Interview with Faber Dewar from Trading Spaces
But now, since the affair between Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) and her young gardener John (Jessie Metcalfe) on the hit ABC show “Desperate Housewives”, guys who are good with their hands have suddenly become super sexy.
With Ty Pennington on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” also raising temperatures across the country, a new man is winning the hearts of home makeover fans: British-born Faber Dewar, the sexy carpenter on TLC’s “Trading Spaces”.
” I don’t know what it is: as soon as you get the tools out, the women go all funny”, said Faber on the line from Galveston, Texas, where he was filming the latest episode.
“You can be working and absolutely filthy – covered in sawdust from head to foot – but it seems that woman like a man who works and gets sweaty”.
Already dubbed “Faber-Licious” on the show, the six foot-plus Faber could soon be wearing the crown as the sexiest handy man on television. Not only is he blessed with good looks and an irresistible British accent – his parents were both Scottish – out he unknowingly won his place on the show years ago, when someone came into his workshop and Faber made him a picture frame:
“And then seven years later, he calls me up and says that he works for Discovery and the show Trading Spaces: would I be their carpenter? At first I said no, but then a friend helped me make an audition tape, they came down to see me and I thought: ‘well, I’ll give it a go'”.
“Being a good furniture maker is akin to being a good chef. It’s important to pay attention to all elements of the process: prep, creation and finish”, says Faber, whose name derives its roots from the Latin proverb “Faber Quisque Fortunae Suae”, which translates as “every man is the architect of his own fortune”. AS if he was destined to be on the show, Faber itself stands for “self-made man – one who works with his hands”.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1995 he started his own furniture business in Venice Beach, where he specialized in custom-made Japanese influenced furniture. It was here that he first came in contact with Hollywood, making pieces for Steven Spielberg, Pierce Brosnan and Cindy Crawford.
Coincidence? Perhaps not. Faber then moved into acting, and appeared on NBC’s “Passions”, and guest-starred in “Tom Clancy’s SSN”, but he also gained underwater filmmaking experience, and could fence, shoot a bow and instruct firearms, although he knew that his true feelings were elsewhere, and he gave up the glitz and glamor for the backstage world of carpentry and furniture designing.
He brings his brawn as well as his brain to the many challenges on “Trading Spaces”, and tries to utilize his passion for Japanese style as often as he can. He also loves using recycled materials or “architectural salvage” such as leather, old copper and ceiling tin tiles, and this comes in handy:
“Part of the fun – and the challenge – of “Trading Spaces” is locating resources in unfamiliar cities. I’m proud of my resourcefulness, and believe that inspiration can be found just about anywhere.”
With a packed tool belt ready for action, Faber and the Team could be coming your way soon – so watch out!
