HGTV’s Design Star will premier its new season on June 8th. Your design guru was curious, so I did a little research. Let the cast critique begin!

1. Trish Beaudet (Shelby Township, MI)
Trish’s over-the-top audition video clues me into one thing: she will be the one who will annoy me the most. She comes across as a woman trying too hard…a desperate former cheerleader-type who would likely attempt the backstage seduction of Clive Pearse if it meant getting more airtime. The house she displayed (I assume it’s her own) was done up in out-of-control old world style, which, to me just looks…old. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that Trish will be the first to cry on camera.

2. Jennifer Bertrand (Olathe, KS)
I loved her from the start. She seems naturally sweet and cute and completely credible. However, there’s a most shocking disconnect between her personal style (rocker chick) and the designs in her company’s portfolio (faux finish a go-go). She’s a talented painter, which may count against her if the producers are looking for someone different from Season 1 winner, David Bromstad. There’s only one example of her interior design work on her Web site, but it’s a good one:

3. D. Paul DeRouen (Lafayette, LA)
Behind Jennifer, D. Paul is my second favorite personality, based solely on audition videos. He’s very approachable, down to Earth, and dang–the father of four daughters! He has a penchant for old world style, but unlike Trish, he shows admirable restraint. I want to call him DePaul DeRouen instead of the initial thing. If I were America and voting for the guy I’d most like to have a beer with, DePaul would win hands down.

4. Tracee Dore (Louisville, KY)
Tracee comes across as pretty knowledgeable and experienced. Based on her background, I’d expect her to hang in the competition a long time, although she’s got a bit of what Jeb and I like to call “crazy eye.” You know those women you see who are just oozing crazy from their eyeballs? Well, I’m ever so slightly getting those vibes from Tracee. I predict we’ll see a lot of that crazy eye if she doesn’t get her way during group projects.

5. Matt Locke (Los Angeles, CA)
Wow, what a 1-2 punch this guy is. He’s a Princeton grad and appears to be a real craftsman as well. The only competitor with a professional-looking Web site, Matt is the one I most closely identify with as a designer–his style is simple, bold, and graphic. Although some of his stuff is so clean and modern it appears to house Fembots, there’s a kitchen in his portfolio that I particularly love. For its soffits. Anyone who creates something this elegant and refined out of a soffit is clearly a Design Star–he’s my first-impression pick to take it all.

6. Jerome Scottie Miller (Charlotte, NC)
Jerome’s definitely a likeable guy (could be a contender for Fan Favorite) but I don’t know if he’s necessarily got the design chops. I do applaud his participation as an outsider (he’s a property manager), but I didn’t see any examples in his video that would inspire me to hire him.

7. Michael Stribling (College Station, TX)
I want to like Michael since he’s practically a local boy, but his youthful arrogance leads me to believe he’ll crash and burn early on. You get a sense that it doesn’t matter if you love Michael, because Michael loves Michael enough for the both of you. He’ll be the spaz out of the bunch.

8. Mikey Verdugo (Davie, FL)
“Cop by day, designer by night?” As unlikely as that sounds, that’s exactly the story behind this contestant, who’s also a former personal trainer (cue the shirtless construction scenes). Who knew someone who spends their days bustin’ heads would have a knack for architectural spaces? Based on what he’s done with his own house, he definitely has an eye, but it’ll be interesting to see whether or not he can extend beyond that masculine look and design something a family could live in.

9. Mystery Contestant (?)
There’s an unnamed ninth contestant, who won their spot by popular online vote. We’ll have to wait until June 8th for all to be revealed.

Stay tuned!