apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

strange to hear the judges say someone lacks style. they selected these people and failed to notice that?

Please get rid of Tracee!!!!

I think it's pretty evident that these designers never worked for television or Hollywood. There is a term often used by designers in the entertainment industry. We say, "It's only television!!" meaning, skip the detail and go for effect. Clive and the judges clue this concept contantly by reminding everyone, "let's see how your work looks on television". Let's all hope they catch on soon and forget the details that never show or photograph. (26 lost hours on white moulding??- for shame-home you go then - see ya!)

I loved the "before" wallpaper and was kinda bummed when they got removed. And why does Stephanie feel the need to paint everything?

tammie faye syndrome. look at her makeup.

I don't know if D Rock was robbed or not. But, lowering the ceiling was supposed to go unnoticed. That's the whole reason for design. It's kinda hard to fool the eye when you're yelling out, "I'm fooling the eye." It was certainl the most intimate cozy room.

So far, I'm not overly impressed by any of them. But, it's early.

Well -- I prefer the cigar room (browns/greens) to the room with the big black walls. I think the cigar room's real shortcoming is it needs just a little more pizzazz -- what is there is cool but it's just the first layer.

NOTE: I gave up my HGTV when I cut cable, so I didn't actually see the show. All I have to base my opinion on is the pictures above.

And yes, I miss my HGTV.

Believe me you ain't missing nothing. All they have on now is buy me, sell me, flip me, and what we did to our houses when we bought them. All the good design shows are practically non-existant. It may be me but in light of the bottom falling out of the housing market you'd think they would pull these shows and go to something a bit more realistic for the times.

This needs to be the last season of Design Star.

I agree, I'm so sick of the buy me-sell me house shows. But I'm afraid the current market will only encourage them to show more. People are getting desperate to sell their houses.

I miss some of the great design shows. I loved the one where they copy a designer room for less (the original one) and designing for the sexes. Design star has a few good moments but they are more interested in the "drama". Which means we get stuck with screamers, cry babies and other such "desirable" characters. I'm sure they pick some of them for just this reason. Such is reality TV.

I just discovered that I get HGTV in high def... Unfortunately its still the same tired drivel, only now in wide-screen and the reno shortcuts are shown in higher resolution.

I too am not impressed with this round of designers. It was weird to hear Vern critizize the room with the black walls. It basically looks like one of his designs in Deserving Designs.

When compared with Project Runway, this show looks amateurish. I'm still hanging in, but the viewer gets very little flavor of the design process. It's basically shopping and fighting.

OH -- well I should qualify. I really miss Divine Design and Kenneth Brown's show. I also liked the one with the other Canadian lady (Susan Richardson?) and her design staff.

I liked the original show where they copied a designer room for less too, though not as much. The host on Desigining for the Sexes drove me through the roof, but you could learn something from that show too.

I was starting to notice the increased emphasis on the flip me - buy me shows when I left cable behind and I don't miss that at all. But I loves me some Candace Olsen!

Design Star was ok but to me it's not about designing real rooms for real people. It's all make believe and drama.

I don't watch TV, but is "Design Star" sort of like "Survivor for Decorators" without the eating of worms or a naked guy?

True Blue -

That's why I like this. I don't like people eating worms.

I was multi-tasking while watching this last night, and it seemed like when I'd look up and see the finished products, I thought that the surfaces didn't all seem that luxurious. And I really don't like that drift wood stuff in general, but particular not how it was used in the space they put it.

And actually, I do have to say that all that drama stuff doesn't really impress me; there was at least one girl who just seemed downright unpleasant, and I couldn't imagine how she would be make people forget that, if she ever managed to get her own show.

Myles of Style, Colorsplash, Decorating Cents, and Design on a Dime are my favorites. Reality is that my budget won't cover Devine Design and a lot of the others.

I am absolutely sick of house for sale shows or help me buy a house shows.

This year's group on Design Star aren't as interesting as last year's. Sparkle Josh, Kim, Todd, Robb and the gang were more interesting people. I think that the only reason Tracee is still on is so that she can be a foil for the other contestants. She's going to whine her way off of the show.

Agreed on HGTV...I gave up on it a couple years ago.

Where is...
Candace Olson
Sarah Richardson
Kenneth Brown
Debbie Travis

All the buy me/sell me shows are annoying and Design on a Dime is embarrassing.

I found Design Inc. (Sarah Richardson) on the Fine Living channel a few months ago, but now she's disappeared from that too. Poo.

I loved Debbie Travis! I wish they would bring her back.

maybe they ought to change it to the " Real Estate Channel"

This show is kind of like Dancing with the Stars in that the "real" competition doesn't really begin until the first two-thirds of the designers are booted. The catfighting, backstabbing and amateurish design are just hooks to get viewers to tune in. That's why the promos are such an important part of the process leaving one begging for more. Don't get suckered into this show until past mid season. I don't mind it but I agree with someone above in that it should be its last season. Does HGTV really think they're going to have 4 seasons of Design Star winner spin-offs each with their own prime time design show???
Yes, please bring back Sarah Richardson!!

Debbie Travis IS back - on Fine Living with her own competition show called From the Ground Up. Comes on right after Design Star on Sunday nights. If you get the channel its worth tuning in. Last episode they designed bathrooms using supplied from an office store. The week before they made chandeliers from kitchen supplies. Its interesting and not all about the drama.

can someone please tell me where i can get that coffee table in the black room??

Thanks bostonkayla for the DT info! I will be looking that up, I enjoyed her Painted House show. I like all the shows that give you how-to's and nifty tricks, even if many are goofy. I can take those ideas and run with them anyway (and have SO many times).

Design on a Dime, Decorating Cents, and Design Remix among others have used some very creative ways of addressing situations without using a designer's budget and they are almost all adaptable (and yes many of their ideas really are silly). But in today's economy, these adaptable ideas make sense for those on a quest for style with a slim decorating budget.

I enjoy the outcomes of shows like Candace Olsen's and Kenneth Brown's but always prefer to TIVO them and cut to the chase.

House Hunters and other real estate-type shows hold no interest for me, the ultimate apartment-dweller I am, and sadly they do seem to be taking over. Obviously that's where the big money is. That's why I enjoy this Apartment Therapy site so much, I can turn off those shows and get therapy!

HGTV nneds to need to bring the back the show "where they copy a designer room for less", "Sensible Chic", which was thrilling sometimes (especially when the copies looked as good as or even occasionally slightly better).