This week’s episode of Design Star features individual challenges! And the viewers are pleased! For the most part. I’m not sure why we need to put the designers in sweatboxes—someone must be handing out free sunrooms down in Chinatown. (I [...]
If Venetian plasterers are looking for a poster boy, they could scarcely do better than Design Star castoff Courtland Bascon. Known for faux finishes and V-neck shirts, he caused quite a stir during the seventh episode when he outed himself. [...]
Hello, four remaining designers, welcome to Design Star--it’s about time the season started! Love this challenge. Love how impossible and daunting it seems, to make anything that even remotely resembles modern or upscale out of rooms that scream [...]
When I put together my cast critique prior to this season’s premiere of Design Star, I characterized Alex Sanchez as being “moldable,” due to his young age (26). He turned out to indeed be moldable in a positive way…but in [...]
Zzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz. Huh, wha? Is that cute John Gidding playing guest judge on Design Star tonight? Wake me when he comes back onscreen. CHALLENGE: Design a kitchen for a Sears catalog cover in two days, featuring Kenmore appliances. Inspiration [...]
All hail the returning Red Team designers who arrive Nina-less, to everyone’s complete delight. “This is probably the best outcome of any elimination to date,” says a relieved Stacey Cohen. “She’s gone. Like, do you know what a relief that [...]
I wish I could say that interviewing this week’s Design Star castoff Nina Ferrer was a revelation, but it wasn’t. Every narcissistic, ego-maniacal impression I had of her turned out—in my experience—to be well-founded. Unlike other normal human beings, Nina [...]
THE CHALLENGE: Design a common space for real firefighters in a real firehouse. Each designer must incorporate one signature element into the team design. But first, step into this flame-retardant outfit and let us torch you for television! [...]
This week’s episode of HGTV’s Design Star takes us to New York City’s flower district for design inspiration. Not a bad idea by any stretch, but with nary a client in sight over the past three episodes, we’re in the [...]
All of the bitterness I’ve felt after watching last night’s episode of HGTV’s Design Star evaporated after speaking with this week’s castoff, Trent Hultgren. At the risk of getting all kumbaya on you, his heart and mind are in the [...]