Episode 5 Recap: Party Time, Excellent
This week, the designers helped Hollywood celebrate its 125th birthday by creating lounges that evoked different periods from the city’s history…in 24 hours! (BTW, Hollywood is looking young for its age. Of course.) But all of the designers weren’t in the party mood — here’s the best and worst of this week’s challenge, including who went home.
Britany drew “Hollywood regency” style — her own style — but the pressure of designing Hollywood for Hollywood got to her a bit. Still, she pulled together a beautiful space, one she called “the best space she’s ever designed.” The highlights: Her geometric bookcases and black-and-white wall panels. Her camera challenge was scattered (a live presentation for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce event), but she still threw Danielle a few eye daggers when the panel announced the winner. Do I sense the start of a rift there?
Danielle drew art deco style, which fits her aesthetic, too: Remember her White Box Challenge? David did, and he challenged her to do something other than the same old black-and-gold color scheme. She brought in peach accents and accessories, which Genevieve loved. Everyone seemed to paint the floor this week, but I liked Danielle’s geometric design best.
Vern was in love with the lamps in the back, but I thought the panther in the front of the room was, ahem, quite fierce. After a couple of bad weeks, this was her comeback! She’s this week’s winner.
Hilari had the era of spandex and neon: the ’80s! (P.S., Your DeLorean joke may have fell flat with the crowd, but it made me chuckle.) She planned to do a rug out of spandex, but let’s just say, there’s a reason no one’s gone there. Luckily she trashed it in time to do a very cool Mondrian-inspired painted floor. The room’s small touches — like the punk rock studded leather details on the PVC pipe-walls — really made her room stand out.
Kris, your used car salesman schtick wore out your welcome with the judges (as did his ill-advised paneling). Kris said it best when he started this challenge: “A literal interpretation of the ‘70s would probably give you a room you’d want to remodel.” Yep, that’s exactly what we ended up with: too much furniture and a strange wall and floor hue really gave it that “time capsule basement” vibe. He also skipped the personality portion of the camera challenge again this week, leading the judges to say “We will not be producing your show.”
I was excited to see what Mikel would do with his midcentury modern card, since I’m in love with the low-slung furniture and warm, natural elements of the style. Unfortunately, Mikel didn’t exactly hit it out of the park. His set designer skills should have helped him complete the space on a tight time crunch, but it just looked like showtime came too soon. The painting was fine. The furniture was fine. It was all fine…but it could have been special.
When Rachel drew the Victorian card, she acted like a kid taking a stand against broccoli at the dinner table. After several “ew gross” moments and gagging sound effects at the thought of Victorian style, she pulled it together and finished a space. The judges liked her “window” into the display…
…but they didn’t like her depressing camera challenge (“I’m so happy this day is over” = not cute) and color palette, which Vern said must have been Smurf-inspired. She’s on thin ice with the panel.
Stanley, or should I say “Sci-Fi Stanley,” looked right at home designing a futuristic lounge. Unfortunately, the design panel in the present wasn’t too keen on the space’s centerpiece, a custom table with a giant, red vase on top.
Genevieve just got right out there and said it: it looked “so incredibly phallic and so vertical.” He said he loved Star Wars, and the coffee table looked like the newest torture device in the Death Star. (Darth Vader: “Stanley…you are my designer.”) In Stanley’s defense, most futuristic movies assume that along with regular cars and computers, all comfort has gone out the window…so in that sense, it was totally accurate.
Check back tomorrow for Meg and David’s reaction to the episode.
Now, it’s your turn: What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did the right person win? Did the judges send the right designer packing? Tell me your take in the comments below.
Danielle deserved to win. She is amazing. Her details are subtle and right on! She has a wonderful personality, incredible ways of putting colors together, and wonderful design sense. I can't wait for her to have her own design show that I can watch on HGTV.
I agree-she does great. But that Victorian room of rachels was a disaster and she should have been the one to go home. she has not shown nearly as much talent as Kris.
I think that Brithany should have been the winner of this challenge. Her room was elegant and glamorous. If a picture of it was used as a cover of a design magazine, I would buy that magazine and look at the room for hours and hours and hours. With her color selection, interesting graphic patterns, elegant furniture and beautiful accessories Brithany created a room with enormous visual interest, a true candy for the eye! On the other hand Dannelle's design was mediocre. To me number of design elements she used were out of style, out of place and out of scale. If her room was published in a design magazine I would skip through it and never turn the page to look at it again. In this regard I was shocked when she was pronounced as the winner of the challenge.
Brittany, I really loved your room. Dannelle you room is really elegant, a place in which I would like to lounge. Hilari, a vibrant room, upbeat and bright. Stanley, I love the chairs, very futuristic, good job man. Mikel, I like the color that pops past the white. Brings back memories of my uncle’s bachelor pad. Rachel, looks like Alice in Wonderland, it is Victorian. Kris, what can I say. Good luck to you.
Well said!
Spot on, Pat
Agree. Danielle rocked it with her beautiful art deco design! Britany was a close second! Her design was also very beautiful! It must have been a difficult decision. I like her a lot, but Rachel's design and public speaking turn were the worst. She is lucky she did not go home.
Brittany and Hilary did designs every bit as winning as Danielleʻs. I was surprised that Rachel was so standoffish toward Victorian.
A real designer doesn't copy an era or style. A real designer produces original designs. Being original shows real talent, when someone is truly creative.
DS is a joke.
So if you don't like it, quit watching, lolz.
Any great artist is influenced by the creations of artists that came before him or her. It's the same with design.
Designing is a science, not an art, or at least it should be.
When they stop calling "Inferior Decorating Star," "Design Star," then I'll stop complaining about the show. Until then, the false labeling of the show deserves my criticism, and it shall get it.
I think it takes a trained eye to see and recreate the subtle nuances in historic recreation. Most people get it wrong, due to anacronisms. I'm going to voice my personal opinion that successful "period" decorating does take talent. Being individual and original is very commendable, but putting your ego on hold by honoring the past achievements of others through a thoughtful and well researched decorative scheme has merit.I love history. It is my personal belief that since in historic terms the most well known decorative schemes were usually the province of the wealthy, there is nothing wrong with aspiring to the brilliance and quality of pre industrial revolutionary decorative artists.
Of course this has nothing to do with DS or anything connected with HGTV, but your blanket statement about period decor being uncreative begged for a rebuttal.
In terms of what is a "Design Star," creativity and originality should reign supreme. Recreating and era or the style of others is fine, if that is what you are commissioned to do. Being a "Design Star" requires being able to design what is distinctly you, apart from all others. In other words, having your own work stand out as something that others observe to be unique and worthy of emulation. That of course is something that we have never seen on Design Star, nor on HGTV in general.
I was so sure that Rachel would be gone. She was being quite childish about not drawing a theme she really liked. To host your own show, or be a designer at all, you sometimes have to work with people and with aesthetics you may not care for. I think she fell apart after last week, and it was very disappointing to see.
On the other hand, I'm definitely glad that Kris went home. He's talented but comes across as cocky and plastic. Sayonara!
Rachel deserved to go home. This is her second week in a row at the bottom. Chis' only mistake was where he placed his couch. Rachel is AWFUL. Her room was a TOTAL disaster.
I still don't understand what was wrong with the couch. Even so, if that's the worst thing he did, I can give you at least a dozen more serious missteps by others this week. What's up DS?
I think Rachel was saved because she had two previous wins, Kris had no wins. If Kris's camera challenges had been as good as his exit interview he might still be there. I thought his was the best exit interview this season. Rachel did have the worst room, what was she thinking with that horrible blue color?
I posted below too, but it looked like all of the camera challenges were poorly edited. I cracked up with Hillari's DeLorean joke, and I know that everyone didn't just stand there and look at Kris when he said raise your glass to 125 years Hollywood. Those people are way to conceited to not toast themselves!! They didn't show the audience clapping etc. once and even if they didn't like something they would still clap because they felt they needed to. Also, it was the same shot of GG with a grimace on her face and Vern looking like an asian midget who just had a stroke. How did Stanley or Michel do? For all I know, they got up on stage and gave the audience the bird and walked off. I don't get it, I know they only show us what they want us to see, but it seemed so blatant this week.
Kris gave the best exit interview I've heard. He showed REAL CLASS. Best wishes, Kris~!
I agree, Danielle's room was awesome and everything was pulled together so well. I also thought Hilari's room was great. She has some interesting ideas in her room designs. I think both Danielle and Hilari are good on camera. Britany has good designs but needs practice presenting her ideas on camera.
Britany was robbed!!! Her room was clearly the best. Her attention to detail is always right on. Neither Britany nor Danielle had a strong camera challenge this week. Britany clearly deserved to win this week!!!
Danielle's camera was way better than Britany's.. Britany stuttered the entire time. I thought Britany's room was better though!!!
Totally unfair that Britany did not win. Discrimination?
Discrimination, really? Both of those rooms were great, Danielle had the better camera challenge. David always says how important the camera challenge is, of course that doesn't really explain how Meg won last year. I don't feel that Brittany was robbed at all, she's still there the season isn't over yet.
Really discrimination? Discrimination based on what?!! Both Danielle and Brittany are not only talented designers but are both very pretty!! I really don't see any difference between the two of them. You should really think of a more educated reply before posting it!!!
Discrimination against what? Hot blondes?
Loved, loved, loved Hillary's room. I think it was by far the best. Way to go!
I’m sad to see Kris go. I felt like we missed out on seeing his personality and he was clearly talented- I hope to see more of him soon.
Agreed. They were beginning to show a different side to Kris on the show. From this week, it was clear that he got along with the other designers, joked, helped them move things, etc. I think a lot of people on here were starting to warm up to him as they said last week, and then he's eliminated for a room that was really good IMHO. He was def talented designer and I wish him the best.
I agree with you- the wrong person was sent home—Rachel is awful- her design really was sloppy
Kris is very talented, but I doubt he could ultimately have won anyway. He's creative and can be fun, but overall not a presence or personality strong enough to carry a show of his own. He has had some fine moments, though, like those tables he did last week into which he drilled holes and planted succulents.
Sad night. Kris Swift is a fierce and fearless talent that Austin is so proud of.
Couldn't have said it better. I've met Kris a few times and have seen his work around Austin and think that it was awesome that a gifted young person from my hometown got to show the world what great talent we have in our city. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more to come from Kris. Best of luck to all the remaining designers.
I agree with you. He nailed the 70's theme with the paneling, shag rug, etc. The 70s had garish designs and he portrayed the decade well. For the designers to say they would get his room as a room requiring a makeover was wrong. He was spot-on. Rachel's victorian interpretation was ghastly. Didn't care for his personality so much but he is talented.