apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I DVRed it and only watched the first few minutes. What's up with the opera dude??

There's potential for lots of crazy this season.

I watched it - I think they got rid of the wrong designer...

BTW - I have that compote behind Jonathan: It's a vintage Rosenthal Netter piece that was produced in the 60's by Bitossi of Italy.

It was better than the episode or two I watched last year - a real living space, not a three-walled set. India Hicks seems to have the trick of being both gracious and honest.

I liked it. I was impressed by India Hicks as well. Her pictures make her look very stiff, but she comes across real and intelligent on camera.

i liked india hicks.

Margaret Russell still scares me... she's like a cross between the a cracked out Stepford Wife and The Church Lady.

Kelly Wearstler needs a stylist.

i don't think they should have premiered the show with a group challenge. the audience didn't get a good idea of each designers aesthetic.

I watched maybe 15 minutes and had to walk out of the room. It was just boring. Todd Oldham is a bore and Jonathan Adler is just plain creepy to me. I'd rather gnaw on a piece of metal than watch it again.

I watched it with several people. Everyone agreed hands-down that the winning team undoubtedly surpassed the others in their designs.

We really think Wisit (sp?) is going to tear it up, even though he's supa weird. And we ate it up when they told the one girl that her "pop design" looked very "middle school".

BTW - Did anyone see the old window pane against the wall with the cherub statue behind it. AWFUL!

After watching a few disastrously boring episodes last season, the ONLY reason I would even think about tuning in again would be Wearstler. rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.......

Haha, or the mirror- on the floor...at an angle! Horrid!

I did love the 3 wrought iron panels on the wall of the dining area in one of them. The best part I thought.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Martha Stewart guy and the Sex and the City set designer come up with in individual competitions. Other than that, it was rather uninspiring.

My biggest problem was that they had two days and $2k to decorate an entire loft. It was just rediculous. Most of the teams didn't even have time/money to paint the walls. I'm all for shopping at thrift shops (nearly everything in my apt is second hand) but it was excessive and boring.

I was a little surprised about their thrift store finds... I have been to that store, and its always picked out. I guess all the good stuff came from that junk yard... Anyone know where it was?

I watched last season and was so excited for this season. I thought it started out great. Not sure about the 'quick fire' challenges or whatever they were calling them. Aren't those supposed to be done before the challenge starts? At least that's how they do it on TC.
I thought the challenge was really hard but very interesting. I waited... the... whole episode... for it. And then it didn't happen. Where's the 'See ya later, decorator?!?!?!'

yes...please let us know where that junkyard is in la..it looked like a goldmine!

The concept was great, but the execution largely disappointing. What could they do with that budget and that much space?

This challenge should be offered again toward the end of the competition.

Promos indicate Wearstler will be taking her get ups to dizzying heights this season.

is there any place where the episodes can be watched online? sadly top design is not airing in canada :o(

(p.s. i've already aired tried youtube and the bravo website with no luck)

I am happy they got rid of the See ya later, Decorator thing. It was so awful.
And if anyone knows where that junkyard is, please post it here!

Yup, if any one knows what junk yard they went to, BF and I would love to know. I was going to send it in and hope it was posted as a good question.

I like Kelly's style. I think she's a bit eccentric but it works with the whole package. Kind of like her work, would you put those elements together? no. But does it work? I think so.

I watched Season one completely and was glad to see that most of the things that were wrong with it were changed in Season 2.

1. Todd Oldham is a great designer but, not a great host. You can tell it wasn't his thing and now he's in more of a Tim Gunn role as a consultant.

2. The budgets were too big. When you give someone a budget of $50,000 for a room, it's not as challenging as when you give them one of $2,000. The idea wasn't to make a loft space of that size really livable for that amount of money but, to make them think creatively and be inventive.

3. Being stuck shopping at only the Pacific Design Center
is not very creative at all.

4. The judges feedback was more constructive. They actually said why they like/disliked things and gave specific design critiques as opposed to just, it's good or it's bad.

5. No more "See ya later decorator". That was tired.

Overall, I am looking forward to the rest of the season. I think Wisit is going to be the one to beat. He seems a little out there but, so was Andy Warhol.

i think the producers gave them too much to do in such a short amount of time...2 days isn't much time to redo an entire loft.
i did get tired of them whining about how small their budget was...good grief, most of us average citizens don't spend much more than that on our homes...much less all at once. creativity shouldn't be such a burden on them! i am hoping that this year doesn't entail huge budgets to shop for furniture--that does not make for good design.
i'm hoping that there will be fewer team challenges this season.
i'm already not too hopeful, since the producers spent more time interviewing people "we have no time or no money"--ok, we get it! instead of showing us the actual design. don't blink, or you'll miss it.

I agree with everyone else who said that the winning design deserved to win - it was far and away the best, and the only one that looked like a place you might actually want to live! The other three looked like depressing college apartments. I've actually been in those lofts, and they're not easy spaces - too tall and narrow. I also agree that Wisit looks like a winner. I think Shazia will be the next to get booted, followed by Jennifer. And that Andrea needs to get over herself, Rick Schroeder or not!

infinitely more interesting than design star. and yes, i need to get a life.

I was so disappointed by the spaces! They looked so empty and unfinished. the loft designed for kelly was definitely the best of the worst. I like small budgets, because it does force you to be creative and reinvent what you have, but expecting anyone to do that in two days is a little farfetched. And I think they hit the nail on the head by booting the designer they chose (don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't watched yet!). not only was that whole mirror thing absolutely ridiculous, and in no way cutting edge, but try wearing a skirt in that entryway! awkward anglesss.......

It's just no Project Runway... My attention kept drifting, and the group challenge as a first was boring. I won't watch again unless I'm really bored.

The show was better than Sarah Palin's speech

It could be an interesting watch as far as reality tv goes, however I think it gives true interior designers a bad name. There is so much more than picking out furniture and paint colors.

Wow, harsh criticism! I liked it with all its quirkiness. The judges are brilliant designers so they can act however they want:)

Modernguy hit the nail on the head.

Ugh! This show was renewed? Season 1 was terrible. I loved Todd Oldham way back on MTVs House of Style, but he is like a walking, barely talking zombie on this show. They should have replaced him and Jonathan Adler. This show should be all about the crazy that is Kelly Wearstler.

Thanks STYLeyes :-)

Oldham has had other shows since "House of Style."

I'm surprised that so many people are liking the new format. While I wasn't crazy about last season, this season seems considerably more stuffy and boring. I thought the "pop design" concept was blah. And with the exception of Wizit, no one really seems to stand out.