Design Star is back! The title of the season premiere has set the locale....."Hollywood, Here We Come!". We will be catching you up on all of the design and drama this season and showcasing the winning room from each episode plus tips for using the design ideas and style in your own home. This season, we follow 11 designers as they take on challenges to win the ultimate design prize, their very own show on HGTV. And with the addition of new judges, HGTV's very own Candace Olson and Genevieve Gorder, and returning judge, Vern Yip, we are sure to get great commentary and helpful design tips as we go. The first challenge was...
...to makeover the house the designers are actually staying in for the duration of the show. This estate, called Chatsworth and pictured above, has an incredible history with previous tenants like Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra and was designed by William Pereira and Charles Luckman. The designers were given a huge budget of $50,000 and divided into teams to makeover the living room, dining room and three bedroom spaces. For the most part, the teams seemed to get along ok. Bold color, design style and whimsy played a role in many of the rooms. 
The winning rooms were the dining room and living room, featured in the gallery along with the other three rooms. The judges loved the look of Nathan and Dan's dining room, with the amazing focal point the camouflage mural created in the space. We often talk about focal points, like the photo above from an Apartment Therapy post about how to create a dramatic focal point.
They also appreciated the living room team's use of furniture in scale, citing the large couch that worked in the very large living room space. The scale of furniture is an important design tip for any room. For example, the pretty room pictured above that Abby featured in a post about scale and rooms.
As for constructive criticism, the judges felt some of the spaces lacked a cohesive theme, like the bunk bed room. (alphabet letters and taxidermy?) They also talked about why creating an intimate and conversational area allows the room to feel lived in and balanced. Although the living room was a winner, some of the space felt a bit lonely. Grace experienced this last year when she was 
Rebecca--
If you're doing a post about Design-Star - Why are you posting rooms that were not a part of the show?
That said, I couldn't believe the lack of talent and common-sense displayed in this week's show. The judges could have been justified in eliminating 4 people right off the bat, and am honestly surprised that they didn't eliminate both people from the losing team: They were that bad. I wasn't even impressed by the rooms from the winning teams.
They need to have a competition just to clean up the crappy work resulting from the first competition...
...what a shame that all this had to happen in this beautiful vintage house - It's gonna cost a fortune to undo.
view bepsf's profile
Too many gimmicks, too little design. They spent more time having the contestants pick the 11th candidate than showing the final rooms. Taxidermy, animal skins on the floor, curtains to separate the beds - all very 2008. Liked the dining room, though.
view particlebored's profile
10pm is too late for me.. Does anyone know if they are airing the episodes on HGTV or Hulu?
Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net
view grafxnerd's profile
I felt they spent 50K and "trashed" this gorgeous house, also devalue at least 500K for this stunning property.
view phase2phase's profile
The Dining Room rocked!
view MomlovesMod's profile
bepsf,
All of the rooms from the show are posted in the gallery, as mentioned in the post. I included additional photos throughout from past Apartment Therapy posts that integrate what was discussed on the show. For example, the winning dining room was praised for it's focal point. I posted a photo from a post Beth had written about creating a focal point.
Sure, these posts will have a little bit of a recap but they really will be an opportunity to showcase how the Design Star challenges, themes and ideas are relevant to Apartment Therapy's mission that a calm, healthy, beautiful home is a necessary foundation for happiness and success in the world.
-Rebecca
view RebeccaATLA's profile
HELP!
Can anyone tell me at what store in LA they got the wooden (I think) animal heads and birds? (or a place online to get those)?
Thank you SO much!!!
view dre.k's profile
grafxnerd-If you have OnDemand, it's already been listed. But I was unable to find it on Hulu or HGTV.com this morning when I looked. I'm sure that they'll air it again on Sunday before the new episode comes on. But, if you go to hgtv.com they have highlights that show you most of what happened without having to spend the 45 minutes watching the show.
I was so disappointed with the losing bedroom. I really liked the idea of the diamond pattern on the floor, but was so bummed with the execution. But I really loved the table in the dining room, and the beautiful wood walls. And the pink ducks in the living room were my favorite!
view unseeneclipse's profile
ALSO, judging "the design" by the screen was extremely lame, they should be at actual location to judge how well it works with the space.
view phase2phase's profile
All of those so called "designers" should be eliminated. What hideous rooms!
view BruinToo's profile
Indeed, where can one find those hot pink geese? Wonderful texture!
view sassifrassi's profile
sassifrassi,
They were wood and were painted pink. :) Still don't know at what store they were purchased. :(
view dre.k's profile
i was totally dissappointed. what was more shocking was the woman who said she learned more from that elimination and critiquing than in design school. are you kidding me? i have no idea where they some of these people! i couldnt believe the contestants were so shocked by the harsh critiques! most of those rooms were terrible and poorly designed- i know that and i only had a year of design school!
view erinpearce's profile
oops *disappointed* and i have no idea where they *get* some of these people.
my toddler popped off some of my keys and my typing is suffering! lol.
view erinpearce's profile
That was a complete and total waste of $50K. New carpets, some paint, some grasscloth, new furniture and accessories would have done wonders without the attempts to "think outside the box" (aka make a hot mess) by these designer wannabees. I felt really sorry for the house.
Loved the camo. It was creative and well executed. Probably not everyone's taste, but very visually exciting.
view LBhirise's profile
This show peaked in it's first season with David Bromstead.
No surprise it continues to circle the very ugly drain.
view Seaside's profile
Probably could paint these geese:
http://www.coolstuff4u.net/product/50265
view #9's profile
"Probably could paint these geese"
That's exactly what they did.
view bepsf's profile
those wooden animal heads are made by a company called Roost. (or at least something very similar is.) i don't think the company sells directly to the public, but if you google roost deer head or something like that you should be able to find an online retailer. hope this helps!
view briec1023's profile
Wooden animal heads, animal print ottomans, ASTROTURF????, I watched this groups audition tapes on Sat. and thought they were the most boring people ever. However, I was going to be open minded and wait to see what they could do on Sunday. Besides the dining room, which I thought was very creative, the other rooms were TERRIBLE! Worse than terrible, completely lacking imagination, comfort or function. I will continue to watch, but Vern, what were you thinking?
view ginnymay's profile
I thought the living room and dining room weren't bad, but also not to my taste. The rest of the house was hideous. I agree with LBhirise. It was a "hot mess."
view Vanessa in New York's profile
someone i know tried out for this season's show...he made it into the final 20 contestants, and is a remarkable designer. he was let go because even though they loved his portfolio, his personality was "too quiet and controlled" and the show wanted someone more controversial. proving that, just like every other reality show, design star is first about "drama", second about the personal interactions between the contestants and judges, and LASTLY about design. on a show ABOUT design. i can't take this too seriously. i didn't see it, but i trust you all when you say most of it was hideous
view Kpaige13's profile
heck at least it's now at a real design-oriented location, L.A.... Last time, Tennessee?
Say what? London, Paris, Milan... Nashville?!!
noticed how it's been retooled? The judges pick the winner! I guess Americans cant be trusted with picking good design...lol
this must be because the last two winners' shows didn't pan out... speaking of, WAS there a show that aired for the season 3 winner? I don't recall at all....
I see David B. at the gym on occasion, I'm glad his show keeps getting renewed. He's not only really nice in person, which translates well on camera, but he also has talent. This goes to show that, in the end, you can't just be a TV "personality" you need to have skill as well and, not merely rely on gimmicks since, gimmicks wear out eventually...
we'll keep watching to see if there is hope for a real new DS to emerge and, not just another pretty face on TV.
view chris_94131's profile
what happened to kim's show?
view Lady J's profile
I'm so glad the emotionally fragile cry-baby got sent home in episode 1. This is usually an archetype in reality tv that stays around way too long.
Very disappointed with the contestants but love the addition of Candace and Genevieve.
I don't think there is any way to top David. HGTV really lucked out with that first season and I'm not sure they'll have that kind of luck again.
view Kit_Kat's profile
LOVE the dining room.
view Elle_G's profile
thanks briec1023!
view dre.k's profile
geese:
http://www.velocityartanddesign.com/carved-wood-duck-in-flight-c-451-p-1-pr-20075.html
view h347h0r's profile