Design Happens

Ah. The first episode of my brand spankin new show, Secrets From a Stylist. (The launch is saturday at 9pm. 1 day and counting, geez. And the official title of my first episode?… Hollywood Regency Meets Country Club). It’s like the first day of high school. I remember it like it was yesterday, but I feel like I’ve grown up a lot already by the second semester, er 10th episode. The first week EVERYBODY was trying to figure out their roles; what were our strengths, weaknesses, and the general crazy timing of it all. And don’t forget while i’m styling and hosting each episode, i’m still working on the next four to six designs, so i was having a blast, but was kinda also doing the first week of training for the mental olympics, well my version of it anyway. But the first week, like freshman year, was full of excitement, anxiety and total madness. And it all begins with the style diagnostic…..

Me, Hillary and Bobby

So here’s a secret: Yes, i have met with the clients before the first day of shooting. I have to plan major pieces of furniture so there is a general design plan and order to the week. BUT, The Style Diagnostic is real, people. Trust. And every single week things come out in it that throw me off and force serious changes that make the episode interesting for all of us. And this week is no exception.

The Living Room...Before. Gotta Tune In To See The After, Tho.

I have hopes and predictions of what their styles answers are, and sometimes their answers are as hoped and predicted, and sometimes i end up learning new things about the clients each week, in real time. So with Hillary and Bobby they chose the fabrics that made sense, but then they both reached for the weird beer stein that said more ‘mid-evil party animal’, than the Hollywood Regency and Country Club Chic that i had in mind. But after a long conversation on why they chose that instead of the gold filligreed wine glass or the heavy manly rocks glass, it came out that what they loved about it was that it was a ‘two-fer’. Huh.

What is a two-fer you ask (as i did)? Well its something that has a double function. Hillary said that Bobby’s dream chair would also be a waffle maker. Gadget furniture, basically. It makes him happy, it makes him smile and so my prediction of serious and conservative is sent walking. Turns out he is whimsical as well. And while the gadgety stein isn’t actually a two-fer, it was a glass with a toy on top, with a fun gadget. So when you watch the style diagnostic which last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds of air time, know that the entire diagnostic actually takes about 45 minutes and includes many explanations, follow up questions and a lot of laughing. Believe me, A LOT of laughing, at me, with me and, well, at me.

Come back for more behind the scenes, random facts, resources and general ‘how did i adjust to this new life’ dialogue next week. Oh and some more general secrets, from this stylist.

PS Come to our twitter party during the premiere Saturday night, at 9pm. Use hashtag #HGTV to join in.