Mission Ambassador: Michel Smith Boyd

Mission ambassadors have been pivotal in the success and longevity of Atlanta Habitat. From the volunteers who became full time Habitat employees, to the Carter family, the people who are inspired by our work happily spread our message.

Throughout our 40 years we have had several people so tied to our mission that they began to naturally fill an ambassador-like role.

This year, we were introduced to a new ambassador, HGTV’s Luxe for Less star Michel Smith Boyd.

Michel spoke on the panel of our annual Boss Talk, the kickoff event for the VGA (Vision. Goals. Action.) Launch! entrepreneurial series. Through year’s theme “The Stories We Tell,” Michel spoke with program participants and community members about the importance of controlling your future and telling your own story.

Michel grew up in a small town in Louisiana, and while he did not grow up in a Habitat homes himself, he had neighbors who did.

“At the time, I didn’t understand the gift of home ownership,” Michel said. “Now, I work with people every day who are proud of the hard work they put in to own their homes. I help them bring dignity, excitement and pride to their homes and help them understand what luxury can mean for them.”

The Lux for Less star didn’t start off in the design space. He dabbled in retail, acting and modeling before enrolling the Art Institute of Atlanta in his late 20s. Quickly realizing that he found his lane, Michel was eager to launch his business while still in school, taking on his first client before graduating.

Today, Smith Boyd is recognized as one of the Top 10 Black Designers in the country and he was named one of “Atlanta’s Top 50 Most Powerful People.” His Atlanta-based firm, Smith Boyd Interiors, is known for his signature, sumptuous style. He prides himself on creating spaces unique to each client’s personality (and budget).

In August, Michel pledged to lend his designer eye to the Atlanta ReStore with the launch of the Curated Corner. The section of the store contains luxury furniture from Michel and some of his designer friends around the city. He continuously restocks the corner with new, in season furniture to be sold at pennies for the dollar.

“I am so excited to be working with Atlanta Habitat. This is an awesome place. This is upcycling; this is how I started. This is how I learned about luxury,” said Boyd. “This is the kind of thing that makes what I do today make sense. It grounds everything I do at work because this feels like my most authentic self. I’m honored to share that with you all.”