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!
Are you kidding me? Karl has won hands down through the whole competition. I tound Meg's crime venue a little boring and repeticious. Karl…you can come design at my house anytime.
I absolutely agree with you…Karl was consistently the best designer week after week; with more practice, he would be as confident in front of the camera as Meg. When Candace said, Meg was entertaining and that's what TV provides over magazines and the Internet, I knew then it would be Meg, and I am totally bummed at the decision.
I want Karl to do a backsplash for me. I'm still in love with that!
like a good commercial, it gets old after repeating the gimmick over and over
The Design Crimes concept will get old quickly.
I agree 110%. Karl nailed the final it. Furthermore, in spite of starting out camera shy, by the time the last episode arrived Karl's camera challege was smoother and more watchable than Meg's was. I would watch Karl on a show. Meg: never. I could overlook Meg's unattractiveness and weight, especially if she had an engaging personality. Meg doesn't. (One would assume HGTV would have learned a lesson or two from Kim Myles but apparently no.) What I can't get passed is Meg's grating, high irritating voice. Whetheror not Meg has design skill–and she does, almost as much as Karl–she plain and simpling isn't watchable.
Going into the head-to-head challenge, Karl was handed a much harder challenge and he did an outstanding job on it. Meg's room felt clastraphobic. I honestly feel I would have come up with a better design than Meg but Karl would have blown me out of the water — the same as he did to Meg.
Meg had too many cutesy things and cheap DIY items all through the season; like that cheap looking table..paint flat grey and add a white design. well.ewwwww. maybe if you add a glass top or something on the sides to make it POP. That idea has been around since my Grandmother painted the top on her dining room table. KARL had ideas that were, for lack of a better term, fashion forward. His mural/mosaic was brilliant. … this one really feels like "the fix was in".
She was better both in her desigh and on camera
I'm sorry – Meg is too much out there, too over confident. She will become boring shortly. And, if she wasn't the favored among the judges where did the Design Crime come from? No one else had a premise for the pilot. Meg was just too sure of herself. I guess it paid off. Will not be watching her show.
Apparently, everyone else was watching a different show than you. Karl's room was spectacular. He solved their design problems; and he was terrific on camera. Meanwhile, Meg was awkward and screechy. The only major thing she had to do was put a sculpture on a simple wooden pedestal. Big deal.
The room was not even "baby/Toddler" friendly….Seriously, that sculpture on the simple wooden pedestal, DANGEROUS!!
all i could thinkof was that baby toppling ove that statue! and all those pale colors and dirty hands?
not a room for kids in any way!
Yes, I agree. I would have like to have seen the budda put into a wall insert with lighting on it, sort of like what I saw them do in the show where they put the fountain in a cubby hole in the wall of the tuscan kitchen design in one episode.
That's a good idea!
Kellie and Leslie picked out all of the furniture in Meg's room and meg painted the walls the owner's favorite color… she actually had very little to do with the room.
It just plain stunk. P. U.
sorry, not buying that. she had the right of refusal like on all shows. she was a candice clone in design for that room.
She couldn't even get the rug right the first time and had to waste time going back to the store so Kelly and Leslie had to do most of the work.
Must be a Meg relative or friend. No way was she better than most of the competitors, much less Karl.
No she wasn't.
I just cannot agree. Remember the white room with all the disasters and with the table that fell apart at the last minute; the awful hallway and upper floor loft area she threw together and the crooked hanging lanterns? She often went into a panic about finishing. The little house with the yellow and bright green colors with the inappropriate use of space and childlike furniture? Karl seemed smooth and finished most of his projects without unnecessary drama and appeared more professional.
good memory marieod!! who cant use a level, oops, got it: its meg
camera challenge maybe, I guess that what won over design lol
I am so sorry to see "the dumbing down" of design. Karl and Mark's design KNOWLEDGE and APPLICATION will surely be inspired design while Meg is trying to pick the right rug and color while she entertains "you guys" who care to watch.
I think Meg talks down to the audience- Her segment on Nate's show was very uncomfortable. Asking the audience to oohh for her table design- if they had thought it was a good tip, they wouldn't need prompting for tips.
I agree completely Meg should have been eliminated earlier during the white room challenge. . I watch HGTV to get educated and inspired. Not entertained. I admit her title is catchy and corny. I wish they would give Karl a chance. I would love a to watch his show.
I couldnt agree with you more. Anyone with eyes could appreciate just how many lightyears ahead of Meg he is. I for one have no intention of being "entertained" by Meg
Karl and Marc not only had the knowledge but I felt they also put more of themselves into the work. Meg seemed to do more shopping and letting the carpenters do the actual work where Marc seemed to use his workers less and actually did the design work and his "special" elements were fantastic. Even Vern said he appreciated the design elements used by Marc each time.
Yes, I believe it should have been Karl and Mark in the Finals. That both were very creative with new design ideas of their own to contribute. I did not get even one inspiration from Meg and was even appalled at some of the things she did and said. She may have nailed camera challenges to the judges but she never nailed even one design with a creative idea. She is a stager not a designer.
every other word out of meg's mouth is "guys" – so annoying! (tamika, take note)
Right on! I so agree with you!!! I loved Mark's rooms from the start; he is clearly the better designer, so intelligent, and unlike Meg, his voice doesn't grate on the ears. And he doesn't YOU GUYS people to death. Honestly, if we did shots every time someone on HG TV says YOU GUYS we'd all be dead by now.
I HATED last year's choice as well. Let's face it- the show is geared to the lowest common denominator.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!!!
I cringed every time she said "you guys". Enough already!
I completely agree with you about the depth of knowledge and talent of both Karl and Mark. Perhaps Karl and Mark can have THEIR OWN show! They would make an incredible Dynamic Duo! Give them their own show and watch some REAL "design crime" SOLUTIONS! At the very least, employ both of them online! Perhaps, the OWN network could pick them up. HGTV is not the only game in town anymore. Heed the warning HGTV execs. Together or with Karl by himself, that's the only way I would watch. Meg, you seem nice, but with all the design info provided to viewers over the years, dyi'ers are more sophisticated now and want to actually Learn and be Inspired. Picking a rug twice just doesn't cut it anymore. P.S. Genieve should not be criticizing Karl's laugh. Have you ever listened to Genieve's cackle? And her knowledge? She and Vern came from "Trading Spaces"! Real high caliber! And I question Vern's design depth. Did you see the rookie mistake he made on the "Urban Oasis" special! The chairs Didn't Fit Under the Table!!! The only one qualified is Candice Olsen and she missed the whole season of "Design Star"! Disgusted!
Yes, if she said "you guys" one more time I was going to scream.
Nothing against Meg, I liked her, but Karl should have won, this is the 2nd time the design star pick was wrong. Considering now watching anymore.
I"m with you. I probably won't waste my time watching DESIGN STAR any more. My friends are beginning to voice the same thing. No more "fixed" show. Maybe Vern and Gen. Gorder should be fired.
I actually pity Meg, they will drag her down even more than she has already…..
I agree with you, I think last season they picked the wrong designer. I can't stand Emily.
I'm with you, except for the part about liking Meg. What a phony persona. Karl deserved it, he can design rings around her and doesn't sound like fingernails on a chalk board! Another show I won't be watching. If they find a way to give Karl a show anyway, I'll be there!
one show I definitely WILL NOT watch. Karl was cheated and I think the whole thing is rigged and planned from the get go.
Amen to that!
I'm beginning to wonder. I thought sure Meg was going to be one of the first ones gone. And she almost was until they gave her a pass.
It's all rigged, like 99% of "shows" out there.
your just mad who you liked didnt win. fail much to you.
I also beleive the whole thing is rigged from the get go. This voting on line obviously makes no difference. I hope Karl can read these comments and see how he really is a winner in so many fans eyes.
karl was never good, ever. soooo not rigged! Karl stinks, mark rocks!
Mark was good, but he couldn't win because they had already made up their mind it would be Meg. The biggest mistake they did was when they let that girl go in the first round of elimination. If you look at her designs they posted on her bio you'll see she's one talented designer. I think these judges are ensuring their designs are not shown up by some new and up and coming. I think the judges for the show should chance each season, what do you think? I think desisigner's from outside HGTV should be judging, not designer's who will feel threatened by them.
I won't be watching – canceling expanded cable and dropping HGTV. I can't afford it, was staying on for Design Star, and will never watch Meg's show.
Big deal! I will watch her show!
It is a big deal when you have to work for your money.
And I agree. I'm canceling HGTV from cable.
It's not worth it.
You are rude.
Sounds like you are very talented and in high demand! NOT!
Totally agree…..Meg should have been booted the first week. Mark was by far the best designer. What a scam this show is. After David…it's been downhill.
Sorry, mean't not watching anymore.
Yay! SO happy Meg won! Who is that carpenter? Can we please see more of him in her new show?!
Congratulations, Meg!!!! I wanted Karl to win, but Meg's theme of "Design Crime" and her pilot just turned me her way. And now you are having her show about great rooms. I am dissapointed. The crime theme is new and untouched. But with editing, you can make her shine. She has the personality of the girl next door, as you said. I AM looking forward to her show. Thanks HGTV for a fantastic season!!!
If Meg is a girl next door, I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood!
Are they even using her theme for the new show? If she won based on her pitch, then why do Great Rooms? Oh well, I don't plan to watch it.
Meg is not the 'girl next door'. Sorry, but she isn't likable. HGTV you blew it this time.
i live in the country and she's not my girl next door by any stretch of thr imagination. neither david nor antonio are the boys next door to me but they can sure come and visit! (and bring chewie).
I guess she is okay if you want a kiddie show with an irritating host.
od course her pilot was great, HGTV put MUCH MORE into it and left Karls barely edited. But, HMMMMMM is "Design Crimes" the name of her new show? ….. uh NO!!! typical HGTV agenda
I would rather have my girl next door than have Meg design for me.
You liked the "Design Crime" Theme? Really? If you hired a designer to redo your house, how would you feel if they walked in and told you the way you had decorated was criminal?
I didn't like that pitch either .. I felt like it was degrading the clients and was kinda rude….
"With editing you can make her shine" Do you realize that you just said that Meg cannot shine based on her own abilities ? If that is what you meant, I agree.
Par for the course with HGTV. Again they pick someone so utterly annoying. I can not stand her frog voice!! Karl – I wish you great designing and I look forward to them bringing you on when they realize no one is watching "frog voice."
I'm not put off by Meg's voice or her looks, but her designs are so mediocre. I definitely will NOT be watching her show. I record the HGTV shows I want to watch and she will not be on my playlist!