Ask the Producer: Design Star Finale and Meg’s New Show!
Each week, Design Star producer Loren Ruch gives us the inside scoop on the show. After this week’s finale, he discusses the panel’s final deliberation. Plus, what you can expect from Meg’s new show HGTV’s Great Rooms.
It must have been hard for the design panel to choose between these two talented designers! What made them ultimately choose Meg as the winner?
It was an extremely tough decision because our design panel liked both Meg and Karl so much. In fact, the deliberation took nearly four hours! They reviewed all of the camera challenges and design challenges, and ultimately selected Meg as the winner. Meg and Karl had each won two challenges throughout the season, and then split the win in the tiny houses episode, so it was a very, very even competition all the way around.
What was it like for Meg to meet so many of the HGTV talent right after the win?
Meeting our HGTV talent was a huge moment for Meg. When she said “Oh my God, you’re all real,” it was a true ‘light bulb’ moment. She told me it was in that moment she realized winning Design Star was a life-changing event!
The original concept for the Meg’s series was Design Crimes. How did that idea evolve into HGTV’s Great Rooms?
If I’m going to be completely honest, HGTV’s Great Rooms is the same show as Design Crimes. Meg uses her criminology background to investigate the crimes in her fellow Chicagoans homes, and then redesign the spaces to be more beautiful. This may sound crazy, but I believe that there’s power in words, so instead of focusing on something negative (like the word “crimes”) I’d rather we focus on the positive (like “great”), which is why we changed it to HGTV’s Great Rooms. “Great” is a double entendre in the show, because not all of the rooms are true great rooms, but they are all GREAT!
When did Meg’s show begin filming?
Meg’s show started to shoot about three weeks after we completed production of Design Star. She needed to get working on her designs immediately following our finale. Honestly, she hasn’t slept much since we started shooting Design Star back in March!
Can you give us any clues about what we can expect from Meg’s new show? What did you think were the best on-set moments?
I can say this with 100 percent sincerity – I think that Meg’s makeovers in HGTV’s Great Rooms are some of the biggest and best makeovers that I’ve ever seen on our air. I truly believe that our viewers will be blown away by the level of talent she displays in this show. By the way, HGTV’s Great Rooms debuts Saturday at 6pm ET/PT – so set your DVR’s!! Learn more about Meg’s new show >>
Note: The picture is one of our entire crew – look at how many people it takes to get a show like this on the air! I want to take this opportunity to thank the best crew in the business, and the best viewers in the world…we love our HGTV fans!
I previously opted to watch HGTV regularly, but I now just pass it by. It is no longer a network that deserves my time and attention. It has gone down hill the past few years, and choosing Meg over Karl was the last straw. It's ironic that a network supposedly devoted to design can have such poor taste. Good bye HGTV.
Meg's new show is FANTASTIC! She is SO entertaining. I found myself smiling during the entire show. Karl is a talented designer, but he was boring and awkward to watch. Great choice, Design Star judges!
Sorry Nancy, I have to assume you're her mother…
I, too, am disappointed that Karl didn't win his own show on DS because he has the most talent and designs to offer the viewers. I thought HGTV had finally found someone as equal with David B. and Antoinio who could entertain and design rooms that would inspire the viewers. Past comments show that Karl has that quality of inspiration. In the 6 episodes of DS, HGTV airs programs hosted by only 4 winners. If Meg's show lasts. And then you did bring the semi-finalist from one season as host of Room Crasher, finally, after Kim left. That was another season of a poor choice for the finalist.
I was really hoping for a new INSPIRING design show hosted by Karl. You have enough ho-hum design on a dime, change the look of the room shows. And get rid of House Hunters, and all the other look for houses shows, please. Antonio doesn't get enough air time.
"goodbye Karl" how rude of HGTV to throw this sarcastic comment to the Karl fans to shut us up no class no watch Meg
i wanted karl to win
i like color splash but not megs show
I love HGTV but can’t stand to hear Meg. Her work is unimpressive. How many packs a day does thus ugly and annoying woman smoke? Her show I’d so horrible that I googles her to see how such an annoying beast has a tv show. The only thing worse would have been if that horrid Cathy witch was on TV. Two people too ugly for prime time…or anytime!!!
Meg needs to be pulled from the air because she Is obnoxious. She is not fat; tv adds weight. But she has no design ability more than I do. She has no vocabulary to carry her through her show. She is smug. Most of all, that voice is hideous–how many packs a day does she smoke? So unprofessional. Just because anyone beats creepy Cathy does not entitle this toad to a show!
Wow – I agree with all the negative comments on the choice of Meg. It means I have SOME taste.
Her VOICE!!!!! I would never be able to listen to her for an entire show.
I surely hope they send her for diction lessons – elocution lessons – to modulate her voice so it is bearable.
You all goofed not choosing Karl – actually ANYONE except Meg.
Meg is awesome…