What Was Michel Smith Boyd Doing Before His HGTV Fame?

Michel Smith Boyd from "Luxe For Less" has become a regular on HGTV with his savvy design ideas and ability to make something out of nothing. On his HGTV show "Luxe For Less," Boyd works with his creative team Anthony Elle, Laura Green, and Kai Williamson to redesign clients' homes to look top-notch without breaking their budget. With all of Boyd's success in the world of interior design, it's hard to believe it wasn't always his dream career.

Boyd previously worked multiple different jobs and admitted that he didn't have a fancy lifestyle growing up. In fact, the concept of "Luxe For Less" reminds him of the financial struggles he's had in his own life. "I understand the balance and the idea of deciding where the money should be spent in order to create this luxury feel," Boyd said in an interview with House Digest. "[It's] second nature to me. I grew up that way, and then I've had the other experience, so here's my opportunity to merge those two worlds and make [them] match on television." 

Aside from "Luxe For Less," Boyd has also made regular appearances on other HGTV shows like "House Hunters." He competed with fellow "Luxe For Less" co-host Anthony Elle on season four of the hit show "Rock the Block" and won with their redesigned space. However, before pursuing his current career, Boyd worked many different jobs, including retail, acting, and cosmetology.

HGTV star Michel Smith Boyd has made a splash with his design skills on "Luxe For Less," so it's no surprise that he's always been involved in creative outlets even before his career in interior design. Boyd is originally from Thibodaux, Louisiana, but moved to New York City to pursue his interest in art and fashion. In an interview with Kaitlin Peterson on the "Trade Tales" podcast for Business of Home, Boyd detailed his extensive resume before finding his passion for interior design.

"I was working in fashion, and I mean loosely as in retail, and taking acting classes, and being rejected for modeling gigs, but then one day I found myself in the Decoration and Design Building," he explained. "I couldn't believe there was this entire world that existed under my nose. All I could think was, 'What a fun place to play!'"

After Boyd dabbled in various career paths, including attending nursing school and cosmetology classes, he realized that interior design was the path he wanted to pursue. Boyd moved to Georgia to enroll in the Art Institute of Atlanta and started SMITHBOYD Interiors, his very own interior design business.

While "Luxe For Less" co-host Michel Smith Boyd may have always had a passion for art and expressing his creativity, as he grew up, it was hard to find a space that felt like it allowed him to combine all of the different elements of what he wanted to pursue.  However, after hiring an interior designer to redo his apartment in New York City, Boyd realized that he may have just found the career for him. 

In an interview with FASHIONADO TV, Boyd explained what it was about interior design that made it feel like the right choice for a career. "The idea of finding interior design – a merger of the thing I loved when I was a kid, architecture, and what I was in love with at the time, fashion – it's a perfect merger between the two worlds," he said. "I get to live in both.  I get to play in textiles every day, and erect buildings."

After starting at the Art Institute of Atlanta, Boyd started his own interior design business, SMITHBOYD Interiors. He started taking on clients while in his junior year of school, and his success seems to have snowballed ever since. He's established himself as one of the most talented designers in the industry, all while keeping his luxe taste on a more restrained budget.