Dooce’s Recap: Design Star, Have You Ever Seen a Souvenir?
This week begins with the red team returning to the apartment without Nina, and Stacey could not be happier: “This is probably the best outcome of any elimination to date. She’s gone. Like, do you know what a relief that is?” Meaning Stacey read the note I slipped her WORD FOR WORD.
The contestants meet Vern in the lobby of Trump Tower to meet Donald Trump, Jr. who is going to help judge the challenge this week. Each team has to design a model apartment in the brand new Trump property, The Trump Plaza Residences in Jersey City. Don, Jr., explains that the Trump look is consistently about luxury, but that it has to be contextual, which in this instance means it should reflect Jersey City. And since the Trumps are all about New York, each contestant must choose a New York City souvenir package and physically incorporate it into their designs. Uh, Design Star? Have you ever seen a souvenir? About as luxurious as an ingrown hair.
Casey takes the architectural package, Stacy grabs the yellow taxi bag, Alex selects the Big Apple package, Tom takes the Statue of Liberty, Emily gets the subway bag, Courtland takes the Times Square package, leaving Michael with the Broadway souvenirs. They head out to their apartments and the blue team immediately decides to apply crown molding. Emily worries it’s going to be a time suck. These designers have to realize at this point that if their gut is telling them TIME SUCK, then the reality is going to be TIME BLACK HOLE.
Over with the red team, Tom suggests painting the bathroom blue because it would match the mood of a Wall Street financier. They talk about clean-lined furniture, and Courtland suggests keeping the windows free of treatments to emphasize the view. The other two disagree, and Courtland just throws up his hands, comparing the dynamics to a democracy. I’d compare it more to Courtland, please take up for yourself a little bit more.
After shopping for accessories, Stacey pulls the plastic yellow taxi from her bag and says she wants to make a mosaic with it, and Courtland starts laughing. This is when the vibrant yellow of that bag comes back to haunt her, and she realizes she doesn’t know how to incorporate it into the room. Excuse me, comes back to bite THE TEAM. And then she starts cutting drapery from drop cloths. Remember that ingrown hair I mentioned?
The blue team is busy painting and cutting crown molding, except guess what? It’s been cut wrong AND Casey is installing them upside down. Donald Trump, Jr. isn’t going to notice that at all.
And oh no, is this really happening? Back at the red team, Tom is painting the entire bathroom blue, including the ceiling. And not just any blue. DARK blue. It looks insane, I’m sorry, just… nuts! So gloomy and small. And then wait! STOP! He’s painting the door blue, too! It looks like a giant Smurf exploded all over the walls!
Crown molding over at the blue team is proving to be the time suck Emily had predicted. In the meantime, Alex creates a pillow out of his souvenir package, and Emily is making a collage/art piece out of hers. There’s a bit of discord among the team when Michael gripes that Emily and Alex lack the ability to see the big picture, maybe because he’s been stuck with building all the furniture. And then he calls Alex’s pillow ugly. Michael, that is just below the belt! So cruel! You’re going to get hate mail from the pillows now!
More terribleness is going on over at the blue team as they set up their bed and fail to actually make it a bed. And then they’re left without any art in the room, and even though Tom said he’d get to it he’s stuck painting the door back to its original white. And then Courtland asks Stacy to kiss his coffee mug with red lipstick “to create a story line” for his souvenir. INGROWN HAIR. INGROWN HAIR.
Time for the judges’ walk through, and the blue team is up first. The place looks really elegant and soft. The judges like the crown molding (although Don, Jr. does notice that the execution is off, who told you so?!), and they love the metallics, patterns and textures. Everything is really muted, but instead of being boring, it reads very smooth.
And then the read team…queue horror film music. It’s so incredibly sparse, and Don, Jr. says that this is something he’d see in a college dorm room. The judges remark that the implementation of the souvenirs is, for lack of a better word, LAME, and then they see the bed, the sad, deflated bed. But then they walk into the blueberry bathroom and every one of them says, “I hate it.” Don, Jr. says it’d be his job to make sure no one would ever see this room.
Lemme guess which team loses.
I’m right. The red team is headed to prepare host presentations, and Alex from the blue team is the designer who impressed them the most. How’s that ugly pillow treating you now, Michael?
Stacey is a mess during the shoot, and Tom is standing behind his blue bathroom. Courtland decides to make fun of the space because he’s so angry and admits that his presentation will not save him. And then back at the judging studio, Courtland can’t keep quiet. He says Tom spent much too time on the bathroom, and when given the opportunity to explain his choices, Tom doesn’t make any sense. Vern describes it as a cave. Really? Not a disastrous cave? Because that’s where I’d go.
Courtland then tries to defend himself, saying that he couldn’t get his voice heard, when Vern says one of the truest things ever spoken: “Some of the absolute worst designs are designs by committee.” As a former web designer, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
Stacey takes the blame for the bed, but can’t really explain herself. These guys are as much a mess as that room! She even admits to having no creative process here at all. And then grades herself at 60 per cent. That’s when Vern steps in and says that since that wouldn’t even be a passing grade at Parson’s, it’s not a passing grade for HGTV. And she’s out of there just like that! Without even a glimpse at her presentation.
BUT GET THIS. They aren’t finished yet! Double elimination time since Don, Jr. was so appalled. Tom’s video is up first, and he’s having a hard time keeping his eyes connected to the camera. He’s also a little wordy and uncomfortable. Courtland apologizes for his video before they even see it, but it’s actually kind of funny. He doesn’t seem angry, per se. Just a little fed up. And he’s having a sense of humor about it. Although, Genevieve is not laughing.
Vern thinks Courtland seems more natural and is learning in terms of his hosting skills. Vern says that Tom needs to be more engaging and cover more real estate in the space, and then the decision is handed down: Tom. They couldn’t get past the blue bathroom. There’s a joke in that last sentence to be made, but I won’t make it. I will say, though, that this means we get to ogle Courtland for a least one more week!
I liked Stacey and I don't think she deserved to go home. AND I don't think the judges should've changed the rules because the client wasn't happy. One person goes home per show, not 2 when the design is incompete ( which I think was the case). Tom didn't pull his weight and the stupid challenge didn't help. How do they come up with these challenges anyway? Do they go to a site called "crazy themes for rooms"? or do people just email them ideas and they pick out the craziest? I would never decorate my room based on some part of NYC life or a several mismatched outfits or a bunch of flowers or even a musical instrument.
Also, how about judge the judges? This show is losing viewers and it's not the contestants' fault entirely. You vote off the good personality and creativity, you lose viewers. You could not pay me to watch the judges's shows at this point– if they're that afrid of being replaced they need to get into another line of work. Let us vote! We know what we want to watch!
LOL…I agree with you…These challenges are stupid…You want opulence, but you want them to work these cheap souvenirs into the room…Dumb!
in response to this and the horde of comments about the "stupid" design challenges, i have to disagree. i find the abstractions (e.g. design based on music!) and odd limitations (e.g. physically incorporate this bag) to be really inspiring and full of potential because they are so out of the ordinary. what IS disappointing, however, is the level of interpretation from the designers. design is an art form, and it requires a specific function of the brain that i'm really not finding in any contestants. if you put todd from season 2 in any of these design situations, he'd shine. no question.
in summary, it's the level of the design that is not meeting the level of the challenges.
Themed rooms are cheesy, and no one's going to design a room based on a flower, or instrument…Well at least one that you won't get sick of…It's as stupid as that commercial where the woman pulls out a faucet and says design a bathroom around this…Hmm maybe thats where they got their CrAzY inspirational ideas from???
Out of the ordinary– yes. Ones that most people would actually use– not so much. That's my point. While theme rooms are good for comercial use (cafe, resturants, stores, daycares, etc.) and kids rooms, most adults would prefer something a bit different. Most of these challenges have been more toward individual appartments or spaces. Although the ideas are often meant to be abstract, most people in a functional space would prefer things they don't have to think about. The limitations however I find also unrealistic; budget and current resources (sofa, tables, etc.) are more realistic to me. A ceramic taxi cab– not really and the one on the show made me think of a kid's room.
Totally agree! The group challenges are driving me crazy and the 'inspirations' are ridiculous.
I agree, bad ideas – it seems they have to incorporate tacky nick nacks into every challenge, but these designers aren't doing anything!
Their rooms always look empty and none of them seem to know what they are doing at all. I couldn't stand Nina, but at least she had some passion!
where were you last year when tamika was sent packing BEFORE the jugdes did their critique? Two in one show is hardly unprecedented.
This is the first season I've really been able to see the whole season (something always came up and I only recently got DVR). Normally, I see maybe half of one a season.
Taking all day to paint one chair
Making a cheap home made looking fence on a million dollar terrace
Not being able to accessorize a desk properly
Not being able to execute a small sign with only one number on it
Am I missing something or is Stacey a lame duck?
You have it correct. She is one of several this year who do not belong on this show. Where did they find these people this year? I have watched every year since the beginning…I am sad to see one of my favorite contests become a sorry clone of The Apprentice or Survivor. Whether you like Courtland or not all I saw last night was Courland repeatedly attempting to talk some sense to his teammates….and yes this is the BIG problem with constant team challenges. Compromise becomes necessary unless you want to spend all of your time arguing.
She should have gone home for the bed alone.
The drop-cloth "drapes", the matress-less bed, the taxi inside a glass dome — I'm thinking it's possible Stacy subconcisouly materialized the Donald jr.'s insistence on these designers forced use of tacky NYC junk in their designs. He reaped what he sowed and so did HGTV.
Stacy did nothing on any one of the designs on the show – NOTHING She needed to go a long time ago.
Absolutely, could you imagine her on a kitchen challenge?
Stacey? Are you kidding me?
Thank heavens there was a double elimination this week and both of my least favorites of the remaining people are gone. I really hope Courtland brings his “A” game into play next week.
Mark, how is Vern an idiot. He’s not my favorite, however he’s not an idiot.
Look at above response to Barb…It's easy to sit in a chair and tell someone what they should do, but the reality is when you work in groups, you learn to compromise…As Courtland said "Majority rules", that is Democracy, and that's what this country is built on…So to sit there with a smug attitude, and act as if you, or the two ding bats sitting next to you would be able to handle it differently, just makes you appear ignorant…If you truly want to see their individuality, then quit forcing them to work as a team.
Bottom line is that Vern is not a great designer, so he doesn't have the authority to judge.
This season of design star has ruined the way I look at Vern completely. I bet all of his stupid 'deserving design' shows are all fake and he doesnt design at all.
Sorry, Donna. Vern is an idiot!
I hope Courtland shines in the next few. He's been getting screwed by team placement for a while, and he was the only one on the team who seemed to be operating with his brain in gear this week… and one person can't turn over a space in that short a time.
I'm glad Alex got some attention, but I'm a little baffled by it being for that pillow, which was a little sad. Maybe it's a belated pat on the head for making those polyurethane-protecting booties last week, after they saw the footage.
But this is the second week blue team has won with a mediocre room only because red team turned in a bad one. For heaven's sake, can we get some design? We're down to the final five!
Totally agree about Courtland, Barbara. As for Alex, he is squeeking by under the radar screen, but that only lasts for so long. Alex has not shown a dynamic, articulate, expert show personality yet — he will survive if we see that eventually. Glad the judges got rid of the right idiots this week – NOT TV show material.
I agree — the 'winning' designs this year are not really winners, but just not as bad as the worst design…. Not something to actually call good! This year has really been a big yawn so far. I would stop watching but keep hoping it's going to turn around. Hopefully it will, or I won't be watching next year – IF there is a next year, after this one. They brought the big bucks in with Mark Burnett producing, I guess, but he forgot it is a design show.
and he's the only one of his team to survive until next week. I did think his presentation was hilarious. Yea he was mocking, but those rooms soooo deserved it.
I was a fan of Courtland's from early on, but the last few episodes have soured me on him. He is catty and snarky about everyone except himself. He moves from staunchly defending his panelling choice in the firefighter challenge to totally agreeing with the judges that the panelling was terrible. I don't like catty and snarky women (Nina) and hate it even more in men. While I agree that Stacey and Tom should have gone, I would have been happy to see Courtland go as well. If I want to ogle someone, I'll go for a guy like Dan who projected more of a sense of self-dignity.
Yeah, when he said he was tired of being Mr. Nice Guy, I thought "whaaaaaaaa?"
i agree, dan is a hottie AND he seems down to earth! marry me, dan! we can build beautiful swings together
Actually, Dan got married last week
to his highschool sweetheart 
. I hope she's nice, or I'll write her a mean letter lol
Yes, yes, yes to every point you made! I think if Courtland put as much energy into his work/design as he did to being catty and petty, we'd have had a better outcome this week. I think he has great potential (as Vern said), he just needs to step it up before it's too late.
they really thought it was so bad they should've sent the entire team home. Blameing one or two in the begining would've been understandable, but when it's down to three on a team to and you want to send 2 home because of the client the third should go too.
I totally agree, but I wish that people would start paying a little more attention to Casey. I think dhe's one of the best desgners on the show. apart from winning the previous copetition, they completely ignore her.
Oh one more comment…Did anyone else notice that the layout of the living rooms were exactly the same, and they both had similar furniture choices?
That's because no one on this season is original
Where in the world did they get that hideaous light grey sofa? I mean what street corner? Lol!!!!
Wohoooooo! This was the most exciting and yet unexpected turn of events of design star so far…… Totally rocked! THe judges had every right to be mad at the red team for the room definitely did not say Donald Trump suite….hellooooooooo, what was that?????? Courtland is only lucky they did not cut oout the whole team….excuses excuses excuses.
On the Upside I am totally digging my boy Alex, he totally shone this week and he is starting to get out of his shell…You go Boy!!!!!!!!! Supporting you 100%! Bring it on for the next challenge cause this aint no easy picking…….Find your voice and show your style! the Blue team was a sure hit!
I love HGTV….woooooooooow!
Alex reminds me of Tom Sawyer. Oh,he had plenty of time to whip up his teensy, glittery pillow while the others worked. Well, a pillow is one thing but he needs to show a lot more than that.
Did you watch last week's episode? Alex did an insane amount of work and pulled that whole room together practically on his own.
And even though they showed him doing the pillow for a while, doesn't mean he didn't help with other parts of the room. I recall seeing him helping to place the furniture at one point. He must have done more of that.
I agree. I think Alex's blue NY Skyline last week rocked! He's young and shy but I think he has talent.
Well, the idiot judges let him go this week. I am so sick of Michael's whinning and critical comments about everyone! Alex was right in that Michael absolutely would not listen to him.
HGTV, love, love, love John Gidding!!!! But I love Candice, Vern & Gennivieve. I wish they would cut Candice loose and let her tear each room apart!!! I do believe she is one of the greatest designers on TV. But I love John Gidding!!!! He is great!
Vern is not an idiot, he is just frustrated with the lack of talent. The need to just give it up and take the show off the air.
Verns expectations are a bit extreme…As I said before, I would like to see him forced into a group of people, who all have different ideas, and see how many of his ideas end up in the final design…I also wonder how we all would have been able to see what David B could do, if he was a contestant this season, instead of a season where they focused more on individuality.
I don't agree about Vern's expectations being extreem in this season's cometition only because these designers are all highly regarded in their field. They have applicable jobs and have the credentials that should lend to better design. His expectations would have been extreem if this was Season 1, where they were all novice designers.
Vern is a douchewaffle ( thank you missa29, you have changed my life! )
Yes, he has been a douchewaffle, hasn't he? In previous seasons, he's just been a giant wet mop.
Worst contestants ever. Just to say openly, they have no creativity. Trump Jr must be redoing both rooms now and no more future design stars at Trump hotel. I don't know, how they got these people in the show. Taxi under glass dome, blue bathroom, pillow with plastic bands, low bed etc the list goes on even from the very first episode. It is scary and sarcastic to think that one of these people, is going to host his/her own show. Really disappointed.
Completely agree! You think Trump and even Donald Jr. and Courtland both said it… Luxery. Tell me what is luxurious about canvas curtains??? Sheesh!
Who in the hell is thinking up these idiotic inspirations?…No person that can afford to live in these over priced apartments/condos, is going to have made in China, mass produced, crappy souvenirs, on display…Putting any of that crap, no matter how well you rework it, is not going to look like something high end and expensive…I'm sure both those spaces were redone immediately after the show.
I would like to know how the judges would of used the retarded souvenir pieces in the rooms?
It was still a great ad for the Trump building.
You know that the only reason they had the Trump building on the show because of MARK BURNETT? He is the producer of alot of reality shows and is well known. But, Mark this season is a total failure
Sorry.
I totally agree. This group of people do not deserve to be on this show. They seem to have no talent for design. I also agree with another blogger that the challenges to incorporate into the design are pretty crazy. Just give them their rope and let them do their thing. Maybe then we could see just a little hint of talent. Please just stop this show and send them all home.
I couldn't agree more with what you said!! Whoever dreams up the challenges should be eliminted too. It's impossible for a team of designers with different opinions and tastes, while competing with each other, to create a beautiful room. The challenge seems to be to find who is the biggest bully or the most agressive. Those aren't traits I would want in a designer. And why aren't they given enough time to make plans for a room and shop?
Started to tivo now. Will watch if I have time. The insults are a bit much for me. I want to see a designer grow and develop.
The designs for the firehouse were pathetic. Is that all these potential designers have to offer? Really? Don't they watch HGTV or DIY?
What happened to the budget allowed? Why is this a team effort?
I would NEVER hire a TEAM for any home design.
I am buying, I make the decisions. So far we haven't seen any client satisfaction challenge.
Really sad this show has gone to hell.
This show is getting really sad.. I miss the past seasons!! Please stop with the random sources of inspiration like flowers and souvenirs! and I agree, are we ever going to have another individual challenge? That being said, I think the final five are the right people to be there.
I agree!! Stop with the the random sources of inspiration like flowers and souvenirs! This show has gone wrong!! Put it back to the way it was a good host, better designers!! It use to be my favorite show now I stopped watching.
I kind of like the random sources of inspiration. If they were good designers, they could've come up with some very creative things. Just don't think we're seeing very much creativity or any thinking outside the box this year. Their inspiration sources remind me of what they do on Project Runway, and those fashion designers come up with great stuff. It just hasn't happened in this show yet.
"Some of the worst designs are designs by a committee", said Vern Yip.
So why force them to work together, continuously?
And yes, it was time for Stacey to go first. Her sewing was horrible and putting a mini car in a large glass dome is something a toddler can do. And Tom, Tom, Tom. . . . . I don't know what else to say, but that dark blue was atrocious & tasteless.
And I'll say it again – To be "professionals", some of the contestants do a lot of amateur work and second guessing. They treat their work as a pastime rather than as a profession. This is just my opinion of the whole 2010 'Design Star' season.
Boy, SweetLesa, I think you summed it up well! (and much more succinctly than I did in my comments!) Think your comments on right on the money, and speak for how a lot of us feel about this season.
I agree…they don't show professional talent….when I think of Trump in NY I think of elegance and way above average decorating….nothing was even a stand out…and no "pop" elements to any of the decorating….I can't even imagine what each designer would be able to do on their own…but we need to see their individual talents in a whole room to even guess who might be able to have an HGTV show.
My thoughts exactly! We saw more in the first episode with the white room than we have seen in all the subsequent episodes combined. Apparently working in teams is NOT working.
I agree with SweetLesa. What's up with all of this "committee design" anyway? I'm sick of seeing such lame design. Give them each a specific challenge, and let them show what they can do! Then, nobody could stand behind the old "I gave in to the majority" stupidity. Each would have to be able to stand on their own skills.
What's wrong with that?!
And, how on earth did Tom think that dark blue paint looked anything like "spa feel?" Has he never been to a spa? Or, has he NOT watched about a thousand other HGTV shows where they redo bathrooms and bedrooms to resemble a spa look? NOWHERE CLOSE! Any intelligent HGTV viewer could have called that one!
I agree. My father always said a camel was a horse designed by a committee. I realize it's cheaper to do these group challenges and the show is too cheap to let them all design individiual rooms. But really, the only interesting challenges were the white room ones where the designers really are all on their own. It's not like David B, Candice, Vern design with a committe. While I'm sure they consult others and direct others, the design is theirs. So why test these designers over and over on a premise that will never, ever be used on a show? HGTV, there's only a few left now, stop being so freaking cheap and let the designers actually design something on their own.