Q&A With Design Star’s Producer
Loren Ruch and Tanika Ray in front of the 5 Pointz Aerosol Art Center, where they shot the White Box Challenge.
We caught up with Loren Ruch, the show’s producer, to get answers to your most-asked questions from episode two. Get his behind-the-scenes take after the jump.
Why was Tanika chosen as the new host?
Tanika was a natural choice to host HGTV Design Star because she is OBSESSED with HGTV and has extensive background as a host (you may have seen her on Extra). I thought she was going to faint when she met Candice Olson for the first time, and she has also become fast friends with Genevieve and Vern. She has a great attitude, positive spirit and is a lot of fun to work with! I can honestly say that we have one of the most fun sets on television. There’s a lot of laughing, joking and camaraderie.
What was the budget the designers had to work with?
For the White Box Challenge, each designer had $1,200 in cash to work with. We also gave them tools and paint, so they didn’t need to pay for those.
If Mark’s room hadn’t won, who do you think would have won the white box challenge instead?
It was actually a very, very long deliberation because the panel was having a hard time deciding between Mark, Tyler and Kevin. Everyone ultimately agreed that Mark’s room was the most avant-garde, but Tyler was a very close second.
I missed the show! Will it air again?
Watch us Saturday at 5pm ET if you missed this week’s show!
What questions do you have for Design Star’s producer? Tell us in the comments below and Loren just might answer them next week.
Ditto, on Cathy. Awful! Bring Tyler back next year. He was totally Src#$*@! Fans like myself are irrate. The new host is also awful. MORE INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES! I'm learning very little about the individual contestants and their true talents. Less emphasis on the camera challenges. David B. was weak in this area and look how great he turned out to be. We want warmth and genuine talent, Cathy has neither of these virtues and yet she was "saved" by her plastic presentation skills. Force the contestants to be more creative. Giving the contestants a credit card and seemingly no budget REALLY detracts from the show. We're seeing too much shopping not enough creativity. Not so crazy about the judges this year. How could they possibly choose Cathy over Tyler? Or Kevin over Tyler for that matter. There's too much emphasis on reality show drama and too little emphasis on design and talent. Speaking of talent, seems like a pretty weak field. But then , how can we know since we see so much drama and so little of their individual efforts? In sum, I think the producers have ruined the show. Unless it's substantially retooled, I, for one, will not be watching next season.
What exactly does Kathy have on you or the judges? She is arrogant and has no more design talent than the average home owner who can lookj at magazines and copy them? Is it truly her nastiness that keeps her on the show?
I am glad that Cathy is finally gone. But dismayed to find that HGTV Canada has given her a show. Are you guys crazy? So far with Design Star she has alienayed the majority of American (United States) viewers and now you ate looking for the majority of the North American continent? What Producer is she blackmailing? We all know she can talk about herself very well, but she has NO taste. Please everybody lets be serious and not reward her appalling and unproffessional behavior on Design Star.
What happens when the designers do not wow a client? Does HGTV send a crew in to fix the design?
I am referring to the recent home redesign show. Three rooms were DUDS!! Did that little boy get his bunkbed?
I watch hgtv all the time but I feel you are not fair with african americans. while I agree with booting Cathy off design star thrashing Tanika is unfair. I would enjoy seeing more african americans as hosts or designers.
Have you ever showed a show that remodels moble or modular homes. My husband and I just purchased a modular home in a senior cummunity. We are currently going to rent it out till we retire. I would like to see some ways to update it from the inside and out. It would be nice to see a show sometime on this subjuect. Thank you
What is the title of the Design Star theme song? I think it's excellent….very positive/powerful! Is it available as a download or CD anywhere?….just wondering.
PS — I loved Design Star!!
I have a living room with a whole wall of 30ft windows and have no idea what to do with space. I'm not looking for windows treatments, as I love the openness but I need to know what to do with space in front. I have a sectional sofa and entertainment center in the room, so I was thinking of a siting area or reading area……. Please help!
As I contemplate watching the Design Star show again this year, I wonder if the judges will actually pick someone who I will enjoy watching throughout the next year? I would have tuned into either Mark's or Kellie's weekly show (or Courtland's from 2010) but alas they were not the judges favorites. I have watched two of Antonio's shows, one of Emily's and none of Meg's shows since they won. JUST A THOUGHT….You might want to choose the people's favorite if the shows are meant to be watched by the people…
I saw through your three black finalist and one white and now it's one white and one black that was just to keep the black people watching there are no black host on HGTV and we wont watch if we are not represented i've seen also that Hillery was the best at camera challanges and design and she was too hard for the white chick to beat so she had to be sent home i'll send out a mass bocot over facebook the likes you have never seen you are a racist station and a racist show I am watching not just your show but chopped and next food network star just to name a few yes the blacks are your target audience just watch and see!!!!