Judges’ Recaps: Emily & Michael
Vern’s Thoughts
In pulling together a dining space out of old furniture, Michael and Emily showcase how sharing a vision as a team can really pay off. Although they are responsible for individual elements, Michael and Casey pull their individual contributions together to create an overall cohesive dining room space. The gray, green, black and white palette effuses a current and polished look evocative of today’s design trends.
Emily creates an amazingly original pendant shade, repurposing plastic flowers and taking them from tacky to refreshing. The wallpapering of the back of the china cabinet — followed by the insertion of objects painted in bright green, yellow and white — transforms junk into treasure. Michael takes dated angel figurines, smashes them and glues them to an oval mirror frame, coating the whole creation in slick black paint. The end result is stunning, textural, bold and a wonderful showcase for his ability to reinvent materials, elevating their otherwise negligible design contribution.
This team knows when to pull back and when to push. Balancing the glossiness and slickness of their decorative objects, they take a simple piece of burlap material and lay it out on the table as a nice foil for delicate dishware. A combination of formal chairs and a bench circling the dining room table make it a little unexpected and edgy. On this challenge, Emily and Michael clearly demonstrate that they are talented and not afraid to think outside the box.
Genevieve’s Thoughts
I enjoyed this space. The eye immediately is drawn to the focal point of the room: the windows! Nature is embellished through modern florals in the fabric and via effective lighting. While the lighter shade of gray on the walls creates a creamy, airy base for the room, the citric qualities of the yellow and green have room to play, grounded by lowlights of graphite and black. A balanced palette makes such a difference. Thank you, Emily and Michael.
Compositionally, I think the room is scaled appropriately — there’s room to move, I know what I’m supposed to do in here and the asymmetry is working organically for me. My only moment of wanting a bit of reflection comes with the cutout on the right wall and me wishing the piece of art had been mirrored in position on the other side; it almost looks contrived in the way it’s hung. The highlight of this space, however, is the gorgeous black angel winged mirror. I thought this was absolutely brilliant and wanted to eat it up. My low point? A beautiful table with a very boring tablescape — yawn. Overall, though, a very successful room.
I hope that somebody fixes the typo in this review.
"Although they are responsible for individual elements, Michael and Casey pull their individual contributions together to create an overall cohesive dining room space."
It's Michael and EMILY's space…not Michael and Casey.
It was a beautiful room with great design. Michael's mirror was amazing, and Emily's china cabinet was extremely well done.
Please put Emily's name where it's meant to be!
Nope, still not fixed.
big mistake getting rid of Courtland the only designer left who was not a big yawn to watch. if they think they are going to attract male viewers with Casey and Emily I have been married long enough to know that men will start liking design shows when woman start watching golf it is never going to happen no matter how "hot" the host is at least give the female viewers a.k.a all your viewers someone exciting i will miss Courtland and not tune in to any of the remaining contestant shows.
With all the oohing and aahing over the mirror, how could you not get a shot of the room with the mirror in it? Not trying to be snarky, it just seems that since both Vern and Genevieve are gushing over it, it would be nice to have it in the photo. It doesn't seem like it could have been a very important piece in the overall design of the room, since it is nowhere to be seen. I watched the show so I saw it hanging on the wall but did not see it in context with the room. Anyone who didn't see it , will be scratching their head over all the discussion about it here and in David B's vlog and no sign of it anywhere!
sorry I have to disagree with Genevieve here- whether or not you like the "tangerine" square in the other team's room, ask me where I would rather spend an hour? where I'd rather talk with friends? where I'd rather eat? NOT in this boring green grey snooze of a room that is for sure… The designers seem to be as lost as the contestants in how to judge this pathetic version of an originally very interesting concept show. The windows? look like windows in my apartment i would never hang curtains beside them in that way it looked lazy and tacky to me, but whatever. Nice to see they have not changed their pattern they targeted Courtland as they did Alex, and he was as graceful on his exit as he was in each of his segments. I do not envy anyone on this show.
What a cold and boring white, green and black mess.
I could do better than these two designers and I know nothing about design.
Cortland got thrown under the bus big time!
I thought the brown room was far better than the boring green one and the curtains were tacky in the green one……I would rather spend time eating in the brown room as apposed to the green one…
Me as well. mouthy michael as snowed the judges again.
I agree the room is boring, if I walked in there I would feel for sure that it needed design!! I think sometimes people who specialize can become "too clever" and find design where there isn't any. Honest design can be appreciated by all even if the style is not your preference. While I can see what to do in the room i.e. I would not want to. I would also rather spend time in the brown room.
I like the freshness and light of this room. It uplifts me more than the other room with dark walls and blaring orange treatment. I think this room still lacks something to make it cozy—upholstered chairs, better artwork, constrasting colors, better tablecloth–but prefer it anyway to the other room. Considering what they had to work with, I'm impressed with both rooms.
Are you kidding me!! Cortland was by far the best designer left. I will not watch any longer because
the judging is all fixed. Shame on the host's. The remaining will not succeed with a show…they are
not gifted in design.
you are right!!!! why do you people want to go and eat in a dark cave? I do congratulate both teams, however. my room would just look like a four-year-old did it. but courtland deserved to go home. casey has a lot of taalent but wasnt able to express it with courland and his "faux finish"
This show is fun to watch…but the judges need to have a sense of how they come across when being critical…their own ego's come out…LOL…they definitely should smile more…the comment about getting more straight men to watch was like letting the cat out of the bag…it was if to say that a woman is going to win this season to attract more straight men to watch HGTV…OMG!…are you kidding me!….LOL….straight men will start watching once their girlfriends and/or wives start putting out…:)
these judges don't have very good standards…especially vern and genevieve.
someone put a picture of the mirror!!!!
I cannot believe that Courtland was "canceled". Michael and Emily's room was very tacky looking. Plastic flowers spray painted for a chandelier? And Michael was supposed to be inspired by a fruit plate and he produces a black mirror and a bench without a cushion. I was totally shocked that Michael was not sent home. very disappointing.