HGTV's reality show challenge to find the next Design Star kicked off last night and is back in its third season, this time in (very rainy) Nashville, TN. The judges referred a lot to "raising the bar" but the first challenge was all about raising a house - literally....
The majority of the episode was spent introducing the 9 finalists and having fun with footage of those who didn't make the cut. Among the memorable were a handful of folks who couldn’t pronounce “juxtaposition” (for future reference, its “juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uh” or just say “proximity”), a guy with a portfolio board that looked like it just went through a tornado, and, let us not forget, the guy who believes the room’s soul would fight back if decorated incorrectly. What was up with him? We understand this is a tough process but if these were the top 39 designers in the nation, we’d be afraid to see the rejects.
Overall there were moments where we couldn’t remember if we were watching HGTV or the auditions for American Idol. There was singing, there was dancing and, clearly, there was drama. But through it all, 9 emerged and they are one interesting bunch. In the mix are a few predictable TV-ready females (Trish, Stephanie and Tracee), some solid talent (Matt Locke with his fancy sliding panel, fold-out portfolio) and some real characters. Can we just say how much we love Jerome and his bowtie? And the hot cop/designer? That’s one we haven’t seen before. After the drama of Vern running down the hall after him, Michael Stribling is bound to be the season’s emotional rollercoaster sweetheart.
Things really got interesting in the last 10 minutes of the show when the finalists arrived at their residence and, instead, found their first challenge: build a house from the ground up in 7 days with a budget of $100,000. Should be interesting to see what Trish can do in those heels...
Who were your favorites and what do you think they’ll do with just 7 days to build a house? Too bad tiny Kim Lewis, who works for Extreme Makeover Home Edition, didn’t win the viewer’s vote – her entire job is building houses in 7 days.
And did anyone catch that preview where Vern Yip says he’s more Mexican than one of the designs? Can’t wait!
Need more reality design competition in your life? Check out Fine Living's new show From the Ground Up which comes on immediately after Design Star on Sunday nights.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Color me unimpressed with the first challenge - the idea of sending a group of decor-ettes to build a house in 7 days is ludicrous. Many of these people barely know which end of a roller is used to paint walls, much less how a building is constructed. The only ones who will do reasonably well here are Matt and Mikey.
Then there's the wastefullness factor: This location appears to be a local park and with the time alloted and people involved the workmanship is bound to be crap, so whatever gets built is most-likely bound for the local landfill. HGTV would have been better off finding a run-down house that could have been renovated and sold for a sub-market price to a deserving local family.
view bepsf's profile
I was about to shoot Michael through my flat screen....guess what...you're not awesome.
view MarieE123's profile
Marie -
You're so right: Michael is annoying.
view bepsf's profile
I think their first challenge is completely pointless. I agree with bepsf, it looks like they are in a local park and is the footprint meant to be contained in that orange box?
It is completely impossible to assemble all of the necessary components to build a house in 7 days and $100k. Pour the foundation, run power, water, waste in 7 days? Those essential ingredients aside even properly building something is going to be difficult, let alone designing it.
I would have much preferred it if they tasked each designer with building their own sleeping shelter similar to what is done by architecture students at Taliesin West.
http://www.walkerphotographix.com/AZ08/taliesin_shelters/
Granted, they would not be this polished, but it would be a chance for the designers to show what their style is and what their competence is as a builder. Then at the end you would have 9 sleeping quarters that could be used as a local art exhibit to raise money.
Hopefully this season they will realize there is aviewing audience, in the first two seasons I felt that they really rushed the show. They started out with a relatively small number of designers and in some cases cut two in one show. Slow down!!!
view tallguylehigh's profile
My reaction to first episode: blecchhh.
view Trumystique's profile
This will be the first season that I've watched. With only nine competitors it will defiantly be a short run. Unless I see great designs by Michael I'm already hoping he'll be the first to go.
Does anyone know where I could find the brown sofa & matching chair that was in the "Hosting" challenge area? The sofa had a solid back with arms that curved down sharply. Maybe someone else saw & knows.
view Novice In Florida's profile