orange county register

Child of an Orange County Superior Court judge and a homemaker.

"I was always around adults and got used to be in the limelight," she recalled. "My dad was the mayor of Garden Grove, so I met Presidents Reagan and Bush Sr., when a little girl was. My dad was very important, so I was used to people hanging around that were political types." As a young girl, Ellis remembers playing with her Barbie dolls, but perhaps not in the same way that most little girls do.

- "I would spend four to five hours setting up her house," she laughed. "I didn't care what Barbie was wearing." Once college rolled around, Ellis decided that she would attend law at Western Law School. "I got good marks, but left after two years and I decided that it wasn't for me," she said.

Instead, Ellis got married, had two children, Sophia, now, 10 and Alexa, 9. "I started doing Kelll Ellis design work, much to the urging of friends," she said. "I had always done it on the side for political figures, friends and second homes." She decided that she enjoyed the work enough to enroll in design school in Newport - where she finished in 1999 and opened her own design business. As for the TV show, Ellis said she is the on-camera designer offering design tips and doing home make-overs for "Clean Sweep" and has already taped 16 shows.

"It was interesting how it happened," she said. "A friend

from law school who does' voice-overs in L.A. told me that I should try out for the job and I thought she was nuts. But I went for three auditions and I was hired. " To date, Ellis has already appeared on the "Jane Pauley Show" and been interviewed by a number of magazines including Better Homes & Gardens. "I'm by no means a star," she laughed. "I'm just having fun with it all. Ultimately, I would like to perhaps write a book about how to keep things organized at home, step by 'step." As for what the future holds for Ellis, she said she would like to continue her design work and is currently working on an independent film project with former soap opera star Tava Smiley, who once played Chloe Morgan on General Hospital. Smiley is also the host of "Clean Sweep" and lives in Los Angeles. Ellis said while she enjoys shooting the show and making homes beautiful, her greatest achievement is her two daughters. She said they, as well as the rest of her family, are quite proud of her.

"My dad had all the cameras turned on in his court room when I was on Jane Pauley, I couldn't believe it," she laughed. "I think he's my biggest fan." I'm sure there are quite a few others, too.

DEBBIE L. SKLAR NIGUEL NEIGHBORS

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