Aug
22
David on the All Stars Finale: The Toast Goes To…
David breaks down the designs and the final decision. Plus, inside intel from the judging room.
Here’s what David had to say from the set:
Do you agree with David (and the judges)? Did the right designer win? Weigh in in the comments below.
I agree with so many others. Hilarie's room looked very contemporary, stylist, and tasteful, and looked great on air. And, she has loads of personality, as evidenced during multiple segments of Design Stars and the All Stars show. Her container room was wonderful, including the outdoor area. Tom did his usual beautiful job, albeit a bit of the same that we have seen before. Leslie's container looked cluttered, did not flow well, and her exterior porch was ordinary. Hilari by far was the best designer. I am disappointed in the judges' final decision. When all is said and done, I would much prefer a show with Hilari vs one with Leslie, due in large part to personality and kindness I saw from Hilari. My best to all of them, though, and good luck to Hilari on her career.
I thought Leslie had a great personality. I'm looking forward to watching her in the future.
It'll seem like I'm jumping on the bandwagon here but… dang we really liked Hilari best! Bummed out!
My question is what kind of show can the producers cook up for Leslie? I note that many of the other 'designer' formats have gone bye-bye (Emily, Sabrina, Antonio etc) or else moved to a different network (DIY, which I do not get on my cable system). I doubt that the average American household can afford some of the more pricey designs put forth on many programs, but there are times that useful ideas or designs are shown. Bottom line for me…I usually DVR and fast forward to see the finished product. Much of the drama, the planning, the shopping, the painting, the framing, the talking – I can do without.
She didn't win a show, she won $25,000 and a guest spot on some HGTV show.
Leslie can buy great coffee tables. Period.
Yes, sometimes the shows drag when the get into too much detail on certain aspects. I think Meg has struck a perfect balance. You learn a lot, but the show moves at a fast pace, and her relationship with her carpenter is so entertaining. However, even if no show is found for any of the contestants, or when the winners' shows are cancelled, I notice they often do other special shows for HGTV and make guest appearances here and there. Most of all, however, I imagine it gives their private design studios a hugh boost in customers and they have lucrative careers even though we don't seem them anymore. One of them Kathy Lee Gifford's home for the holiday season (he didn't win DS, but placed high). Kim Myles did a photospread of her designs for a magazine or TV show, as I recall. Things like that come along for them as a result of the exposure.
Hello MB. Yes, in all likelihood it's the face time on t.v. that is the most important career-wise. But it would be interesting to get some "mash up" design shows: House Hunter Redesign; Design Star Meets the Star: Hollywood Makeover (and I don't mean the Kardashians); Property Brothers Grimm. Holmes on Homes for the Holidays. :p
Hilari was ripped off again!! Here design of the space was so much better. I am sorry for her disappointment. Especially when she clearly was so much better. Best wishes to her.
HGTV doesnt' get our support.
I liked her space better too (and I think she and her husband needed the money more, too). I mean, Leslie and her wife have a second home at the beach in Cape Code? I guess she won because of her hosting and the murphy bed idea. But Hilari's is the space I would most want to stay in.
Judges got it wrong. Hilary should be the winner. Tom came in second place……..Please give Hilary her own show
Hilary did the best design of all!! She did something diferent from her usual designs and that should have won her the contest. I didn't like Leslie's room at all!! It looked cluttered and ugly,overcrowded and messy. Her outdoor space was really sorry looking and borin. Tom;s room was the same room that he always does. Not enough color. Hilary should have won, I don't understand how they picked Leslie to win. Can someone explain, please!!
It's business. This is the only reason. It couldn't possibly be because she had great design. It was just ok. Tom's design was good, but cluttered.
I loved Hilari's room! It was so beautiful! I liked Tom's room, but not as much. I don't think he had a bed in his room. Leslie's room was so cluttered. Big deal, a murphy bed. Where are the children supposed to sleep? I didn't get it. Hilari should have won, hands down! I had a feeling she would be slighted again.
I know he didnt win but
I'd love to see Tom do more small space apts….like in NYC.
I'd watch that show.
my daughter just rented a tiny 400 sq ft place in NYC….
of all the shipping containers, his was the one I would actually live in.
Halari's was gorgeous but I couldnt and wouldnt want to live there.
I agree. I would like to see more of Tom show. Hillary design was nice too, but I would prefer a neutral room specially for a small space. He makes the shipping container looks spacious. But I don't think I remember seeing a bed.
The couch was actually a day bed. I thought his room was brilliant.
Once upon a time on HGTV there was a show about how to organize a small space, and they often featured small apts in NYC (under 500 sf). I remember one apt that was about 350sf and the results were brilliant! I think Tom would be a fabulous contributor to such a show. While he may be "Traditional Tom", I found his use of neutrals and textures very soothing, pleasing and inviting. His shipping container was elegant and restful; also multi-functional, while still being classy and streamlined. Now that's a show I'd watch!!!
Agreed – well said – I'd watch in a heartbeat.
Hilari was definitely robbed.
Guess you had to have a blonde female try and outdo the Design Star winner (Danielle)
This is pitiful.
Will change my TV line up from now on.
Elaine, you must be reading my mind! I was hoping they wouldn't play the race game, because it was so obvious that Hilari should have won. It's about the talent!
Everyone knows that Leslie will never outdo Danielle or Hilari.
Vivssis
Are you serious? I fail to see where race even comes into play here.
I really don't think Leslie won because she's blonde! Nor do I see how Leslie winning has anything to do with Danielle.
Tom should have won. It was his best effort so far, and he was operating under a handicap. The women had containers with doors near the sides. His container had doors dead center, making his design harder to do. The woman could hide their sleeping area at the end away from the entrance. Much easier to do. Maximizing the use of the space was the goal. Tom used a day bed, for sleeping and sitting. Leslie created a "Murphy bed" that looked unsturdy, uncomfortable and ugly, especially when closed with the painted blackboard. Those should only be used in a basement play area or outdoor kids club house where they can do anything, not in general living areas. (Danielle painted chalk boards on kitchen cabinets in her first kitchen make over, as though the little darlings will confine their "artistic" creation to just those cabinets! What a dope!). Hilary , not listening, just put a bed in that couldn't be used for anything else, and proceeded to bury it with other furniture and useless junk, thereby cutting the small space down even more.
Tom created an architectural bench across the front of his porch, taking your eyes away from the ugly container, and directing you around to the doors, to view the interior. The women both cobbled together porches the you could see in any trailer park on Tobacco Road. Perfect for sitting on,and playing a banjo.
Tom provided a table the could fold and be used as a desk, when not being used for dining, maximizing space.Leslie had two stools and a little table. Hilari had only one chair and a plate!
Tom made maximum use of the space, with shelves on one end and the day bed on the other end. Tom also, finally started editing himself. Leslie couldn't edit herself, and Hilari never does. Leslie's storage bin looked junky, and her seating was awkward. A kid friendly general use space should be design for adult use, that kids can use without destroying it. As i said before, Hilari cramped the size of he room making it seem even smaller, the ceiling light hanging down so low, was just in the way and didn't look good anyway. Her usual mishmash of color is always offensive. Everything about her "designs" screams SLOB! (Why didn't she throw out the chest that she broke?) That was not Mid Century. At least not a mid century that has happened yet, and I sure hope we never go there either.
Tom's sketches looked excellent and sophisticated, unlike the cartoonish paintings David B. always does. Maybe he lost Davids vote there? Gen said of Tom's design, "who wouldn't want that?" Maybe not Gen for competition? Two votes against Tom?
I can't tell you for sure why Tom didn't win. I can't tell you why Leslie did win. I can say that Hilari lost because her work stinks. All she does is slop paint around, and fills a space with loads of useless, dust collecting, crap. Apparently it is the same thing that her fans do too, erroneously believing that they know something about Real Design. They're wrong.
It was Tom who was robbed.
How were you able to do such a long post? I was told mine was too long and it wasn't as long as your first paragraph.
Your funny, are you the other tom?? who was on the show as tom's support. LoL sounds like you have toms blueprints with you, as you wrote this post. Your views are totally skewed.
My views are totally skewed to what Real Design really is.
Obviously you prefer the slob culture "design" that Hilari represents.
It's your loss.
If I happened to agree with you about Hilari being a slob (which I don't), I'm still confused as to why Hilari did not win. Is HGTV not in the business of making money? I think many people have been turned off of watching the network since they once again did not choose Hilari. If I were trying to keep ratings up, as HGTV, I'd have chosen Hilari.
I did not realized that the door was located differently, now that explains his design.
That was very unfair for the show, it already create an unequal base. Tom design is very elegant, Hilari design is not that bad. But Leslie design is so cluttered I wouldn't want to be in that container.
Tom really did have a beautiful container – and I didn't think that space could be that beautiful.
Tom followed all the rules of what to do with the space: Maximize it! He finally edited himself. He wisely ignored David's advice of adding colour, since that advice got him kicked off Design Star. Blueberry Blue still rankles my memory. Colour in a small space, makes the space even smaller, as Hilari did to her room, plus her pile of crap, in and around the bed area, cutting the size of the room by one third, at least!
The Hilari fans don't care about design, they just like her. She could be giving out the weather report, reading off a teleprompter, but design she can't do at all. It is worthless to have a "personality" hosting a show that has no knowledge of design. If the goal is a bubbly personality hosting a design "themed" show (and it is on HGTV!) Hilari would be fine. But, if you want a real designer, then Hilari is a joke.
DS7 had a predetermined winner: a female person of colour. Hilari was the backup in case Danielle failed miserably. Just look at Hilari's design portfolio that she submitted to get on the DS. Absolutely the worse portfolio presented by anyone, who actually got on the show. (which is saying something, because there a bunch of real stinkers before her!) The fix had to be in. She got on DSAS for no other reason except that the vast majority of HGTV's audience is women over 35 years of age, who make the same stupid design mistakes as she does, and who think she is wonderful.
Leslie's life style is what got her the win. Totally wrong!
The only thing I agree with in your diatribe was your assessment of Hilari. I really don't like her style. I do like Tom, but Leslie was the clear winner.