He's got 'Curb Appeal': Chaska native hosts HGTV show

There’s a familiar face gracing Monday nights on HGTV these days. Former Chaska resident Sasha Andreev is one of the new hosts of “Curb Appeal” - a show dedicated to teaching homeowners how to improve their home’s exterior appearance.

The 27-year-old admits that he had little experience in outdoor beautification when he took on the job.

“The nice thing about my inexperience is that I was basically the audience’s eye,” he said.

Now, after filming 26 episodes in the Twin Cities, Andreev is much more confident in his abilities.

“I’m not a full expert yet, but I’ve learned some things,” he said.

“Curb Appeal” isn’t Andreev’s first show on HGTV. He previously hosted “Trash to Treasures” segments for two years on “Decorating Cents” with Joan Steffend. The experience was a perfect combination of the set design and drama classes he had studied in college.

“It gave me an opportunity to merge my creative interests and taught me a lot about being on camera,” he said.

While Andreev is definitely more comfortable in front of the camera these days, he admits that there are still times when he gets a case of nerves. That doesn’t stop him from appearing in productions at the Guthrie Theater or at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, however.

This summer, while “Curb Appeal” is on hiatus, Andreev can be seen in “The Bronze ****** Flies at Noon” and “Dog Tag” at the Fringe Festival. He is also working on pilot productions for a number of shows featuring him as host.

“They’re not necessarily home and garden based,” he said.

Andreev isn’t ruling out a return to hosting “Curb Appeal” in future seasons, either. He said he enjoyed the projects he had a chance to work on this season, including upcoming episodes where a couple puts a putting green in the center of their circular driveway and a large wrap-around covered porch project on a farm house in Maple Grove.

“The outdoors can be daunting,” said Andreev, but he offered a few tips for those looking to make simple changes to impact a home’s curb appeal.

“Rely on the expertise of those people you meet at nurseries,” he said. “Sometimes it can be as simple as removing overgrown bushes and planting new things.

“Clean, simple lines are in right now,” he added.

Andreev also suggested freshening up a home’s look by bringing new focus to the front entryway.

“A fresh coat of paint to the front door can make an enormous difference,” he said.

Using pavers to create a walkway to the entrance is another trick Andreev picked up along the way.

Andreev said he is happy to be a part of a show focusing on homes in the country’s heartland – especially the part of the country where he spent his formative years.

“The architecture in this part of the country is often overlooked,” he said. “I’m glad we can finally showcase what we’re about in the Midwest.”

-Mollee Francisco, staff writer

Curb Appeal

When: 7:30 p.m., Monday

Channel: HGTV

More info: www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_crb/

TELL US: Do you have landscaping tips or tricks?