themed furniture that was eventually used in the girls' bedrooms.
TV secret: The delay in the building schedule prevented Pivarnik from seeing the furniture fully painted. Because he had to leave for vacation, he also missed the reveal. "I will be attentive in September watching the show like everyone else," he said.
john-john.williams@baltsun.com
Design tips from the experts
Lisa Bower, an interior decorator from Ellicott City and an "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" veteran, offered some practical tips for homeowners:
Color or cover the walls. "Paint makes a huge difference," Bower said. "In this home, there is tons of energy because of all the color used throughout the space. There is a lot of wallpaper used in this home. People are usually afraid of wallpaper. But it really is coming back. It can really impact a home."
Transform drapes. Volunteers added banding to the bottom of plain drapes to give them a custom look. Add your own embellishment or a different color trimming to make the drapes pop.
Add a forest. A few plants can make a difference in a home, Bower says. "Fresh flowers and live plants are a nice way to be creative and decorate without having to spend a lot of money."
Make your own accents. Volunteers took embroidered towels from Anthropology and turned them into pillows. "That is an easy way to get a custom look without having to spend a lot of money," Bower said.