by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP
Sunday, 7/29, marked the start of season two of HGTV’s “Design Star” program, where 11 designers compete to have their own show on HGTV. Unlike the Bravo series, “Top Design,” which was unsuccessful in my opinion (see “Design Scrapes Bottom of Barrel,” 02.06.07), “Design Star” gives a good sense of the struggles that designers often experience when given a difficult task under a tight deadline.
In the first episode, contestants were challenged to design the living space they will share throughout the show. Given $15,000 and 72 hours, individual designers chose a space to make their own. There was no attempt to create an overall unified space — it was every man or woman for him/herself. The finished design included a sunken dining room, a half-pipe skating ramp, window seating overlooking Las Vegas, and a telephone book sculpture. I could relate to the designers as they strove to make comfortable their temporary home.
One thing is clear: each designer has a particular sense of style and personality — a must for a television show host. Contestants are not all stereotypes, although there is a flamboyant Fabio look-alike, a pumped-up jock, and a passive aggressive southern belle. A self-proclaimed “Metro Hippie” from Minnesota, the show’s first green designer, showed promise, but, sadly, there was no green design in his attempt at built-in lounge seating. His eco-perspective will shine in future episodes, I hope. The one designer from NYC, Kim Myles, is a hairstylist with no formal training. Her meditative space was well laid out, if not very cutting-edge and exciting.
One of the show’s assets is the online design tips given by judge Vern Yip, designer and owner of Vern Yip Designs. He explains what fails and succeeds with each designer’s project. “At the end of the day, function must take precedence,” he claims.
At this point who knows the winner, although I’m rooting for the Metro Hippie to pull off some innovative sustainable design, which could lead to an appealing new HGTV show. He probably will not win, though, because at 25 his amateurism is apparent. Overall, the show is fun. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the challenges and to relate to the contestants.