Dooce’s Recap: Oh, Humility. Where Art Thou?
Welcome to a Dan-less Design Star. Can it be the same? Who will build Nina’s projects? Who will we ogle? Oh, right! Courtland! PHEW!
We find ourselves at the New York Fire Department Training Facility, and Genevieve Gorder announces that Chief Ciarvino of the FDNY is going to help judge this week’s challenge. She then mixes up the teams: Michael, Emily, Casey and Alex become the blue team. Nina, Stacey, Courtland and Tom become the red team. Can I just say this before we go on? Hey, Courtland: NINA IS BOHEMIAN. I just want you to see that one coming.
The challenge this week is to design a common space for real firefighters in real New York City firehouses, some place they come back to in between calls, some place where Chief Ciarvino says they can relax. Each designer is to incorporate one signature element into the team design, something, anything to express each individual’s voice. Wait a minute; it’s coming to me… I see… I see… I SEE A MURAL! ON A WALL!
The teams get dressed up in full firefighter gear and visit a simulator where they experience a real fire. It roars up over the ceiling, and Chief Ciarvino is like, if it gets too hot just raise your hand! I don’t know why that made me laugh so hard, maybe because I can bet these designers had no idea that NEAR DEATH was part of this series.
The red team visits Engine 5 where they are told cardiovascular health is very important to the firefighters’ job and they could use exercise equipment. They also need a training center and a place to relax. The firefighter then shows them that behind the horrifying drop ceiling is an extra five feet topped by gorgeous tin tiles. Tom declares this will be his signature element, to raise the height of the room and give it the character that is the history of the firehouse. I really like his idea, and if he pulls this off right, it could be magnificent.
Nina immediately jumps on the task of ordering the furniture because she is better than her group and they can learn from her. Oh, humility. Where art thou? And then Tom loses his mind and suggests taking down a wall causing an almost knock-down fight between him and Courtland. And there’s swearing and accusations of attitude and name calling, and boy, do I ever love drama. I tell you what. Mommyblogging has nothing on designers.
Over at Squad 18, the blue team is shown their giant, blank room where the firefighters conduct drills, both physically and with educational materials. They are faced with the monumental task of painting mile-high walls and an awful green linoleum floor. I hope they don’t paint themselves into a corner! HA HA! Ha. Ha. Not funny? Come on. Indulge me.
Turns out they have to put a thick coat of polyurethane on the floor in order to keep it from peeling off, and they run out of time on day one. Meaning they have to do that part of the project the following day and wait several hours for it to dry. This could be curtains for these guys, waiting for THE ENTIRE FLOOR to dry. Looks like they really did paint themselves into a corner! HA HA! SEE?!
Casey and Michael tackle the floor on day two while Alex and Emily tackle Emily’s signature piece, a coffee table that is a tribute to firemen. There is a blonde joke in here somewhere as she fumbles around the wood and is all, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING. She just wants to make sure it doesn’t look like a little kid tried to make a table… um…yeah. Those letters. Looks exactly like something my six-year-old would bring home from kindergarten.
GONG!
Back at Engine 5, Sears shows up to deliver everything the team ordered: an elliptical trainer, a treadmill, a 30-inch plasma TV, a 50-inch plasma TV, a couch, a recliner and so forth. That is a ton of stuff, and the firefighters deserve it, but it might be hard to see individual design elements beyond all this stuff. That’s my major worry for this team, insofar as I have yet to hear Nina talk about a wall mural.
Back with the blue team, and the polyurethane hasn’t yet dried. In the meantime, everyone is trying to work on their signature elements. Casey is painting a large canvas of the silhouette of a fireman to provide color and interest to the room. Alex invents plastic shoes so that he can walk across the floor and get started on his project, the silhouette of the city skyline on the wall. Now, the judges may ding two silhouettes in one room, but I like the continuity.
Stacey, with the red team, is focusing on the personalization of the room by bringing in the number of the fire station. Courtland cuts out the number five that she glues to a brass circle, something to echo a brass lamp she brings in. Courtland then starts banging out a black-stained wooden entertainment center, his signature piece, wherein he nails the planks vertically on the wall: “I went with the wood element because it’s a very manly element. It’s rough, it’s tough, but yet it’s beautiful at the same time.” Oh Courtland, you poet.
The polyurethane has finally dried over at Squad 18, and Michael starts to attack his piece, a desk/TV/shelving unit. And as he’s rushing to get it built, he shoots a nail into his thumb. No, let me repeat that. HE SHOOTS A NAIL. INTO HIS THUMB. An inch-and-a-half nail shot about an inch into the top of his thumb. There is blood! GORE! There is an ambulance! Finally! You can’t really have a show about design without an ambulance, can you? What fun would that be?
Back with the red team, and Nina is talking about singular moments in art. And what is this? What? She’s creating functional wall art, a cork board cut into several squares that are nailed to the wall in the form of the words pride, commitment and service in Braille, to stress the things people don’t see in the work firefighters do. You guys, she’s doing a mural on a wall. This can’t be happening. Oh, but she went to art school and knows what she’s talking about. Do they teach self-awareness in art school?
Michael’s team steps it up, and Alex builds his project for him, even though every piece of wood is cut to the wrong size. They finish their room as Tom over on the red team paints the ceiling black to cover up imperfections. Another challenge complete. Another mural on a wall.
The judges walk through, and the blue team has created a bright, soothing space with well-planned furniture placement. I love the color of the walls, and again, I think the two silhouettes are perfect complements to each other. The red team’s space is very club-like with dark furniture, a dark ceiling and a dark wooden wall. I know which one is my favorite, and it’s not the one with the Braille on the wall.
They gather everyone together and announce the winner is… the blue team! YAY! And the designer who impressed them the most: Casey. They loved her fireman silhouette. Casey later admits Alex was instrumental in their win having taken over for Michael in a pinch. I have to say, I love this team work. This is how things should work when you’re forced to cooperate with other ideas. Excellent work.
The red team heads back to record their host presentations and then convene in front of the judges. Vern assures them the firefighters loved the space, and then the designers are given a chance to explain their design to Candice, who couldn’t be at the walkthrough. The designers cannot gush enough about how happy they are about the space, when Vern, I mean, THE HULK, informs them they turned in “a big fat zero.”
Uh oh!
He says the judges could barely contain their anger when they walked through the space, their disappointment was monumental. The firefighters liked it, yes, but it was mostly the stuff they liked. Vern can’t believe a group with that much talent produced what they did, and even goes on to say, “I wanted to vomit.”
Yeah, that’s never a good critique, unless you’re testing out different food poisonings.
The black ceiling? It made the room smaller and conjured dark emotional feelings. The black wooden planks? Hello, CHARRED WOOD. And the Braille art installation? According to Genevieve: “All I saw was cardboard put up like a bad eighth-grade craft project. No offense to eighth graders.” HEY-OHHHH! Nina also did a poor job in planning the space of the room. The recliner couldn’t even recline.
Bottom two: Courtland and Nina, deservedly. Nina’s host presentation seems incredibly tired, like she filmed it after studying all night for a test in Braille. It almost feels like she’s given up. And then Courtland’s is all IN YOUR FACE, full of energy, waving his arms all over the place, up and down, totally playing up the homeboy accent. A lot more awake than Nina’s. Like, maybe he’s had a gallon of coffee.
And the designer eliminated this week: NINA. They felt her energy had been sapped as well, and as she leaves the building she says, “I have a lot of charisma, a lot of personality and a lot of people can’t handle that. But in my life, in my world, I’m living in the Nina show.” Oh, you guys, I am going to miss her!
All I have to say is thank goodness the one-trick-pony is finally gone!!
Amen! And if she had, by some miracle won her own show…WHO would actually have watched??? If these are the only "professional designers" the show could find, the whole world is in trouble! PLEASE, let's go back to the the way it was. And, I think Vern was just expressing frustration, I would have said way more than he did. Vern has a right to be judgemental of the poor lack of those folks talent, and to tell them so. Didn't one of the judges tell Nina in the last episode to NOT do another wall art piece. Phew, glad she is gone…but, I agree, absolutely no one stands out this season!
I love the show, but the quality in design (and choice of designers) is so disappointing. I know many of us say things like, "Oh, I could have done that." Yes, that's right. Those spaces look like some of us amateurs had designed it. . . And I mean that from the very beginning, not just the firehouse challenge. Oh well, maybe my expectations are too high. I am so glad, however, that Nina is gone. Her exodus may be the catalyst (and genesis) of an entirely different milieu for this show. I hope so. It has been so disappointing thus far. And I also think that eliminating Dan last week was a big mistake.
It was obvious from the beginning in the way the segments were being edited she would be gone at some point, the only quesiton was "when"? The pieces chosen were her being her supercillious arrogant self, or someone expressing their frustration with having to work with the prima dona.
absolutely!!! I am so glad Nina is gone. She was beginning to believe her own press.
I am so glad the Nina is gone. She lived on the edge through this whole competition. Actually all the designeres left on this show better step up their game; or face the wrath of Vern who needs to not be a judge any longer.
No kidding! He is so grumpy!!!
I never liked Nina from the beginning and I'm Glad she's gone as well, but I have to say that Charma is a bitch with Michael. He shouldn't never put Alex down like that then turned around and shot himself in the thumb with with nail gun… You can't do dirt and expect to get away with it….
YOU NEVER PAINT DULL COLORS OR USE WOOD IN DESIGNING A FIRE DEPT. RELAXATION SPOT FOR THE HARD WORKING FIREMEN…THEY MADE A VERY BIG MISTAKE RUSHING INTO GETTING IT DONE AND NOT THINKING ABOUT IT…
Nina's problem is she does not hear anyones voice but her own!!! That is why she continued with the ugly wall art!!! I would have sent her home a couple of shows ago.
Like Vern pointed out, the recliner didn't even recline? What about space planning?
I was so glad Nina left… She was nothing but a dramatic crybaby who thinks of nobody other than herself….. Geezzz…. I had felt she should have been the first one to be eliminated..
Ditto!
Amen!!!!
Finally they got rid of Nina…..yeah. Courtland you got to come up with better designs or your next. Alex did great this week. Yeah Yeah!! I loved the skyline graphic, Alex I think you did better because you were not with all the nervous people who want all the attention….good job. Sharron in Texas
Thank you. I was beginning to think she was going to be another Antonio. They were determined to keep her and push her through no matter what.
Oh, thank God someone else thought that Antonio only won for other reason's besides talent. He was bad and no one liked his work all the way through, yet for some reason he won? Something fishy there!
Sorry, I loved Antonio. He had some really different ideas. I think too many people focused on his tattoos and not enough on his designs. Thought the woman's clothing store design was really original.
I wish one of the design stars would stand out. At this point none of them deserve a TV show. The winning team did a good job overall this week for the firehouse. I am sure that space will be appreciated.
I am with you on this one. If they are designer, and what we have to look forward to seeing on HGTV. I am done watching it. Nothing about this seasons show is making me come back week after week. I wanted to watch this one, because it had to do with the FireFighters. Wish I had watched something else.
I am stunned by the lack of talent and inspiration from this group. I read all their BIO's and looked at their portfolios, because I wanted to see who they were and where they came from. Their portfolios showcase some really good work. Not sure why they are unable to translate that excellent work to this competition. I think it might be the format. Everything is a committee decision, and that stamps out individuality. Vern is worse than Torquemada the Inquisitor. I expect him to have the losers burned at the stake!
I can't believe the way Vern Yip humiliated these designers. Talk about a total lack of professionalism. There is a big difference between giving critical feedback and being a prick. Vern, you get the prick award this week.
It will look good with all the others he has from past weeks.
I completely agree, Richard! I have been unhappy with Vern from the very first show this year! Every week I'm asking myself, "What's happened to Vern this year, he's such an ass!" Honestly, Vern (and Candace as well) are just ruining the whole experience for me this year. I'm so disappointed with the judges. . .well, I'm disappointed with the contestants too. There, I said it! No standouts at all.
One other rant and then I'm done. Since "reality" shows are all the rave these days, I think the producers/directors/editors manipulate things too much. The "bitch" we all love to hate was eliminated tonight; Vern, Gen & Candace did their best "Simon Cowell" impersonations, etc. For once, I'd just like to see a "real" show, real competition. . .please hold the theatrics!!! Anyone else feel this way?
I agree, but it will probably never happen. The final (edited) product is what draws many people in. I admit to enjoying some of it but there is such a thing as redundancy. I am glad Nina is gone and the Blue Team's room was better. I also agree about Vern, especially during today's episode. He did NOT need to be so animated in his anger with the Red Team's design.
I definitely feel that way. I hate all the manufactured interpersonal drama. I watch for the design and the challenges, and seeing how creative people solve them. I don't care about this silliness.
I've talked to a few people that Love love love reality TV. They hate this show!
It is like Vern has developed a cruel streak. It isn't necessary to be so awful to people when you're telling them you don't like their work.
I agree 100% Richard. -I think that Vern is a very talented designer but I'm not liking this other side of him. In fact, it seems that this season all the judges are hyper critical, almost to the point of bitchie. I'm not liking this format without a "host" to help balance the show.
I absolutely AGREE.. Vern's parting comment of "Get out of here" was completely rude and uncalled for. Tactless and inappropriate. I have seen some very bad rooms on his shows and he needs to remember when he was a beginning designer and made poor design choices. The judges all have been completely rude and I have lost respect for Candice also. She used to be someone I completely admired but now her attitude the entire time has changed my whole opinion. The level of anger is just ridiculous.
Sadly, I too have become disenchanted with Candice's comments as well. Not as bad as Vern,but that's not exactly a compliment.
Randy, you hit the "nail on the head' on this one. I am so embarrassed and disappointed in all three "professional" designers in the cutting words that come out of their mouths. Don't they realize what this is doing to their own reputations and the lessening desire to watch their shows? Hmmmm…….Don't they remember getting started and how much encouragement it took to get them where they are today? But Vern really takes the cake. Just SHUT UP, EVEN!
I totally agree. I missed the first Design Star [with David B as winner], but have watched since. From the start, I found Vern Yip's comments to be unnecessarily harsh. Today, he topped his all time record for being an insensitive person too full of himself. Design Star would do well to vote him off. I won't watch the remaining episodes for this season. I find that my involvement with the show turns to anger as soon as he starts his comments.
John I totally agree. Vern Yip is the worst ever especially last night's "Donald Trump" impression of "Go on get out of here!" I have never found his designs be worthy of mention either with all of his candle walls. Perhaps hgtv would do well to GET HIM OFF of the show. I complained last year too to do no avail. I may too just change my Sunday night line up to not include of the Yip Yip hour.
Yep, me, too. Well said.
Agree with Richard. I'm so-o-o surprised and disappointed in Vern. I've watched all the Design Star series, and thought Vern was a great guy. But – BOY! has he gone south! Since this series began, he has been harsh, critical, and hardly (if ever) an encouraging word to the designers (although this year's bunch is not so great). When "dismissing" the group, he COULD say something like: "Please exit the stuido" (Please being the operative word), or "You may exit the studio", or "Please wait outside while we deliberate", or "Get a good night's sleep, we'll see you tomorrow" – - instead of a stern, brow-beating, belittling "LEAVE Now". I'm almost to the point of not wanting to see who wins — doesn't appear Vern cares to teach them any courtesy, manners, or professionalism, much less how tips on design.
He's really developed a cruel streak and Candace and Genevive sit there quietly like unliberated women.
I don't even know how they thought that space was properly designed. Eighth graders could've designed it better…and no offense to Eighth graders! I hope more is posted about the Blue Team's space. I was very impressed with their teamwork and quick, efficient thinking.
check out emily's blog at http://thebrasspetal.blogspot.com. She goes into detail about her spaces.
Yes!
Is anyone else sick and tired of Vern being so pompous? Ugh…I'm about to stop watching because of HIM!
As I stated in my last blog….when Vern told the remaining member to "Get out of here!!", I did…turned him off and I won't go back! That was completely out of line in any situation. If I wanted to watch that "crap", I would go to the "Lost" or somehthing. I don't know, because I don't watch those shows. I had hoped for so much more — like, oh, design? Goodbye everyone. Enjoy the show.
YES, I'M SICK OF VERN TOO…….really sick
if he is so hot on details…..how about learning to see that his ties are tied properly…..
the designer candidates aren't very good,but they did not deserve the petty critiques.
AMEN! I have lost soooo much respect for him. I think his strong feelings were more than heard….what's with the "get out of here" at the end! Vern's ego has been a total turn off!
When he was on Trading Spaces, he was so different. He always did really nice spaces. It seems like a huge change over him once he started getting his own shows. Very unlikable now.
I am so disgusted with Vern! He treats these people like pieces of c@#P! If Courtland goes I will stop watching cause he has so much personality and soooooo cute! Enough of the judges snotty treatment of the contestants. I used to like Candice but she is also proving to be a B@#&ch.
YES! All the judges are WAY meaner than before. Come on! It's not enjoyable to watch. Good criticism is important, but Vern is downright MEAN and pompous. Honestly, they are hurting their own shows because they are so rude to the designers. I don't want to watch them. Candice is good–she's great at being honest and getting her point across without it being degrading.
Yes, yes, yes.
Vern is great. He is not dealing with children so these adults (wanting to make it big) have to learn to take the heat. Also, I am sure the producers are asking for more drama. Ultimately, it's TV.
Yes!!!!! get rid of Vern and bring back good ole Clive Pierce!!!! Clive ROX!!!!!:)
We all miss Clivie, don't we!!
Right! What happened to to friendly, likeable Vern we came to know and love?
Ditto – talk about a split personality. He is so charming most of the time and has that gorgeous smile, but what's up with the "Mr. Hyde" thing??
I think the fireman could have designed a better room than the red team,so boring and dark. Glad to see the blue team win, they worked well together and their design was good. I still do not see a stand out designer, when will someone start to shine? Please stop with the stupid judging huddle and show us more than drama with the editing.
This new Mark Burnett Survivor format is terrible. It doesn't showcase the designers. GO BACK TO THE OLD FORMAT!!!
I agree. Bring back Clive Pearce as the host, and get rid of Vern Yip and genevieve Gorder, please!
I agree and where is Clive? The shoe needs him back!
Yes! This team format seems so desperate and doesn't work for designers. The fun of the show was pulling for each one separately, like American Idol or similar. Now you vote? Come onnnnn.
Totally! The team thing is useless for seeing what each designer can really do. I'm not sure why Vern is being so dramatic. I feel the producers are forcing him to be like this to suit their idea of a reality show.
Vern was completely on par. Their space looked ridiculous. They completely missed the core principles of design. I feel like it's going to take a lot more than Vern's harsh comments to get some of these people to actually DESIGN!!!
ARE YOU NUTS?! Come on now, no one care's REALLY what vern's opinions are! The show sucks this year and it is the people running it. They need new judges and to go back to the way the show originated. Doesn't anyone learn from their mistakes anymore? The ratings are tanking weekly, and is it any wonder? Anymore it seems to be about the judges more so the designers!! And HGTV should realize that there is only ONE judge (Candice) that has any credentials to even be considered a designer that has the right to "judge" and mold these people. I would NEVER listen to anything that Genevieve or Vern has to say, and I have a feeling that if you were to talk to these designers behind the scenes, they more than likely would say the same (if they thought that they wouldn't be held accountable for their feelings and be disqualified for speaking their minds)!! They pay you to make this comment I am replying to? SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS WITH THIS SEASON. I am about to pull the plug on it too! And as I said in another post, if they don't at least get rid on Genevieve or Vern (preferably both) this next season, I will not be tuning in! Waste of a hour!
I wouldn't be surprised if Candice and Genevieve are feeling oppressed by Vern's negativity. Regardless of what you think of them as designers, neither are typically mean spirited on camera.
I hate to point this out to you but Vern has more credentials than either of the other judges. The man has degrees in architecture as well as business and his own successful design firm in Atlanta, GA. He might be coming off a little harsh, but he is talking to people who are supposedly design professionals already, not some kid off the streets as in previous seasons. I don't like the new format for the show and I think that's what is causing the issues. Blame it on the execs at HGTV and them handing the show over to Burnett.
Sorry I don't agree. You can make a point but have more class about it. Vern was a rude and obnoxious snob tonight. All of the judges were just nasty and arrogant.
I cant believe no one noticed that they put a painting of the Twin Towers on a wall in a firehouse in New York where memebesr of the firehouse were lost in 9/11…. VY needs to pay attention to the content on the walls … Look again at the winning rooms City Scape…
I noticed it and thought of it more as an homage to the fallen. They never want or should forget. I would have painted the twin towers too. There or not…they will always be part of the NYC skyline. But I am surprised they didn't talk about it.
I saw nothing wrong in painting a mural in remembrance.
When we don't remember the past, we are doomed to repeat the past. I thought it was a fitting memorial and artfully done. Way to go Alex.