If you’re putting together a reality show and you call Central Casting and ask for a woman from Texas, you know what you’ll get? A blonde Barbie doll who taped her boobs and pasted a bathing suit to her butt a time or two during her youth on the pageant circuit. So it’s unsurprising to discover that Design Star Season 6 finalist and blonde bombshell Leslie Ezelle used to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.
Of course she was.
This would normally make me want to vomit except: (A) her portfolio shows me she’s quite the talented interior designer, (B) due to my husband’s Cowboy superfandom, the only people related to America’s Team I’m allowed to ridicule include weirdo body painter fans and Tony Romo when he wears his ball cap backwards, and (C) she’s married to a woman! This endears her to me because I assume it is hard to be a hot lesbian in Dallas when you’re surrounded by good ole boys and megachurches.
But let’s take a look at her work:
Leslie also did the painting featured here. I like the homey feel of this waiting area, although I wish the lamp didn’t break dead-center into the painting. I have to admit that during previous seasons it’s been annoying to see finalists emulating Season 1 winner David Bromstad’s penchant for painting, because it always seemed like a desperate attempt to copy a winning formula. However, with Leslie I have a completely different reaction. Her work seems more intellectual than David’s or any of the previous finalists who’ve attempted to create their own artwork, so it feels like it’s in another league.
Leslie also created this artwork for her investment firm client, this time seizing upon a black and white signage-styled trend in home decor. This piece features her client’s products, much as we’ve seen these pillows and prints from West Egg Studio:
I love the charcoal ceiling. Tall ceilings are great candidates for such a thing, but it’s hard to find clients who will commit. They’re usually gun-shy because they fear they’ll have to repaint if they want to put their house on the market. But look how great it looks! I’m not the hugest fan of the furnishings here but I do love the ceiling and the staircase.
Leslie created this bench from a console table. Pretty cool presto-change-o!
LESLIE EZELLE ON A BUMPER STICKER: Leslie’s resourcefulness, design maturity and real-deal artistic talent are a triple threat. Add to that her knockout good looks and a fighting spirit that kept her going during two years battling breast cancer and she might just be unbeatable. The Devil’s Advocate in me wonders if HGTV will want a blonde winner to follow another blonde winner, but when it comes to TV stars, can there ever be too many hot blondes? If Leslie has on-camera charisma to match her design chops, I’m seeing her battle it out at the end with Cathy Hobbs and Kellie Clements.
Coming soon: We’ll take a look at Miami finalist Mark Diaz!
Is it bad that I just spent time googling Leslie Ezelle’s wife? I’m kinda curious if she’s all Dallas-y in appearance too!!! She really is the one I wanted to hate, but really love. I think that little girls room is my favorite. So freaking cute. Aaah. I’m so glad Texas is representing this year WITHOUT the tuscan.
I second Claire’s emotions. Thank God Dallas is finally slightly less embarrassing.