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TLC viewers first came to know Ty Pennington as a carpenter on “Trading Spaces” in 2000.

Let’s dig a little deeper and find out whatTy Penningtondid before he was famous.

Ty Pennington smiling

The designer dabbled in construction, landscaping, and modeling before working as a set designer, perRealtor.

But Pennington’s past work as a model is a little unexpected.

Crew, and Diet Coke.

Ty Pennington making a face with Kellee Merrell

But booking those modeling jobs was not an easy feat.

Seems Ty Pennington got the last laugh after all.