I may be busy shooting Candice Tells All, but I’m still keeping a close eye on Design Star! This week, extraordinary designer Thom Filicia came by to lend his style expertise to one of my all-time favorites: the White Box Challenge. It killed me not to be there. This time, the designers were each given an identical room and asked to transform it using only restaurant supplies. They were told specifically not to create functional spaces. This challenge is a great opportunity for the designers to really express themselves by thinking unconventionally (which can prove to be difficult for even some of the best designers).

I love that the first thing Tyler did was immediately get rid of all of the furniture in his room. He wasn’t afraid to think on a broad scale, and clearly understood that the challenge was not about function — it was about thinking outside the box (no pun intended). His idea to use 400 water bottles as a piece of furniture, and then turn it into a light source was stellar. In fact, I know just the spot in my house where it would look fabulous.

Design Star isn’t just about showcasing the designers; it’s also about the designers having the ability to utilize takeaway information from the panel. And Kevin did just that. Last week, we told him what we wanted to see, and this week he totally delivered. That butcher-paper wall was creative, chic and beautiful. On the downside, that wall feature was so imaginative that it actually trumped the rest of the room. I only wish he had been that risky with all of his decor.

Mark’s ode to his grandfather and the Air Force was imaginative and inspirational. His design was touchingly personal and at the same time extremely well executed. The “flying futon” was a showstopper, and his vivid use of color in the wall mural captured the symbolism perfectly. From his comfortable camera challenge to his brilliant design, he hit the nail right on the head. Or rather, his missile hit the target!

Meg, Meg, Meg … She was in trouble before she even started. Knocking the coffee table over at the last second was the least of her problems. The coffee wall shadows were innovative in theory, but they (and the rest of the room) were so poorly executed that it was hard to see past all of the missteps. I felt for her — there is nothing worse than having a vision and not having the ability to complete it.

Cathy’s spice mosaic floor reminded me of Julie’s “feather” floor from last season. It was obvious that she spent much of her time on it, but unfortunately it didn’t spell success. I have a feeling it might have smelled better than it looked. Her plate design on the wall was interesting, but it was way too controlled, much like Cathy herself. In both episodes so far, she seems on the brink of letting go, but then quickly pulls herself back. When she was declared safe this week, it was actually the first time she showed her vulnerability. If she brings that emotion into her designs next week, she might just find herself on top.

Leslie’s space was a perfect example of why I always say, if you’re going to do something, do it all the way. Her use of words on the wall was genius, but she quit before the finish line. I really wanted her to carry that edgy look through the entire room.

Bret’s room kind of, well, bombed for me — it needed a bigger wow factor.

And Doug didn’t show us who he is, he showed us Keith Haring.

With the exception of his take-out container light fixture, Karl played it pretty safe.

Kellie’s footprints and side table were great, but in the end Mark’s room was head and shoulders above the rest. He won this challenge hands down.

J’s room lacked inspiration, and it seems so did J. When David asked her if her fire feature was going to be in the center of the room, she should have taken it as a hint. She gave up and it showed, so it was her time to go. The White Box Challenge is the time to really “wow” us, so those who didn’t had better knock it out of the park next week.

What questions do you have about the episode two? Ask in the module below or in the comments below; the Design Star Director of Programming, Loren Ruch, will answer the most-asked questions on Wednesday!

Related posts:

1. Candice’s Recap: Episode 3
2. Candice’s Recap: Episode 1
3. Candice’s Recap: Episode 4

Watch a sneak peek of Emily and Micheal’s last meeting with the judges.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Finale!
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 7
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 4

Watch a sneak peek of Casey’s first attempt at carpentry.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 7
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 4
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 6

Watch a sneak peek of Michael and Emily seeing their dining space for the first time.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Finale
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 7
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 4

Watch a sneak peek of Michael, Casey and Alex arguing over the flooring.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 6
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 5
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 7

Watch a sneak peek of how Tom, Stacey and Courtland design in a democracy.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 4
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 5
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 7

Watch a sneak peek of the designers learning what it takes to be a New York firefighter.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 9
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 7
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 4

Watch a sneak peek of Nina clashing with Stacey. Surprised? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 6
2. Episode 4 Sneak Peek
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 5

Immediately the contestants walk out onto the rooftop of Trump International Hotel and Tower where a jazz band is getting down. Oh, jazz. You cute little acquired musical taste. Like hot, diluted beer on an uncovered patio in the desert. My husband loves you. I love him despite this.

Vern tells the ladies to choose one guy to join their team since the numbers are lopsided four to six (women being the first two eliminated). After a tiny bit of whispering they choose Dan, they say because of his skills and his nice energy, an infusion the women could really use. Really, it’s not because he’s so cute and has that adorable Southern accent? Those things come in handy when you’re sewing curtains.

This week’s challenge is to design a 200-square-foot outdoor terrace inspired by music, what Vern describes as one of the most difficult Design Star challenges ever. It’s an intangible inspiration, and each contestant must choose an individual instrument to influence their design. Courtland chooses the cello, Dan takes the guitar, Tom takes the sax and so on until the final contestant, Stacey, is stuck with the trumpet, which she says is perfect since they are both little and loud. Vern urges them to, “Determine how your band is going to sound in the design.” Oh dear, I sense a lot of musical metaphors in the making. If you’re taking a shot of liquor every time you hear one, you might be dead at the end.

The spaces are amazing blank canvases. The men go shopping immediately, find a gorgeous wicker daybed that they plan to use as the centerpiece of the design, and Alex thinks his work is done as it represents his instrument, congas, perfectly. Their quick start hits a huge bump when Trent picks out a Christmas tree to stick right in the middle of the space. And the bickering ensues. This tree? No tree. That tree. Big tree! For a few minutes the dialog among the men sounds like a book I read to my newborn before bed.

Dan is having a calming effect on the women as they talk and work together, and surprisingly they all agree on the furniture. He suggests that maybe he’s the missing link, and I think he may be right. Have you noticed I have yet to pick on Nina? I mean, his calming effect is working its way across the country to Utah. That’s some energy!

Flash to the men trying to load all of their furniture and materials into the elevator up to their terrace, and ohhhhh, nooooo. That beautiful daybed is going nowhere. They’d have to rent a crane to get that thing up there, and I’m guessing that’s not in the budget. Let’s hope booze is.

And then Courtland… COURTLAND! Is he really doing a faux paint finish again? An orange faux finish? NO NO NO NO NO! I’m with Michael on this one: “Nothing screams cello to me like Venetian plaster.” It’s a total disaster, I’m calling that one now. As Tom points out, he basically just took the color of the cello and fauxed it all over that wall. Yes, that is a verb.

Over on the men’s side, Trent is walking around avoiding conflict, probably because he’s tired of being nitpicked. And Tom is attempting to salvage whatever chance Alex has in this design since the original daybed couldn’t fit in the elevator. Meaning, they are designing something to represent a saxophone and a conga simultaneously. Yeah, I am so glad I’m not a contestant on this television show.

It’s a mad dash to the finish, and the judges enter the men’s space first. My first impression is that five designers all entered a space, never said a word to each other, and set up their own little installation. There is nothing cohesive about this space whatsoever. You’ve got yellow and turquoise and orange and magenta and black, and then this giant musical note made out of an extension cord on the wall. That saxophone of a daybed juxtaposed to the orange Venetian wall is a nightmare. Literally, like something you’d see in the Halloween section of a craft store.

The women’s space, despite the swirly swoops, has a totally different, more inviting vibe to it. The purple walls are so chic, so – shall I say – jazzy, and they work perfectly with the trumpet-themed wall made out of wood. The votives and low slung furniture finish off the space with a feeling of tranquility, which is what I think Dan was going for in terms of bringing the guitar into the room. The judges disagree with me, they even think the swirly swoops were a great idea, but that’s why I write the recaps, right?

And when the judgment is handed down, the women win! I totally agree with this decision, obviously, but I can’t abide the fact that Nina is chosen as the top designer. SWIRLY SWOOPS. AAAACK! I think Dan deserves a lot more credit here than the judges are giving him. He changed the dynamic and energy of the group. He even made me nice for a few paragraphs!

The men scramble to figure out what went wrong, and then at elimination we get a slew of musical metaphors: “a cacophony of different noises.” “Come together as a symphony.” “We were out of tune as a band.” Whoever is doing shots of tequila, STOP NOW.

Vern totally rips into both Tom and Courtland, even telling Courtland that his wall is pure insanity, “that a clown car exploded onto that corner of your patio.” Alex is reamed for not having any representation of a conga in the room. Trent tries to justify his part of the design, the keyboard, as the feeling of “party” in the space, and Genevieve is quick to point out that this explanation is too vague. It’s too hard to see him in the space. And after a quick discussion, Trent and Alex are announced as the bottom two as those whose voices where not seen enough in the design. I think this is valid as this room could leave everyone involved at the bottom.

Alex’s host presentation is casual, easy, albeit a bit repetitive, and he only focuses on one corner of the room. Trent’s presentation feels a bit more confident, at least initially, but then he sort of trails off and can’t find himself. Before the judges can announce who’s going home Trent interrupts Vern to say that he is just too easygoing to work with such strong personalities. And what do you know, the judges were going to say that he’d been fading too far into the background. And out he goes. Next week the men better work harder at coming together as a symphony.

Related posts:

1. Dooce’s Recap: Bromstad! Where are you, Bromstad?
2. Dooce’s Recap: Nina Drops a Piano on Courtland’s Head
3. Judge’s Recap – Episode 3: Alex, Courtland, Michael, Tom and Trent

Over at the fan vote, Dan remains in the lead with Julie right behind him. If your favorite’s not in the lead, go vote! Plus, tell us what you think of the designers’ work on Judge the Designs.

See the sneak peek at how Courtland’s cello inspiration influences his design:

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 2
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 4
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 6

Be sure to head over to our fan vote and pick your favorite designer to win an online show. Right now, Dan is in the lead (sound familiar?), but Tera and Alex are a close tie behind him.

Watch the second challenge this Sunday at 10/9c and catch a sneak peek here:

Related posts:

1. Sneak Peek: Episode 3
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 7
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 6

The 12 designers meet and learn about their first challenge: the white rooms.

Twelve new designers, all with varied backgrounds, some formally schooled, others who found inspiration building pig troughs (those things are darling), under pressure to impress the judges — Vern Yip, Genevieve Gorder and Candice Olson — to become host of their own TV show. And already I get the sense that Vern means business. Like, yes, the two women beside him are taller by three feet, but who’s doing the voice-over?! THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT.

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Nina organizes her finds from the Asian market. Cue the umbrellas.

First competition: Each designer is paired with another designer, someone they have never met and they have to design a white-box bedroom for that person, based on their personality. Budget: $500. The catch is that it all has to be spent at an Asian market. OH MY LOLA. Is it just me, or do I sense a glut of Kimonos, umbrellas and paper lanterns? Seriously, if someone glues kimchi to a wall I may have to leave the room.

Contestants are being really friendly, but we all know how short-lived this will be given the pressure. And the fact that these people are designers. Because creative people have difficulty with the part of their brain that controls reason.

Oh, and only one hour to shop? Who made up these rules? It could take YEARS to choose a paint color. I’m not even even competing and I want to throw up. So much pressure! Do they get a massage when this is done? A hug, maybe?

Already we start to see contestants with weaknesses…. Alex forgets a pile of merchandise, and there goes half of his room. Alex, under that kind of pressure, I’d forget my own name. And oh no, Courtland is using pink paint with a faux finish. Please! No faux finishes! When has faux ever looked not faux? It just screams, “Hello! I’m not the real thing!” It grows a voice along with four legs, a spiked tail and then it crawls out of the swamp.

Emily stares.

And Emily. Oh, Emily: “I don’t do sketches, I don’t draw. I stare.” When she stares into her future, I’m thinking she’s going to see that she SHOULD HAVE DONE A SKETCH.

Julie. She didn’t hear me. No faux finishes! But there she is fauxing all over that wall.

Judges’ decisions are in and it’s time to assess the designs: Stacey’s is really hip, clean and urban. Love the saturated colors. I think it’s spot on and an excellent piece given the constraints. Her fellow designer Dan, however, put this horrifying thing over the bed. What is that? And even though Stacey says she likes it, I’m thinking my grandmother would have said to take it down, it makes her feel old and smelly.

Nina’s room: Beautiful, but remember my prophecy about geisha umbrellas? How many did she stick to that wall? I lost count because I can’t count that high. Courtland is polite about the design, but then Nina turns right around and drops a piano on Courtland’s head. His design is not bohemian enough, even though she never once mentioned that she preferred bohemian. HAHA! See? Catty! Already! Only thing missing is the sound effect of two lions biting each other’s back legs off.

Tom’s room: He packed up the Asian market, loaded it on a truck and unpacked everything in that room. All that red would make me angry. Yes, angrier than I already am. And his fellow designer Julie? Did I mention the faux paint finish? That’s all that needs to be said. Oh, one more thing: EEEEYYYUUUCK!

Alex’s room is not as bad as I thought it was going to be, given that half of it is still sitting in a pile on the floor of the market. Casey’s room is a nice break from the three before it: again, clean. Finished. Confident, saturated colors. Oh no, I think I’m getting soft on you guys! Where’s my grit? Someone hurry and spit in my cereal!

Tera’s room: my absolute favorite so far. Not only it is clean and confident, but it has so much texture and symmetry. Definitely a design that looks like it cost well over $500. Trent’s room is, well, I can’t get past the ghost he installed over the bed. It looks like Casper, except Casper is hopped up on pain killers and yelling at his cat.

Michael’s room is yet another with blue walls, but I like the eclectic arrangement of all the accessories. Casual, a little rough around the edges, livable. And then there’s Emily’s room. Oh dear. Remember that sketch she didn’t draw? It’s living with the design she didn’t execute. Don’t get me wrong, I like minimal. But the blank space in that room has the gravitational pull and personality of a black hole.

Judges have deliberated and broken them out into the top six and bottom six designers: Yay for Stacey, Tera, Nina, Casey, Michael and Dan. Best design goes to… Nina! Except, I disagree! Not enough to make a fuss, but enough to use some exclamation points!

The bottom six designers commiserate before final elimination.

Oops for the rest, whose punishment is to go back and film a host presentation for their design and then stand in judgment again. No pressure, JUST A GIANT CAMERA IN YOUR FACE. Be friendly, be relatable! Don’t mess up a line and let slip a certain word!

The judge’s evaluation of each design pretty much mirrors my own, but when I mentioned earlier that Vern means business, I HAD NO IDEA. Vern is bringing it! A side we haven’t seen! Go, Vern, go! Show those tall, blonde women who’s who! Oh, wait….

Now, I think anyone who uses a faux paint finish should end up in the bottom two, so I don’t think Emily should be standing there next to Julie in the end. Also, there’s something very adorable about Emily that comes across clearly in her host presentation. That she’s willing to poke fun at her mistakes in the video is a brilliant move on her part. It shows that she can think on her feet. And Julie’s video is just so stiff. So rehearsed and flat. That paired with the The Monumental Faux Paint Disaster of 2010, and no wonder she’s the first one sent home.

Can’t wait to see if Emily steps it up next week.

Related posts:

1. Judge’s Recap – Episode 1: Nina & Courtland
2. David’s Vlog: Nasty Nina
3. Dooce’s Recap: Oh no, Dan! Energize me! Make me nicer!

Every day, you have the chance to vote up to 10 times for your favorite designer and the winner will win a show on HGTV.com. Last season’s winner, Dan Vickery, transforms kids’ rooms and nurseries for our Kid-Sized Design series.

Plus, check out our preview of the premiere, where the designers tackle the white room challenge first.

Related posts:

1. One More Day to Vote for Your Fan Favorite!
2. Sneak Peek: Episode 2
3. Sneak Peek: Episode 3

We’re experiencing some problems right now with last night’s post, but we’re working hard to fix them. In the meantime, we want everyone to have their say so feel free to continue the conversation here.

Related posts:

1. Challenge 9: Meet Your New Design Star
2. Design Star Duds for A Good Cause
3. Caption This: Jason Meet Matzo

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

With 44 work hours and $50,000, the designers had to make over a kitchen, living room and two bedrooms.

Antonio worked with the Starr family to create a light, airy kitchen and an eclectic living room. Dark granite countertops provided the perfect contrast to the kitchen’s new white cabinets and blue-gray walls. In the living room, Antonio deconstructed a vintage armoire to create a one-of-a-kind fireplace surround.

The master bedroom’s most striking new feature was the bright green walls. In addition, he made the space more functional for the whole family with a seating area and workspace. For the kid’s room, Antonio used a bold wall treatment of red stars to set the stage and added a daybed and striped poufs for seating.

The Goldberg family wanted a fresh start and Dan achieved that by opening up the floor plan. In the kitchen, dark cabinets were combined with cashmere countertops and a bamboo stone backsplash for a contemporary new look. His color palette for the living room was inspired by the original color of the master bedroom: a lovely lilac. A neutral sectional and mirrored TV cabinet above the fireplace opened up the room, while chocolate drapes softened the crisp, white shutters.

In the master bedroom, Dan reoriented the layout of the bedroom by eliminating one window and designing built-ins around the bed’s headboard. The teen’s bedroom featured a fresh, young shade of purple that was highlighted by black and silver accents. The new bed provided plenty of storage underneath and even included a pull-out desk for Jackie to do her homework.

While both designers proved they could tackle a huge project and create beautiful rooms, there can only be one Design Star. Drum roll please . . . the next Design Star is:

Congratulations, Antonio!

Related posts:

1. Challenge 9: Meet Your New Design Star, Part 2
2. Challenge 4: Garage Transformations
3. Challenge 2: Dueling Kitchens

Watch the preview of the finale, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

Also, don’t forget you have only 5 more days to vote for your favorite designer and enter the Design Star sweepstakes.

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
2. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
3. Preview of Challenge 3: The White Rooms

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

With only 30 hours and $20,000, the designers had to create the space of their celebrity’s dreams.

Antonio was paired with Kathy Griffin, who needed an office space for Team Griffin, her three full-time employees, and wanted a modern minimal look. He showed off his innovative style with custom-built desks, a fresh shade of purple and a cool map of the United States, where Kathy can map out her tour dates.

Jason Priestley and his wife, Naomi, needed Dan to transform their guest room into a nursery for their second child. Dan created a sophisticated nursery with a touch of a nautical theme. He designed a unique architectural feature of little boats for the ceiling and even showed off his artistic side with custom artwork.

Tiffani Thiessen and her husband, Brady Smith, wanted a contemporary and eco-friendly design for their guest room. Lonni mixed the old and new with a gorgeous piece of reclaimed wood for the headboard and a textural grass cloth wall treatment. Dark wood floors and eclectic accessories completed the look.

In the end, Lonni ran out of time to hang her headboard, which left the judges wondering if she could plan and multitask, so she was sent home.

It’s down to the final two! Who do you think is going to win the big prize: Antonio or Dan?

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes
2. Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
3. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms

Watch the preview of the celebrity home challenge, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

We’re down to just three, but all 11 designers are still vying for an online show. Vote for your favorite »

Related posts:

1. Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes
2. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
3. Preview of Challenge 7: The Longest Yard

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

The designers had only 36 hours and $25,000 to make over the 10,000-square-foot backyard, and Torie volunteered to be the team captain. However, as soon as they started planning, it was clear Antonio was making most of the design decisions.

The big drama this week – the budget debacle. Dan approved the purchase of a $10,000 pergola, which was almost half of their budget. He recalled the rest of team approving the price, but we all heard (since they replayed it four times) him say “$5,000 for the pergola” in the van.

Candice was spot on with her assessment that the pergola carried a high price for an item that didn’t look custom. It was pretty, but not worth it.

When Clive heard of their predicament, he gave them $5,000 more to finish the project.

The end result: a lush yard, cleverly arranged plants that hid the not-so-pretty fence, contemporary new patio furniture and a barbeque that included a gas grill, refrigerator and extra storage. The pool was updated with a new concrete surround and relaxed furnishings.

As always, someone has to leave. Since Torie volunteered to be the team leader, she was ultimately held responsible for the design flaws and budget mishap, so she was sent home tonight.

What do you think? Should the judges have sent home Dan instead?

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 7: The Longest Yard
2. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
3. Challenge 1: Hollywood, Here We Come

Watch the preview of the backyard makeover, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

It may be down to the final four, but all 11 designers are still vying for their own online show. Dan holds the lead now, and your votes can keep him there or send your favorite to the top. Vote for your favorite »

Related posts:

1. Challenge 7: The Longest Yard
2. Preview of Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes
3. Preview of Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Lonni stepped up her game this week with a sporty design for a 17-year-old baseball player. The judges were pleased with her home plate-inspired focal wall.

Antonio had a hard time nailing down his 5-year-old client’s desires (“Spaghetti!”).

They settled on a mini man cave and Antonio once again showed off his carpentry skills with his bed frame and window surround.

Dan created an eco-friendly room for 11-year-old environmentalist Helena by repurposing existing furniture and using thrift finds. The client was thrilled, but the judges were not fans of the wrought iron mounted above the bed.

Torie went color crazy for eight-year-old Carina. Vern suggested that one wall color would have been sufficient since variety can also come in via accessories and pillows.

Jason took his client’s girly inclinations to heart, but Vern thought this space was for a “princess from the kingdom of no imagination.”

In the end, the judges felt that Jason talked a lot about big design, but didn’t deliver a room that fit his client’s needs.

What do you think? Did the judges make the right decision?

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
2. Challenge 3: The White Rooms
3. Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes

Watch the preview of the kids’ room makeovers, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

Don’t forget to enter the Design Star sweepstakes and vote for your favorite designer.

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 9: The Finale
2. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
3. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Antonio, Dan and Torie transformed the living area of the Olsons, who wanted a warm, multifunctional room for the whole family. The designers used two shades of blue to create a neutral atmosphere and added contemporary furniture for a streamlined effect. Vern felt the designers met the Olsons’ needs for a comfortable, adaptable environment, while Candice loved the texture that the panels brought to the wall.

Nathan, Lonni and Jason made over the Maldonado family’s space, who were looking for a modern style, but mostly importantly wanted it to be functional. Nathan decided to build an entertainment center, which took almost the entire 22 hours they had for the challenge. Lonni chose to enhance one wall with a chevron pattern, and Vern felt it was the best part of the room.

Even though the judges felt that Jason and Nathan both had reasons to be eliminated, Nathan’s lack of time management was his ultimate undoing, and he was sent home.

What do you think? Did the judges make the right decision?

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
2. Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes
3. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms

Watch the preview of the military home makeovers, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

Don’t forget to enter the Design Star sweepstakes and vote for your favorite designer.

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
2. Preview of Challenge 9: The Finale
3. Preview of Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Antonio, Torie, Jason and Jany teamed up to create a Hamptons-inspired family room for the Caswell family. They painted the room two tones of blue to create an airy look and added a small workspace complete with simple white bookcases. The judges felt the room was unbelievably predictable and wanted to see design that sets them apart.

Nathan, Dan, Lonni and Tashica designed a Spanish-inspired living space for the Lang Family complete with a floral tile motif mural. They built a platform to create separate seating and entertaining areas and used a bold color palette of yellow and orange to set the scene.

This week was a double elimination and Tashica was sent packing before the judges even deliberated. They also decided to send Jany home because they felt her style was too predictable and cookie-cutter.

Don’t forget to head over to enter the Design Star sweepstakes and vote for your favorite designer!

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 4: Garage Transformations
2. Challenge 3: The White Rooms
3. Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave

Watch the preview of the garage transformations, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

Plus, check out what the judges are saying after every challenge. Candice, Genevieve and Vern explain what the designers did right, did wrong and how they could have done it better.

Related posts:

1. Challenge 4: Garage Transformations
2. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave
3. Preview of Challenge 3: The White Rooms

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Nathan wins over the judges’ praise with his orange slice chandelier and milk-striped walls, while Vern feels Dan’s deconstruction of the orchard is “the single, most well-executed, most well-thought out response” to the white room challenge.

Torie’s young, eclectic design receives the much-anticipated “crazy good” comment from Candice, while Antonio is praised for his creative paint idea, but the judges think he didn’t embrace the challenge of using groceries.

Jany tries for a clean and crisp design, but Candice called her design “textbook design” and Vern and Genevieve agreed the room was too predictable. Tashica went for a Garden of Eden theme with her green apples, but for the third week in a row, her designs did not impress the judges.

Lonni’s room doesn’t meet her or the judges’ expectations when her initial design plan of an acrylic-like art piece from plastic cups doesn’t work, and Jason’s space is considered as bland as the matzo crackers he used to decorate.

The niceness award this week goes to Antonio and Torie for helping Lonni finish her space. Three cheers for kindness!

Jen creates an eco-inspired space with Japanese influences. The color palette proves confusing for the judges, and they are disappointed there’s no “wow” factor.

In the end, it was Jen’s time to go. What do you think? Did the judges make the right decision?

Related posts:

1. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
2. Preview of Challenge 3: The White Rooms
3. Challenge 2: Dueling Kitchens

This season the designers have to buy all their decorating elements from a grocery store, so these unusual items will be the ultimate test of their creativity.

Watch the preview of the white room challenge, and tune in Sunday at 10/9c to see what happens.

Who do you predict will blow this challenge out of the water and who do you think will fail miserably?

Related posts:

1. Challenge 3: The White Rooms
2. Preview of Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
3. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

Nathan and Amy are named the two team captains, and then, teams are chosen playground style. Nathan teams up with Antonio, Jason, Torie and Jean, while Amy picks Jany, Lonni, Tashica and Dan.

The Boucher family wanted a kitchen perfect for entertaining, so team Nathan came up with a Moroccan-Italian-inspired space. While they were able to complete the design, I wasn’t a huge fan of the chosen color palette and accessories. I’m really expecting a lot of Jen, since she’s this season’s color expert, so I hope she does better in upcoming challenges. I did, however, love Torie’s idea for the backsplash — simple to install and adds a lovely metallic touch to the room.

Team Amy tackled the Johnson’s kitchen, who wanted a modern and warm space for the family. The contrast between the cabinets and countertops is nice, however, they fell short on their execution of the project. The countertops weren’t square, the tile backsplash wasn’t finished and they didn’t leave enough time to accessorize the room.

The judges decided it was Amy’s time to go because of her lack of team leadership and overall execution plan.

Were you as shocked as I was by the judges decision? I really thought they were going to eliminate Tashica. Did you agree or disagree with Candice, Genevieve and Vern?

Related posts:

1. Preview of Challenge 2: The Dreaded Kitchens
2. Challenge 9: Meet Your New Design Star
3. Challenge 4: Garage Transformations

The downfall every season in the kitchen challenge has been poor planning and tile, so do you think any of the designers will be brave enough to try tile? Who do you think will be the standout in this challenge?

On our Fan Vote, Dan is leading the pack with Tashica not far behind him. Course, the big surprise is how Torie went from having no votes (since she didn’t get added until Monday) to being in sixth place – go Torie! If your favorite isn’t in the lead, better get over there and vote.

Check out the sneak peek of the kitchen challenge.

Related posts:

1. Challenge 2: Dueling Kitchens
2. Preview of Challenge 7: The Longest Yard
3. Preview of Challenge 5: Homes of the Brave

Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to know what happened, please don’t click through.

The episode begins with the question I left you with on Friday. Which of the three semi-finalists would make it in: Alyssa, Gary or Torie? The original 10 finalists were given the opportunity to vote in their last competitor, and Torie, the custom home designer and Texas beauty queen, won!

Of course, that was just the beginning of the night. Host Clive Pearse gave the designers their first challenge: to make over their Hollywood home. This season the designers had 30 hours to complete the makeover and were given the biggest budget in Design Star history: $50,000.

Check out the designs from tonight’s episode and tell me what you think.

The dining room by Dan and Nathan was my favorite design of the night. While it’s an incredibly bold statement, I think it’s just what we want to see on Design Star. Innovative design!

Antonio, Lonni and Amy tackled the large living room and did a great job of breaking the space into different areas. While I was as unsure about the pink ducks as Lonni was, Antonio’s idea paid off in the end. The judges love it and the hot pink ducks added a much-needed splash of color.

Torie and Jany’s bedroom is very pretty, but very predictable. I think the judges are right. While I love blue and brown together, we’ve seen it a hundred times.

Jason and Jen’s room makes me smile. While the design may not be entirely cohesive, the faux taxidermy and typography are fun trends, and the whole room has an atmosphere of creativity.

NataLee and Tashica definitely bit off more than they could chew in this bedroom. The color palette is bold, several of their ideas were glamorous, but they weren’t able to finish the look.

Ultimately, the judges decided it was NataLee’s time to go due to her seemingly lack of stamina and definite lack of design execution.

Spill it! Do you think the judges made the right choice? Was the NataLee the one who needed to go?

Related posts:

1. Challenge 6: Kids’ Rooms
2. Challenge 7: The Longest Yard
3. Challenge 8: Celebrity Homes