Candice’s Recap: Design Star Finale
This is it: the final challenge of Design Star. This was one tough time to be on the panel because both finalists were just so incredibly good. Instead of focusing on only this particular episode, we really thought long and hard about the entire season and all of their designs as a whole.
Karl certainly had us at “hello.” I loved his bonus room mural in the very first challenge in the designer’s loft. His white box challenge end product was a tasteful and lovely space, and his mosaic backsplash in episode three was gorgeous. The table-turned-wall-mounted-consoles in the bed and breakfast challenge were genius, and the Dream Kitchen Challenge, well, let’s just give the boy kudos for working with a difficult partner. He kind of lost his footing in the Wedding Challenge, but he did do a good job with the canopy. And the master bedroom in the HGTV’d Challenge — hello, beautiful custom headboard! His vertical bookcase Camera Challenge on The Nate Berkus Show made me literally applaud my television, and his tiny home was BIG on functionality. Which brings us to the last challenge: a five-minute pilot presentation of their own TV show concept, and one room in a client’s home to redesign. And Karl was fabulous on camera tonight. His pilot, “Inspired Design,” really captured his spirit and his love of art and architecture.
The room turned out spectacular — his concept was abundantly clear (his clients loved it) and what I loved was that he was beaming ear-to-ear during the entire evaluation. All of the contestants really grew as designers from day one, but Karl came into his own, hit his stride early on and the camera (and the viewers) truly fell in love with him. This one has a bright future for sure.
Meg had her share of ups and downs. Her custom headboards in the first challenge were a good first impression but then she completely fell apart in the white box challenge with her oddly designed space (which was also a bit creepy, I must say). Her dining room in episode three was clean and smart, but it wasn’t until the Bed and Breakfast Challenge that she truly won me over. I love “beachy” Meg. Her pegboard pots and pans wall in the Dream Kitchen Challenge was inspirational, and who could forget her class-act move helping Cathy in the Wedding Challenge? She fell back a bit again with a few stumbles in the HGTV’d episode but hey, she did have the two toughest spaces in the house (and her wall lanterns were great). Her “Look for Less” apartment was stunning and toppled her competition, and her tiny home was spacious and delightful. Meg was consistent on camera with her amazing energy and contagious smile. Tonight she decided to solve “Design Crimes” and let me tell you, this little powerhouse popped out of my TV screen.
From her space planning to her comfort with her clients, she gave the final challenge everything she had. Her room makeover was simply beautiful, and so was she.
The decision was a toughie but yep, Meg is the new Design Star. I can’t wait to see her fighting design crimes in homes across the country.
And lastly, I have to give a shout out to David Bromstad for being such a wonderful mentor this season. You truly shined, and I don’t just mean your outfit in the finale!
I don't know…I will have to see…I much prefer to see and hear Karl.
me, too. Karl had the better ideas by far throughout the season. The judges are picking people that are not going to excel above them. Look how big David is now and all the judges just can't stand to have anyone else design better than them. How could Candace not see that Meg's room was nothing special and Karl's room was delightful and full of eye candy!
Oh come on. Karl's smile is just as annoying as Meg's voice.
I completely agree
Karls room was nice, but that painted piece of furniture looked cheesey and poorly painted…I personally was not surprised Meg won, because like last years winner, it seemed like she was constantly safe, even when she didn't deserve to be.
you right on they wanted a woman
karl's painted furniture piece did not go with the rest of the room and he didn't finish the wall behind it…
meg's last room…looked more like karl's work!!!!!!!!!!!..too much furniture in meg's room…made it looked cramped…oh well onto the next challenge and critiquing…have to love this blog!!!!!!!!
did you ever watch "secrets from a stylist"? it is, far and away, the most boring design show i have ever watched. i think that even emily would agree she's better than the format they gave her. as for karl's armoire, i thought it was a brillant touch, considering the couple. we dont need another ho- hum
show from a "safe" designer!
I like Emily's show…I always find her final design outcome to be very pleasing, even when it's not my personal taste or style.
Emily's second season is better than the first. I actually enjoyed watching some of them! I even told her so on her website! Grin. I like better seeing more of the "behind the scenes" with her.
I didn't like that either. It looked really bad and didn't go with the room at all!!! GO MEG!!!
He had to do it that way in order to meet the client's request for Street Edgy Desgin which is very hard to mix with her Tuscan style. I know it would have been different if it wasn't for trying to grant the client's request. That is where the competition was not fair. It should have been a like room that they could have done to their own style, like the glass rooms in the park in an earlier season or the 2 hotel suites in another. This competition should not have been the final one.
What on earth have the judges been smoking? They made a very bad decision. Meg is not the best designer! Well, there's one more design star's show I won't be watching. So far the only one I watch is Color Splash.
I knew she was not star material when she used peg board for the kitchen design. Really.
I agree with you. It seems that they always pick somebody that won't outdo them.
Also, Meg's room was NOT innovative but very boring actually.
color splash for sure, but i think the antonio treatment rocks week after week, for whatever reason, the man's got IT!!!
I absolutely agree with you, 100%. It surprises me to see so much hate for Antonio on these boards; I never realized until now that his winning was considered such an injustice. I think Dan Vickory was a remarkable designer but Antonio brings something new to the network – an entire fan base that wouldn't customarily watch HGTV. They appealed to a new demographic.
And, he seems to be a really genuine person. Anyone who watches his show would know that he goes above and beyond for his clients, using all of his contacts to really do something special. I've seen him get choked up more than any other designer. I like his style but perhaps it's an acquired taste.
Karl should have won. No idea what they were thinking this time.
They weren't thinking. That's the whole problem! All they cared about was getting that camera challenge nailed. That comes with time. David Bromstad didn't have nearly the camera challenges and look how well he is doing on hgtv. Karl was just as good, if not better, than the judges. They didn't want that type of competition.
Totally agree, love Color Splash but never watch the other Design Star winners and won't watch Meg…..her voice is so irritating.
Her voice is like listening to nails on a chalkboard.
I agree color splash is AWESOME! David has never designed something I didn't like…very talented!
Stop your hater-ade. Can you do better?
Anything David Bromstad designs if first class. He is the only one I have consistently watched. I think they should be looking for someone of his caliber. No one else ever elected from these "judges" has amounted to a hill of beans.
No, Meg was not best designer, would you live in a room (let alone a house – albeit tiny) bright bright yellow and vivid green —- YUK …. BUT even Color Splash is going overboard with color and accessories – David used to use color tastefully. Definitely accessory overkill.
I did watch Miles of Style , but I was not sorry to see it go. I agree with you, I still watch Color Splash. David derserved to win , as season after season gets renewed , proves
EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so sorry Karl. This was not a fair show. You didn't deserve this. You were my favorite from the first day. The mural was awesome and you just kept proving yourself each week. The only thing Meg proved was that she was not a designer, but a decorator, and not even a very good one.
For sure! I am just so disapointed, stupid panel, WAKE UP!
Why are people saying "epic fail". Do you realize what idiots you sound like? Should be "epic failure" which is what you are.
Unfortunate decision. This was HGTV's opportunity to step it up a bit and use Karl's architectural inspiration to get people involved with design beyond fluffy pillows, the perfect pattern, or this mellow subdued trend. Karl could have taught us about style and influences the motivate generations and also get people involved in the community with restoration projects that define our small towns and big cities. Way to dumb it down HGTV.
EPIC FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT
i loved meg she is awesome
UGH! I didn't appreciate the negative comments Meg made regarding the couples sense of decorating. She could have been more subtle. And designing around a Buddha head? Give me a break. I won't be watching her show any time soon….I can't stand the mushy mouth talking…
The Buddha head was something that the home owners loved. She used it in a way that made them happy. That's far more important than your opinion of it.
I liked the artwork a lot- but the fact that Meg designed a room around it, doesn't say much to me about design talent. The owners have good taste- Meg capitalized on good basics. Karl created something new with the architecture. I would not have painted the armoire as he did, but the judges seemed to like it.
And again is everyone forgetting that the husband wanted a Street Edgy design, that is what his client wanted and they liked it. Doesn't matter if we liked the cabinet or not. I liked it better before it was painted, but in design you can not always design to your own style, you have to design to the clients and that is what they asked for. So he met the challenge that the couple presented to him even if we personally don't like the cabinet paint. It was a great design. Personally I would have liked to have seen some of the pictures at a lower level on the walls so that you could see them better. Other than that it was a great design that matched the owners wants and needs.
Used it in a way that made them happy? She stuck it on a simple wooden pedestal against the wall. Big deal. The way she was talking, I expected it to be in a glass case, or at least have a couple spot lights shining on it. There's was nothing innovative in her design or that space. It was very safe, and very predictable.
That is a good point! I am sure designers often face having to decorate in a style not to their taste, or around an object that means a lot to the owners, but not our taste. Baskin Robbins make 31 flavors for a reason…
Exactly! more negativism. I want to watch an HGTV show where they show a great new idea …if I'm looking for entertainment , I can turn on the Bachelor/Bachelortte.
Sarah, I completely agree! That's the second time she insulted the client. I would never hire her!
I posted the same thing just now. If someone told me my design skills were criminal, I certainly wouldn't hire them. You could see the hurt look on those people's faces, but then they probably thought they should just allow it since they were getting a free make-over.
I think the criminal idea is outrageous. There shouldn't be any crimes in someone's style. To each his own. What one person likes another may not, but it doesn't make it a crime. Eclectic style mixes styles together but it is not a crime to do so. I really did not like the crime idea. Go back to being a criminologist Meg because it seems that that is what is on your mind more than design. It was criminal though the way she design that foyer just throwing all those pillows on the floor. And those lanterns which she couldn't even hang straight absolutely didn't go with that style of a house. They would have looked better in a farm house with a country style.
Yeah, if someone told me on national television that I had committed design crimes I would have been very embarrassed! It should have been Karl
Notice how Genevieve ripped Meg in the Wedding challenge when she called the couple big white room "boring" but they judges love the idea that she calls people decorating style "design crimes"? Talk about insulting your clients. The judges liked that her pilot had a gimmick, but gimmicks usually wear thin, and don't stand the test of time.
So true! I won't watch her show either-she was always flustered to get anything done and it showed in her pilot. They really missed the mark picking her over Karl.
I think both Karl & Meg did a great job in this last episode and I'm sure Meg will have a great show. Looking forward to seeing it. Congratulations Meg!!!
congratulations meg
Probably you will be the only one watching it! I smell cancellation after the first show!
I completely agree! Meg did a great job and the camera loves her. She's got very comfortable style rather than a lot of the design ideas I see out there. She actually designs for today's families and that's what a lot of people like.
Are you kidding me? I hope another network picks up Karl
yes, he has SO much to offer, and is so endearing on camera
I think he is fabulous on camera. I think that would be awesome if another network picked him up. He is so much more talented!!
He is very sincere on camera and totally makes sense with great information. Meg is very corny.
i hope either another network or even hgtv picks up Mark for another show . what about a 2 person show?
that could be different. and no. i dont mean the norgratzes!!!!
Great idea! I've watched the Norgoratzes and I'm not impressed with their designs. The make over that they did on their own country house was in my opinion "hydious!" Big yellow blob painted on one section of the siding and the remainder of the house siding obviously needing to be scraped and repainted but left in disrepair…………………GROSS!!!!!
you got it tim! all that yellow didnt hide a thing. it still looked uncared for and neglected. i
know great barrington and it's an upscale massachusetts little town known for antique
shops. with all those resources at hand they could have done soooo much better!
Me too!
The DIY network should scoop him up
It would serve HGTV right. He is a fantastic designer…..I hope he gets the kind of show he wants and very soon.
You're correct. Perhaps Ty should sign him up on EXTREME HOME MAKE OVER, he'll be ultra help on it.
And that it's on opposite Meg's show. His ratings will beat hers hands down!!!!!!
Karl, Kevin and Mark should do a show
cool team! i loved mark and kevin! they were not afraid of doing things out of the box ( love the white
box challenge designs) and it would be a novel idea. or they could rotate designers on the same show!
very well said.
…couldn't agree with you more!! Karl won hands down!!
Karl & Mark would be an awesome dynamic duo for a show together!!
Your comment reflects my thoughts. The powers that be at HGTV are foolish to let Karl disappear. I like his design work, and he would be a very watchable host.
I agree, Steve. HGTV doesn't deserve Karl and I hope and pray that there was no non-compete clause in his contract to be on the show.
The network truly has no finger on the pulse of its viewers. As another poster commented, it's the DUMBING DOWN of design. Meg's a decorator (a cluttered decorator, that is) and Karl is savvy, creative, sophisticated AND educated, informed and entertained the audience with substance and knowledge and his pleasant demeanor.
I might have been able to get over Meg's abrasive voice and in-your-face presence IF she had design substance to back it up.
She doesn't.
Design Star and whatever Meg does are both shows I won't be watching, nor will my friends and neighbors watch it, either–all of us tuned in to learn from Karl each week. Learning from Meg? Yeah right…..when you have a tiny house to design and you create shelves and shelves of jar storage. Sheesh.
But I digress.
Foolish decision from a foolish network that GROSSLY underestimated its audience.
MAJOR disappointment! I and most of my friends and family who watch found Meg annoying. Karl should definitely have won this easily.
What a disappointment – I really have to ask what were the judges thinking! I was thrilled with Karl's work week after week. I will not be watching Meg's show.
I Love her..She has sooo much to offer.I wish she could come to our place. WOW!! Cangrates to all. Good job Meg.Very proud of you.
Ooooh, a Desing Crime lover. Sorry for you.
You are kidding, right?
Actually — it would be congrats to all! If you are going to post in a public forum, a command of the english language is helpful.