Antonio Answers Your Questions
During the premiere of The Antonio Project this past Sunday, we chatted with Antonio live on Twitter and Facebook and gave everyone a chance to ask him questions. In case you missed it or just want to see his answers again, we’ve complied them all here for you. Enjoy!
Q: Do you have any tips for homeowners who want to buy fixer-uppers?
Antonio: 1. Do your homework 2. Get a reliable inspector 3. Be sure it’s a place you can love during the hard times of bringing it together. 4. Don’t buy a can…of worms. 5. Add 20-30% to your budget, anticipate going over!
Q: You’ve worked with photographer Annie Leibovitz…are you into photography too? Do you own any of her work?
Antonio: I love photography. I have collaborated with some of the best photographers as a set designer. Working with artists like Annie is what keeps me inspired. I don’t own any of her work, but I do own a LaChapelle
Q: Which other cast member from Design Star did you like working with the most?
Antonio: Jason and I bonded over the kitchen challenge. We are an unlikely pair but he kept me laughing. I’d be happy to work with him again.
Q: Has your life changed since winning?
Antonio: I’ve got a lot more friends on facebook and I got mobbed at Trader Joes. ha!
Q: Are you married? Any kids?
Antonio: Single, no kids. Just Chewie and I.
Q: Tell us about your dog, Chewie
Antonio: He’s an Olde English bull dog, also sometimes called a Victorian bull dog. He is a rescue
Q: Is Chewie named from Star Wars?
Antonio: Yes…not that I’m really into Star Wars. But he looks like Chewbaca!
Q: How do you want to respond to the people who want to congratulate you?
Antonio: To the people who are saying congrats: I am humbled by everyone’s support and I won’t let you down. I am going to bring it!
Q: What do you think was the most difficult part of this project to tackle?
Antonio: The most difficult part was opening up my life to everyone. Design is subjective. This is MY house and how I want it to be.
Q: How many tattoos do you have?
Antonio: Too many to count!
Q: What is your favorite tattoo?
Antonio: My last dog’s paw print, and the date of her passing. It’s on my rib
Q: Did Kathy Griffin slip you her phone number?
Antonio: LOL! No I haven’t talked to her since the challenge
Q: Any other celebs you have designed for or would like to?
Antonio: Doing set design, I have worked with almost every celeb in Hollywood. But I’d love to design something for Mickey Rourke.
Q: What was hardest Design Star challenge?
Antonio: Physically, the back yard. Mentally, the kitchen.
Q: And what was your favorite?
Antonio: The finale
Q: Any advice for aspiring set/prop designers?
Antonio: 1. Assist a great set designer 2. Get in anyway you can 3. Bust you’re a$&.
Q: Did you ever think you would be this adored?
Antonio: Um, am I really adored? I try to answer every email, sorry if it takes awhile. I appreciate every fan, and I’m going to work hard to do the best show i can.
Q: What is your fave color to use in design
Antonio: Hot pink!
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up
Antonio: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a musician and go on tour. Then I achieved that dream and had to come up with a new goal.
Q: What is your suggestion for helping the average homeowner pick the right color for a room
Antonio: Get plenty of samples, paint swatches, and check it out at different times of the day. Plus if you want custom, you can mix your own paints.
Q: Are your friends going to be a regular part of your show? Or just this special?
Antonio: I want to involve everyone I know because these are the people that inspire me to do what I do.
Q: Talk about Connor from the kid’s room challenge, he’s so cute!
Antonio: Connor and I are buddies for life. Conner is amazing. His older sister sent me a video of him with tattoos and a bandana on his head. It is hilarious.
Q: Any advice for an aspiring 14- yr old interior designer?
Antonio: When I was a kid, I redid my room once a month. Try it, it’s good practice. Think outside the box and don’t be intimidated. Do your own thing.
Q: Love all your shirts! WHERE do you find these?!?!
Antonio: My t-shirts are from my friend’s bands, friend’s motorcycle shop. Also I have a bunch from my buddies at supreme, www.supremenewyork.com
Q: What’s your ethnic background. Where are you originally from?
Antonio: I’m 100% Italian. Born in NYC
Q: What are some of your fave TV shows?
Antonio: No Reservations and Six Million Dollar Man
Q: What do you mean when you say “recon”
Antonio: Recon is short for reconnaissance, a preliminary survey to gain information
Q: Did you get in trouble for the turkey incident in the grocery store?
Antonio: Um…kinda. LOL
Q: Do you really not have a living room? Where do you watch TV?!
Antonio: The house was 800sf when I bought it. I put a 1000sf addition on it which includes a TV room/den. We just didn’t focus on that part of the house in the show. I love my TV room/Den. It’s where I keep my record and book collection along with my big flat screen.
Q: Where did you get the throne?
Antonio: I got it at a store in Hollywood on Melrose and Larchmont
umm…he didn't answer a question I asked..oh well
You are lucky he didn't answer you. That way you didn't get worthless advice on design.
Why are you hating on Antonio so much with all your negative comments on everything? If you don't like his design, don't watch his show. If you don't like him, don't watch his show. If you don't like what everyone is saying – stop reading their comments.
To a lot of people Antonio has broken the norm and made history. He's not a typical designer with typical training. It comes naturally to him and he's damn good at what he does. Like I said before. If you don't like it – stop watching and complaining and do something better with your time.
I didn't watch his show and i"m through watching HGTV. If he doesn't like being a public figure and having people comment on his total lack of design talent, then he can admit he is a fraud and retire from public life. He has made history as the worst excuse for a designer ever! Slob comes to him naturally, and he is damn good at slob.Exposing design frauds is socially responsible use of my time.
Well someone is clearly bitter and lonely.
I s that why you watch TV by yourself?
Ok, so that's rude. If you don't want to hear what he has to say, don't post on here.
it might not have showed up till later u know these computers delay delay…………….ask him on his web page sure he'll be glad to answer anything u want to know.
it's no biggie…i'll figure it out…those are nice pictures…I just love that dog!
Antonio doesn't know anything, that I want to know, not about design,nor picking up girls.
oh shut up and go away.
I'll go away when Antonio does.
then make yourself comfortable dip shit
Wow. You both are acting like highschoolers. Or YOUNGER.
dpisme, if you don't like Antonio, why are you reading his blog? & being nasty?
ohwell, your comment is a typical sarcastic highschooler comment. calling dpisme "dip shit" was just rude! completely uncalled for.
again, dpisme, just because you don't like Antonio doesn't mean you have to BASH him. If you don't like him, don't read his blog & don't watch him. It's that simple.
Exposing HGTV's fraud is socially important for the sake of true design.
Antonio, the camera loves you. As an older lady, who has been in media sales for a very long time, I think, I know when a person has the infamous "it". You, Antonio, have the "it" factor. Please keep the Italian heritage out front, it is the basis for the way the camera loves you. You have done well, kiddo!
Tamara Bos you are in media sales? Then i guess you are to blame for having crap such as Antonio on TV.
Amen
ya it would be nice if he could answer our questions. It feels like sometimes your sending emails in space. I get it though he gets tons of them.
Don't worry about not getting an answer. Antonio wouldn't be able to give you any good advice anyway, especially about design.
I THINK HIS HOUSE LOOKED LIKE HALLOWEEN AND I WOULD NEVER WANT HIM IN MY HOUSE WITH THE WAY HE LOOKS.IT WAS AWFUL, AND HIS LANGUAGE IS NOT GOOD EITHER. HE IS A NOT UP TO HGTV HIGH STANDARDS. I WON'T WATCH HIM. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING HGTV FOR A LONG TIME AND EVERY NIGHT. CANDICE IS THE BEST, AND SO IS DAN, PLEASE CHANGE THE STAR, ANTONIO DRESSES AWFULLLL, AND LOOKS IT TOO.
GET IN THE NEW MILLENIUM!!
THE WORLD IS A MELTING POT OF ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE NOW!! NOT JUST ONES LIKE YOU!
I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU.
Let's all care, everyone is equal. have you hugged, a no talent jerk who is masquerading as a "designer," today!
I can appreciate your opinion…we are all entitled to have our own individual thoughts…that's what makes the world so unique. However, just because you feel this strongly doesn't mean that the entire viewing audience feels as passionately as you do, Mary. I'm currently in Design school and can tell you that design is like beauty…it's in the eye of the beholder! I appreciate and love Antonio's style and think it's an unique twist and is exactly what HGTV needed! He's going to target a whole new different type of viewer….smart move on their end! Kudos to HGTV and Congratulations, Antonio…you rock!
Your going to design school? And you like Antonio's garbage "designs?" What is that school , design school for the mentally handicapped?
OMG – another DanFan has c rawled out from under a rock. Mary, step away from the keyboard. I repeat: step away from the keyboard. Call a friend. Ask them where Dan's website is. I repeat: Call a friend. Ask them were Dan;'s website is. Take deep breaths. Count to 10,000,000,000. Take a sedative. Gargle for your laryngitis SINCE YOU YELLED ON THE SCREEN, YOUR VOICE MUST BE SHOT TO HELL. Lie down. Practice Yoga. Take up a hobby. Visit the sick and afflicted in your community. Do a crossword puzzle. Buy and assemble a 1,000,000 piece puzzle. Drink a beer. Go to bed; or if in bed, get up. Take a sedative or, if over sedated, go to your local emergency room and have your stomach pumped. If you do those things and still have time on your hands to COMPLAIN, write back to me and I'll create another list. Until then, stay busy and off the keyboard regarding Antonio, ok sweetie?
Good Job Hippie Chick! LoL I don't understand why people talk SHIT about other people. Grow the hell up Mary and dpisme- if you're on here complaining… you have no life.
HGTV you made the best decision to choose Antonio- I already have friends interested that never liked HGTV before- like my fiance! Antonio is awesome! If you don't like his designs, DVR soemthing else when his show is on… that simple, you don't need to talk shit!
You have friends that were never interested, watching Antonio, because before now HGTV didn't dedicate any time to SLOB "DESIGN!"
Its easy to hide behind a computer but not so easy to say "hey I can do better, let me sign up and show my stuff" why cant she find another blog to trash. Prejudism does not mix with design of anykind.
@1HippieChick…haha, I love it! I'm so sick of the Antonio bashing, and I consider myself a Dan fan, too. I love them both. People, there's room for BOTH of them on HGTV, so please stop with the bashing. Like Tonya said, "design is like beauty…it's in the eye of the beholder!" Just because some of you don't like Antonio's style, that doesn't mean it's "garbage". To each his own, live and let live. If that's the way he wanted his own house, who are we to judge? It's not what I'd want in my home, but it suits Antonio to a tee! There's too much negativity in the world already, we surely don't need the massive amounts of it that have been displayed on HGTV's forums lately. Clearly, HGTV was looking for something unique and different in their programming, so they went with Antonio. I was rooting for Dan to win because I thought he was the best designer, but the judges thought differently. Okay, so I gave Antonio a chance and watched his show and I enjoyed it. Yes, it's different. No, it's not HGTV's usual fare. But different doesn't necessarily mean bad. If everyone would just open their minds a bit and embrace something different once in awhile, how much better would this world be? This is the 21st century, people. There is no room for hatred and prejudice anymore. It's time to embrace ALL of humanity as brothers and sisters. And yeah, that means tough biker dudes, too. We are ALL children of the same Creator and what you say about another, you say about yourself. What you do to another, you do to yourself. So those of you out there calling Antonio a pig and all the other really nasty things that I've read, you are really only making yourselves look foolish. If you have a problem with HGTV, then write them an email and complain. But for goodness' sake, let Antonio enjoy his win without all this negativity. It won't change anything, he'll still have a show. And he DOES have lots of fans out there, so let them enjoy him, as well. No need for all the hatred, it's petty and totally unevolved. Peace, brothers and sisters…PEACE!
dpisme, if you feel that's what happened, then take the adult route and write to the HGTV executives and sponsors to lodge a complaint. What's the point of trolling the message boards and spewing your hate and filth? It doesn't change anything and only makes you appear childish and insane. Hate & war are real because of people with low intelligence–like you–who refuse to change their hateful ways. I feel sorry for you. If you choose to live in a hate-filled world, so be it. Your life is obviously miserable and it's a misery of your own making. I choose to live in a love-filled world and my life is wonderfully happy and it's a joy of my own making. Just because a person believes in love and peace doesn't make them a burnt out sixties stoner. You're really a very small-minded, sad little person, aren't you? Well, you can pout and kick and scream and have your childish temper tantrum as long as you want to, but it still doesn't change anything. Antonio still won. Have fun wallowing in your misery!
Antonio did not "win." The show was fixed in advance, by HGTV and its Sposors, to make him the "winner." And they falsely advertised the show as a "contest."
Censored again! I'm Shocked!
I've never demanded, any of the moron posts attacking me, be censored. And I did not use profanity, which is what HGTV, is trying to pretend, with their censorship of my posts. Did I make someone unhappy, by what i posted? Hope so!
Mary, clearly you don't think outside the box. Open your mind and FLY!
his house was done as he wanted ……………..guess he into halloween.but i am sure he does as a client wishes with a touch of himself,but you get that with anything in life.as for his dressing style what does that have to do with who and what he is………….through life i seen some of the best dress people be the rudest most low moral person i have the opportunity to meet.if you do not like him fine that your choice but hgtv picked him for a reason.they must know what they are doing …life goes on.
I've seen some extremely volatile reactions to Antonio winning, but their very hostile nature, combined with the fact of them sometimes being in capital letters, tends to greatly lessen or totally negate their validity. While it's never spelled out, because that would imply honesty on the part of the internet critic typing with venom from the dark safety of their anonymity, I get the sense that Antonio's detractors have a problem with him being so honest and not seeking the approval of others. He's comfortable with himself, open to new ideas, and not afraid to take chances. People who aren't ready to be that don't like to be reminded of it, so they might opt for a safer design star, in personality and style.
Design isn't safe. It's taking risks, going new places, sometimes making a mistake, but never being boring. Antonio will shock you, show you things you'd never dream of for home design, he's a real person, and you'll remember that you saw him. That's what HGTV needs, and that's a design star. All the best, Antonio.
Antonio has no design talent. That and the fraud of him being planted by HGTV and its Sponsors, to be the "winner" of Design Star in advance, and having the show falsely advertised as a "design contest," are the things I am posting about. I do not care what Antonio looks like, talks like, or acts, but the point is he is not a real designer, because he has no talent, none, zero! Design talent is rare enough, and I would accept it in any package. Antonio is an empty package!
Mary – Didn't ypur MOM tell you "If you can't say anything nice , say nothing at all"? Really, I am over 60 and I am a Buckeye from Ohio and I really enjoyed Antonio. I, like many, I repeat MANY others, knew Antonio, from the start, was the Winner.,,Who cares if he has body art, he is a wonderful breath of fresh air. I really am excited to see Antonio's new show. When can we exect to see more of Antonio?
Remember Mary, nobody is perfect – not even you!
Not speaking out in the face of injustice, is a crime against humanity! Didn't you mother ever tell you anything that would be useful for human progress? No, guess not, and you haven't learned anything in over 60 years. Doesn't say much for your intelligence. Of course YOU would like no talent, phony Antonio.
OMG! Is this my long lost mother-in-law?? I haven't heard from you ever since you stopped speaking to your son for having a different opinion than you. My gosh,, it's been years!! SO, refreshing to see you haven't changed a bit.. not accepting other's views, opinions, etc… Judging others by their looks, the way they dress, etc.. oh, and they way you still type in all CAPS,, it's as if your whiney, bitchy, condescending voice is alive and still piercing a whole in my ear drums, just like the good old days.!!! Oh, wait,,, you've changed your name…… NO ..wait………….don't tell me there's MORE of them!!! ARRRGGGG…. P.S. BTW,, Candice was one of Antonio's biggest fans as far as the judges went….
You have no imagination!!!
You mean as in Antonio as the imaginary "designer?" How are things in the Land of Make Believe?
I agree that Antonio presents differently than most on HGTV,but I think this was all factored in ,and it is time for some new blood. He is terrific, can't wait for his show to start, & Mary if you don't want to watch him, I'm sure you won't be missed he has plenty of others who think he is THE BOMB!!!
you mean THE BUM!
Dear Mary,
You are a narrow minded loser. I hope Antonio neverhas the misfortune of having to enter your house either. Get a grip.
Wow Mary – Harsh! I wonder what you look like? He is trying his best. He does not say a negative thing about anyone or anything.
He just produces negative "designs."
u really have no life dpisme do you??? GROW UP. Did your mom never teach you manners? If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all! Stop drinking that haterade.
Design is my life. Seeing the field of design, dragged though the gutter, by this no account, non talented slob and his brain dead supporters, such as you, is something that must be responded to. HGTV "GAVE" Antonio the show, so if he doesn't like being a public figure, and getting the enormous criticism that he is deservedly getting, then he can admit that he is a design fraud, and retire from public life, in shame. No one with a brain will miss him.
I loved ur style and ur ambition and leadership from the very beginning. I knew u would be the winner…:) I had u pegged from the very start. I didn't like that green bedroom for the finale…u had me scared 4 a minute… but the rest of the house was absolutely the BOMB! HGTV better watch b cuz Antonio u r about 2 blow up!!!
If only he would!
wow, mary – relax. he won. you didn't like his show, don't watch. as for 'hgtv standards' – THEY GAVE HIM A SHOW. deal with it. move on.
Yes HGTV GAVE Antonio a show. No high standards there!
Yes HGTV GAVE Antonio a show. That shows that they have no standards at all.
I completely agree with you. If you don't like his show or if you don't like him, don't watch it. It's that simple.
I'm not watching Antonio's show, I have self-respect!
What kind of person whose moniker is a form of "despise me" has self respect?
I'm sure you not watching A's show will be sorely missed by the HGTV execs.
The form of "despise me," is in your mind not mine. So I have self respect, because I am not burdened by your "mind." My not watching A,s show will be sorely missed by HGTV execs. It is all in the "How I don't watch."
Thank you Missy for saying this. There have been a lot of really ugly things said about Antonio and his supporters and it's really unnecessary. I am very proud of him and knows he will do his best and work his hardest to show us everything he's got! Congratulations Antonio!
Antonio has already shown us what he's got: NOTHING! How mush do have see, to SEE THAT?
Well apparently WE like him, he's not YOUR taste so get over it and find another blog say Dan's to go talk nonsense!
Nita it's like these people online think they're so big and bad- this is not high school or junior high. Some people need to learn some manners. I wonder what their mother would think reading their negative comments. sheesh. ANTONIO YOU ROCK! ignore the haters… I know you already do or you wouldn't be the awesomeness that you are now! haha
It is not high school nor junior high, more like pre-school, with these clueless Antonio fans. I'm not a Dan fan. If you like Antonio then why not admit that you are just a low life slob that know nothing about design that same as Antonio?
Hey Dpisme,
Pot meet kettle.
Does HGTV have you on call, so that any time that I post a comment, you will be there to give an inane response? Sure appears that way.
probably
enough said!
First, people out there need to understand that being different is no reason to be nasty,either take or leave it.some of these posts are a joke I would like to see the way they live and look and maybe the wheels would be turned.
Some of you talk about Antonio it amost sounds like it has do with race, different is good change is good, and you the best part of it I know Antonio doesn’t give a shit what you think
AMEN TO THAT!!
And you couldn't be more right about Antonio not giving a shit about what anyone thinks…and for the record for all of those people who think he is ARROGANT…IT'S NOT ARROGANCE…IT'S CONFINDENCE!!!! There's a HUGE difference in the two.
We are well aware that Antonio doesn't give a shit what we think, we have seen his shiitty "designs."
He may not care but I bet HGTV and the sponsors will care. It is all about $$$$.