Design Star Discussion

Do you watch HGTV's "Design Star?"  I don't watch much TV, but this is a show I look forward to watching every week.  I love to critique the spaces from the comfort of my home.  While some of the designs are not my favorite, I can't imagine being placed in these challenges and being able to quickly come up with something.

Tuesday's episode was the dreaded "white box challenge," where each designer gets a white room with a few pieces of white furniture that they have to transform.

It looks like my favorite designers on the show have been reading some of my favorite blogs.  The things popular in the blogosphere were also popular with these designers: bold, graphic designs (including chevron and a Moroccan trellis pattern), gold or brass accents, nailhead trim, silhouettes, and starbursts.

I'll start off by showing you a few of my favorites.

I thought Rachel did an amazing job on this room.  The colors and mix of patterns are unexpected, but work together well.  I love that she super-sized the trellis pattern in the background.  The fashion art on the right wall is pretty amazing as well.

Britney's gold chain chandelier is so creative, and of course, you know I love navy, white and gold together.  It's hard to see here,but she also added gold tacks as nailhead trim on the couch.

Danielle's room is FANCY with all of its sparkly gold accents.  The couch, off-center graphic and the gold circles are all favorites.  I think I had that lamp in my first college dorm room...I might have ditched that element.

Now on to some of my least favorites.

The judges were in love with this room designed by Stanley, but seriously who lives here????  I get it that it's creative, but who wants a sideways couch on stilts in their living room.  This looks like a gallery installation versus a place where people could actually live and be comfortable.  I think there has to be some element of functionality to a room, not just crazy ideas.

What the what???  This room was a little too "high concept" for me...something about forest fires.  Kris annoys me...I don't think I would ever be able to sit through his show.

I hated almost everything about this room.  Luca's idea of using contact paper to make a faux parquet floor is pretty cool as is his light bulb chandelier.  Someone who signs their name to their room is a bit too cocky for my liking.

Here are a couple rooms that had elements I liked.

I like the coffee table with the black stripes and brass washers.  I didn't love the chain trim along the bottom of the couch, but I like it on the cushions.

The silhouette/starburst is my favorite element in Bex's room.  But, I also like how she used the pieces of cut PVC pipe to make "columns."  The buffet with the towel holder pulls works well too.  Bex's personality might be a little too quirky (or trying too hard to be quirky) for me to want to watch her show.

Mikel's room didn't blow me away, but I thought it was clever to use a door mat as a stamp for his rug. 

At this point my favorites are Rachel and Danielle.

What did you think???  Discuss....