Holy crap, I never would’ve believed I’d be in such a quandry, come voting time for this show. The previous two seasons there was a clear winner, so completely obvious that there wasn’t really a question. This time I’m really torn–which is AWESOME. Finally, there’s a real competition! I guess the only way I’m going to reach a decision is to map out the pros and cons of both Matt & Jennifer…

MATT

Pros

1. Beautiful kitchen. So sleek! Very tailored and chic. Photo doesn’t do it justice.
2. Dining room was sophisticated and elegant.
3. What a truly respectable guy. He behaved with such grace and dignity throughout the competition–the clincher being the way he handed Mikey over to Jenn so she could have an additional carpenter on the day she needed one most. Would others have been so generous? Probably not.

Cons

1. I don’t think he truly understands how to combine colors or styles. I did not like the result of his furniture choices in the LR at all. Too many styles and solid colors, the mirror behind the TV was to die for but seemed awkward crammed behind the electronics (if it’d been shorter and elevated above the TV it would’ve been much better).
2. Was dying for a pop of color in his kitchen. That microscopic piece of art doesn’t make much of an impact.
3. Thought the dining room table and chairs seemed oversized for a house of three. Would’ve been perfect for Jenn’s house!
4. Level of enthusiasm over the marching band made me a bit uncomfortable.
5. Ultimately, if you put the best of Matt into a show of his own, I think you’re talking about a level of design that can be intimidating to some DIYers.

JENN

Pros

1. That smile!
2. Her LR was much more warm and inviting.
3. Kitchen was superfun.
4. I think she’d inspire home viewers rather than intimidate them.
5. She also maintained real heart and dignity throughout the process, never resorting to catty or bitchy behavior.

Cons

1. I have a pet peeve about putting a breakfast table in close proximity to a formal dining table. It seems so redundant and ultimately makes a space feel more like a furniture showroom than a home. You could argue that this is more of a beef with the home builder, but I would have done something different with the breakfast nook, since there was such a clear separation between that space and the kitchen. Since they had so many kids in the house, I’d have turned it into a play space with closed/disguised toy storage, to preserve the adult atmosphere. It would’ve also made a great library space or wine bar.
2. The fireplace was all dressed up with no place to go. Beautifully done but sort of kicked to the curb in terms of there being no furniture arranged around it to make it a focal point.

Very much to my own surprise–since I have been such a big Matt fan all along–I will be casting my vote for Jenn. I just think Matt has another calling. He’s meant to do what he’s been doing–very high-end, sophisticated, minimal design. If they watered that down to make his work more accessible to the average DIYer, I think you’d end up with something like his parents’ game/craft room, and I don’t think anyone wants that. He represented his style and his character well–this should keep him busy for years to come.

Jenn, on the other hand, has talent that can translate to a show much better. Even someone who’s not an artist herself can use a projector to create the oversized graphics Jenn habitually implements into her designs. It’s far easier to demonstrate this kind of thing than to try and explain to the home viewer how to create something similar to what Matt did for the first challenge.

Incidentally, their online voting doesn’t seem to work, so if you’re going to vote, stick to texting.