LIVING GREEN
COVER STORY
Oosterhouse
has become
a leading
spokesman
for using
eco-friendly
building
materials.
42
position I have today.
How did you get into television?
A friend had mentioned to me there was show on television
looking for a carpenter and I said I could do that. I
kept getting callbacks for it and after the fourth one they
ended up hiring me on the spot. I was in the right place at
the right time.
What is your philosophy about remodeling?
Everybody has a different opinion what they want to see
done and ultimately it’s up to the people who live in the
house. I feel very honored that people trust me to go into
their home and put into reality what they can visualize, so
it’s a matter of adapting and formulating. There’s a beauty
about decorating. There isn’t really a wrong approach to
it, and that’s something I love about it. And now with the
eco-friendly movement, there are so many materials out
there that it’s constantly changing and it’s what brings my
interest into design.
What is your design training?
I haven’t had any formal design training and it was by no
means something I was seeking out to do. I do know how to
build furniture and I think I build furniture pretty well. I
was pushed into design on a television basis. I started
>>
Oosterhouse is involved in several charities. Here, he speaks on behalf of United Way in Broward County.