Sep
13
David on the Finale: “Can You Handle This Moment?!”
David dishes on what it was like to be in the elimination room while the judging panel deliberated. Plus, why his heart was beating “1000 times a minute” and what is “the golden ticket for fabulous.”
What did you think of the season finale? Did you think the right designer won out? Tell us in the comments below.
i realize that HGTV doesn't take issue with contestants or panel members using the word "guys" repeatedly, but every other word out of meg's mouth is "guys". karl is a much better speaker, and his voice is mellow, not grating like hers. HGTV – you blew it!
Yes, the whole "guys" thing was driving me mad, and Tanika is also a major offender. You'd think with as little as she has to do on the show she could come up with a few more creative things to say.
I completely agree! I posted a similar comment weeks ago. Tanika and Meg say "guys" constantly, and too many others on the show did too. It drives me mad too!
I have to say that I was really rooting for Karl. I hope that HGTV brings him back with a show as they seem to be doing lately with other design hopefuls from years past. I know that Meg is bubbly and could "sell you anything", but I really didn't find anything new in her designs. I appreciated Karl's architectural approach and really loved his painting of the armoire. I thought , I know, he's doing a TV cabinet, but it's different. Everyone in America has a television, and probably a large percentage of them are in a cabinet. It was nice to see a cabinet that was more a piece of art. Meg's designs are pleasant but I don't see much difference between her and other featured designers on HGTV. Maybe that's why she was chosen. Will I still remain faithful to HGTV. Sure, but I am disappointed.
I agree. I am disappointed. I love David and Antonio. Both are excellent designers and I would have liked to add Karl to this group but alas, he didn't win. Well, the damage can be undone if Karl has his own show and we will see who has a larger audience- Karl or Meg. There are so many things you can learn from Karl's designs.
That's my last time viewing DS! Really – Meg? Karl was sooo much more talented as were several other. And Design Crimes? The series has gone straight downhill since David (1st) and no one will watch Meg's show, just like they don't watch most other "winners." I don't believe for a minute David or Candice liked Meg's design style. There isn't any.
I would have preferred Karl as well. But my husband, who doesn't watch HGTV unless I'm watching it and endured Design Star because I was tuned into it, surprised me by getting into the show because of Meg. He likes her persona, and he likes her because she's not like the slick male designers or the sterotypically pretty female designers. But he doesn't know squat about design, so I guess it figures that he would prefer entertainment over aesthetic elegance.
Wrestling is entertainment, too.
I am so disgusted by this entire process… I'm giving up on Design Star.
Genevieve's and Candice's gushing comments about Meg being someone you'd want to go have a drink with or the girl "everyone wants to be friends with" (wtf! are we all still in high school? that statement reveals the depths of Genevieve's stupidity) or even Candice saying last night that Meg "was like the girl next door"… wtf again?
The fact that they are even saying stupid things like this makes it clear that winning Design Star has nothing to do with design talent…. and is all about wowing the idiot judges.
Meg is a decorator… last night she had Kellie and Leslie pick out all the furniture (which is why it looked good for the first time) and she used the blue color the client wanted on the walls… it is depressing.
Karl had a much tougher challenge in pulling together two disparate styles and I think he pulled it off… he has an ability to listen to the challenge or the client and then use his own design skills to interpret the challenge and come up with something totally unique… very inspiring to watch and I was SO looking forward to his show.
If you look back on Meg's efforts over the season… you see no such ability… her "designs" were gaudy… and the white box challenge and the foyer/upstairs seating areas were ATROCIOUS. The colors in the small house were awful.
I won't be watching her show… and I guess some could say it's silly to be upset at a TV show challenge… but we diehard HGTV viewers love DESIGN…. we don't care about someone's ability to "reach out of the TV set and demand that you watch them"….
We want talented innovative creative design… period. This season was a waste of my time to wind up with Meg.
I repeat… I am disgusted with HGTV.
Meg did NOT use the blue that the client wanted. They had specified "Tiffany" blue which is a light turquoise, almost robin's-egg blue. (Sorta like the Twitter link below, but less neon!) Instead she got a depressing bluish-gray, ugh. Imagine what Karl could have done with that request!
I was wondering what Tiffany blue was… thx. When Meg said the rug had a hint of "Tiffany blue" and the client got so verklempt at the blue on the wall I assumed it was Tb….
Regardless… Meg painted the wall blue at the request of the client, even if it was off! too funny actually.
Designer she is not.
if you really looked at all the furniture in that space there was about 2 ft of walking room between any piece… where the hell is a baby soposed to play??? i thought i was going to die if i heard one more cheesy crime reference. really??? i wont b watching her show, her voice is as annoying as rachael rays lol
IDIOT JUDGES?!?!?!?! WOW!!!!!!!! That was a bit over the top!!!!!!!!!!! The talent and knowledge that was sitting on that panel is almost too much to contain in one room!!!! That was rude and uncalled for.
I do think that Meg's designs were almost always predictable, but she handled the camera much better throughout the shows than Karl did. Karl was a great designer and I think he would've gotten better over time. I think it was a tough decision. As long as Kathy got the boot, I was okay with the outcome. Just my opinion……………
This was a really good summation of how most people apparently feel, myself included. It really was a major disappointment to see Meg win. I can't imagine what Karl must have been thinking, but he was extremely gracious.
Karl improved so much over the season and has so much more to offer–real design talent and skills. Meg had so many bad moments throughout the season, it is a wonder she even made it as far as she did. You can easily see she just does not have what it takes to be an inspiring designer. The "design crimes" thing was SO overdone and really just childish. Karl was so much more articulate in his 5-minute pilot than Meg. It really felt like the judges were playing a role that they were forced to play last night–grinning while watching the pilots like that's what they were instructed to do. I don't believe that they truly believed Meg should have been the winner.
Did anyone at HGTV read the ongoing comments about the show? They really should!
Hard to believe the judges taste could possibly be different from your own?
I was rooting for Meg. she could do my whloe house. Karl was also great either one's show would have me tuning in. Love HGTV!
please don't ever try starting a career in any artistic field
I agree. The judges decided to go with a bubbly personality over a consistently intriguing designer, Karl, who wasn't cookie-cutter. Meg's room, while pleasant, was generic and lacked any real personal connection to the owners. Also, Meg's room was poorly planned. Why was the couch so big the homeowners had to scooch their way around the furniture when they opened the door? In such a narrow room a couch with huge roll-arms wasn't the right choice.
Finally, the whole 'Design Crimes' concept is suspect. It's a cheesy gimmick. Who would want a designer to come in her home and tell her she's committed 'crimes'? It borders on insulting at worst, or untactful and awkward at best. It kind of made my skin crawl when Meg announced to the owners she was there to discover their 'design crimes'. Surely this can be done with more tact, balancing honest critiques with suggestions for improvement, the way Candice Olson and David Bromstad do on their shows every week. But unfortunately this is the whole premise of Meg's show.
It is very surprising to me that no one really likes Meg yet the panel voted her in. I hope that someone from HGTV responds soon and explains why Meg won. So sad.
David gave us a clue when he said it's easier to tone somebody down than to bring them up. He praised Karl's progress but apparently it's easier to provide Meg with some speech lessons and behind-the-scenes design support than to get rid of Karl's nervous laugh.
But it will be impossible to teach Meg how to be the kind of designer Karl is…
That is the biggest problem.
Yes. But apparently HGTV is more worried about personality than about design.
Totally contradicts what HGTV is supposed to be about.
My last ditch effort to get some quality programming on TV just fell through the floor.
ah well. Later for this BS. I've had enough of HGTV.
precisely
It's because Meg was great!
Could it be the panel understands design better than the people posting on this blog?
meg has no innate artistic talent. this many viewers, and it's been way more than the few who like her, can't be wrong
The panel seemed more focused on finding a personality than in finding someone with great design ideas. Meg just rehashes the same old stuff we've heard for years ( i.e. mirrors can make a small space seem bigger!). Where's the inspiration? I've given up on HGTV.
I like all the judges much less after this design star season. Look at them. They look like they can be puppets next to Kermit in the muppet show. =/
silly
I'm disappointed. I don't like her tv persona, I feel like she is trying to bulldoze me into watching rather than inviting me in. And I haven't liked a single one of her designs this season, whereas there are several of Karl's (and Mark's) that I do like. I still love Karl's backsplash tile mosiac and his master bedroom. His room in the finale was inviting and met some real needs. I think her room was dark & plain.
My suggestion for the Design Panel next season: Sabrina Soto, Monica Pedersen, and John Giddings. All three are wonderful design professionals. Tanika Ray didn't get on my nerves as badly as she irked some of the bloggers, she can stay or go. However, to completely give the show a fresh look, I believe Taniya Nayak would make a great host because she is a wonderful personality and a good designer. There's something about the current Design Panel that is absolutely NOT in step with the viewing public.
I like J. Giddings and maybe Sarah Richardson. Sabrina and Monica would not be my choice.
But honestly, they should have some judges that do not host a show on HGTV.
It's a conflict of interest. One rep is good enough and I could see Gidding being it.
They need to diversify their pool of where they get their judges. Can't just be all HGTV stars already.
I LOVE Sarah Richardson and she would be excellent, but based on what I know about her I do not believe this would interest her. But, if HGTV can get her, it would be fantastic.
I think most of the HGTV design shows have gone down in quality. It is all about being silly and quirky. I prefer straightforward design with learning something along the way. So many of the ideas and designs are not for the everyday person. I love Sarah Richardson's style and would love to see more of her! Did you see her Summer House series? Absolutely fantastic!
Sarah Richardson is a true designer but I don't think she would compromise her reputation to be a puppet for the producers of Design Star, it seems like she has too much integrity and too much at stake. I love her shows.'
I agree wholeheartedly. Sabrina Soto does a reallty good job of designing and offering tips that the average person can relate to. I have been an HGTV fan since the first Trading Spaces days but these last 4 seasons of Design Star have left me totally giving up on HGTV. I can cancel it from my cable package and save myself some money.