Candice’s Recap: Episode 2
I may be busy shooting Candice Tells All, but I’m still keeping a close eye on Design Star! This week, extraordinary designer Thom Filicia came by to lend his style expertise to one of my all-time favorites: the White Box Challenge. It killed me not to be there. This time, the designers were each given an identical room and asked to transform it using only restaurant supplies. They were told specifically not to create functional spaces. This challenge is a great opportunity for the designers to really express themselves by thinking unconventionally (which can prove to be difficult for even some of the best designers).
I love that the first thing Tyler did was immediately get rid of all of the furniture in his room. He wasn’t afraid to think on a broad scale, and clearly understood that the challenge was not about function — it was about thinking outside the box (no pun intended). His idea to use 400 water bottles as a piece of furniture, and then turn it into a light source was stellar. In fact, I know just the spot in my house where it would look fabulous.
Design Star isn’t just about showcasing the designers; it’s also about the designers having the ability to utilize takeaway information from the panel. And Kevin did just that. Last week, we told him what we wanted to see, and this week he totally delivered. That butcher-paper wall was creative, chic and beautiful. On the downside, that wall feature was so imaginative that it actually trumped the rest of the room. I only wish he had been that risky with all of his decor.
Mark’s ode to his grandfather and the Air Force was imaginative and inspirational. His design was touchingly personal and at the same time extremely well executed. The “flying futon” was a showstopper, and his vivid use of color in the wall mural captured the symbolism perfectly. From his comfortable camera challenge to his brilliant design, he hit the nail right on the head. Or rather, his missile hit the target!
Meg, Meg, Meg … She was in trouble before she even started. Knocking the coffee table over at the last second was the least of her problems. The coffee wall shadows were innovative in theory, but they (and the rest of the room) were so poorly executed that it was hard to see past all of the missteps. I felt for her — there is nothing worse than having a vision and not having the ability to complete it.
Cathy’s spice mosaic floor reminded me of Julie’s “feather” floor from last season. It was obvious that she spent much of her time on it, but unfortunately it didn’t spell success. I have a feeling it might have smelled better than it looked. Her plate design on the wall was interesting, but it was way too controlled, much like Cathy herself. In both episodes so far, she seems on the brink of letting go, but then quickly pulls herself back. When she was declared safe this week, it was actually the first time she showed her vulnerability. If she brings that emotion into her designs next week, she might just find herself on top.
Leslie’s space was a perfect example of why I always say, if you’re going to do something, do it all the way. Her use of words on the wall was genius, but she quit before the finish line. I really wanted her to carry that edgy look through the entire room.
Bret’s room kind of, well, bombed for me — it needed a bigger wow factor.
And Doug didn’t show us who he is, he showed us Keith Haring.
With the exception of his take-out container light fixture, Karl played it pretty safe.
Kellie’s footprints and side table were great, but in the end Mark’s room was head and shoulders above the rest. He won this challenge hands down.
J’s room lacked inspiration, and it seems so did J. When David asked her if her fire feature was going to be in the center of the room, she should have taken it as a hint. She gave up and it showed, so it was her time to go. The White Box Challenge is the time to really “wow” us, so those who didn’t had better knock it out of the park next week.
What questions do you have about the episode two? Ask in the module below or in the comments below; the Design Star Director of Programming, Loren Ruch, will answer the most-asked questions on Wednesday!
The judges are crazy. They should have made Meg leave, not J.
I think Meg deserved to stay. I feel like she needs to step it up with her designs but I feel like she has a better personality for hgtv. As soon as I saw her first camera challenge, I loved her personality. As for J, she seemed a bit too shy. I could tell during her second camera challenge she was nervous and she just didn't look comfortable on camera. Plus her designs didn't really stand out to me.
As sweet as she is, I can't see Meg doing a show, so I think unless she blows us out of the water next week, she needs to go. Cathy needs to get back to newscasting.
I really get bad vibes from Leslie's designs and personality.
Even though Kellie was not in the top 3 this week, I am still loving her designs and personality!
Oh, Come on….Meg's design looked like a kindergarten project gone wrong. Why is it when a female shows tears, it holds back the inevitable. I thought the "brown paper" wall was interesting, along with the "water bottle chaise"…I was surprised that Cathy didn't paint a huge jalapeno pepper on her wall….Looking forward to Candice's return, however, I love Genevieve as well.
As an elementary school teacher, I laughed about your comment about poor sweet Meg. I also laughed about your jalapeno comment about Cathy's spice-inspired room.
I think I would have edged in Tyler over Mark, but it's a close thing, and I think maybe Mark won because he used more of the room with 3D elements rather than just the painting effect. But Tyler's was just so cool looking!
I'm glad they mentioned to Cathy how over-formal her presentations are. Hope she listens.
I can see why J was the one to go. I did really like her fire box idea, but she didn't focus on it, and she did a poor job with the camera challenge. Meg had some interesting ideas, and was more personable on camera.
Cathy sounds like a newscaster…wish she would be more relaxed.
I liked Tyler's design the best; it was gorgeous. Am I the only one who thought Mark's room looked like a 10-year-old boy's room?
Tanika Ray's over the top delivery of every line makes it painful and unpleasant to watch any scene on any show she is on. She's beautiful and ……what exactly qualifies her to be part of an HGTV show? She could be good if her delivery was more relaxed and natural. More real and less "energizer bunny". Just what the designer judges are always saying to the contestants. Let us see you.
I agree! I am finding it PAINFUL to watch the show as all I am doing is focusing in on her extreme emphasis of every 4th word that comes out of her mouth. She is over the top! I miss Clive!
I MISS CLIVE TOO!!! Please HGTV bring him back, he has the kindest spirit and clever wit. I could listen to his accent all day. The whole show now seems so contrived. I wonder what a good mentor David is, as his designs are so taste specific and I have never seen anyone cram so much S- – - in a room. so, if you get elegant and tasteful designer, I think his perspective will be to push to extremes and not let them show thier true taste. Please, please get a new show with Clive on it, we miss him.
Agreed get Clive back! She is the biggest complaint we have with the show.
Agree 100%. I didn't like her on HGTV'd – that's why I only watched one of the shows.
Tanika reminds me of a beauty pageant contestant; very painful indeed. I STILL MISS CLIVE.
I agree!! I am having difficult watching the show because of her stiff, over the top delivery. Not natural or at ease at all. I miss Clive too.
So agreed. She's a beautiful woman but every time she starts talking, it sounds like she's reading a play. Annoying.
I so agree – she detracts from the show!
I agree, she seems so insincere to me. Her annunciation is completely off. Having two women who sound like newscasters on the show is almost more than I can take. I really miss Clive.
I totally agree. Who is she, and what makes her qualified? She speaks artificially and incredibly slow! You can almost hear the crickets chirp while waiting for her to finish a sentence. I really don't think they need her at all, plus she adds nothing to the show.
… Energizer Bunny, too funny – but accurate! The judges (and David) provide tips to make the contestants better presenters, while the viewers cringe as Tanika delivers such insincere quips.
I loved Tyler and Mark's designs – tough call, but I understand the judges' ruling. I just think that Tyler deserved a little more positive comments or recognition. Kevin's wallpaper rocked (but as stated in Candice's comments, he needed to take the room further). Karl and Doug each gave fun, interesting and completed rooms.
I appreciated the mostly up-beat vibe of the show tonight. The judges choose their words carefully.
Kevin is very nice, enthusiastic, and definitely a team player. I'm glad everyone loved his work this week. Iguess I'm not as impressed by his bunched-up paper wall as everyone else because I'm an elementary school teacher and I've seen teachers do that for bulletin boards for over 20 years.
If a designer can't commit to the show as judge, there should be another designer to be a regular judge.
Hence, a replacement should have been on board for Candace this season.
Or… having looked at all the nasty comments made from last year's DS- about the other judges- do you recall that? They had to have Candice begin this year's DS-regardless if she could do the whole thing! She was the only well-liked presence of the show from last year. Personally, I think DS is fun, but never is it a "true competition". I think the people behind the show have 2-3 front runners in mind, and the competition is really between those people. We need to as viewers, discover who they are.
NO NO NO – it is always worth waiting for Candace, she is the best designer on HGTV! She's funny, very talented and a plus to any show. Candace rocks!
OK! I didn't mean to imply that Candace doesn't rock! Candace is the superiorly talented judge and seems to be an all around great person. I just don't want her to leave her spot to some clueless (about the contestants thus far) standin. Maybe if they had four judges, they wouldn't have to bring in a one off person if someone goes absent. Hopefully Candace will be back and not leave again.
I appreciated the fact that the show went back to the original white box challenge format, letting the contestants express their own personalities instead of trying to design for a fellow contestant as they did last year. Of course, after the unpleasant woman from last season (whose name I can't and don't care to remember) made a mockery of that challenge by lying about her design preferences, I doubt that they could have repeated that format anyway.
Once again the judges were pleasant and gave honest and fair opinions about each design, and once again I agreed with their decisions. Although for me Tyler's bold, minimal but exciting room was the slightly better design, I could see why Mark's creative and personal design would be the judges' choice. I really enjoyed Kevin's brown paper wall, and will have to remember that color combination of paper bag brown with lime green and white. And even though Doug's room was more an ode to one of his design idols rather than his own style, he executed it well — I would love a room like that! I can't wait to see what happens next week!
Nina??
Candace says, "(The designers) were told specifically not to create functional spaces." This is ABSOLUTELY NOT what was shown on the episode as edited. They were told simply that the space "did NOT NEED to be functional." This is a very different thing, and I wonder if the judges appraised some of the spaces based on a criterion that the designers did not understand was a requirement? That said, the winner did have one of the best spaces, with only Tyler's space being better.